Gilbert shared the stage with such musical acts as Old Dominion and Cole Swindell, all of which were able to warm up the stage for Aldean and Chesney.
A Georgia native, Gilbert began his set with the spitfire tune “Kick It in the Sticks” and it was followed by “Hell on Wheels” and his collaboration with Justin Moore and Thomas Rhett, “Small Town Throwdown.”
He changed the pace of his set with the soft ballad “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do,” but the highlight vocal of the evening was his powerhouse performance of his latest radio single, “One Hell of An Amen.” Several of the scenes from his “One Hell of An Amen” music video, especially the ones with the American flags, displayed in the background on the televised screens, which allowed his fans to enhance their patriotic spirit. “We’ve got some good singers in the house,” Gilbert said, praising the crowd for singing along with him on this moving, yet powerful tune. “To all the people that this song is dedicated to tonight, and to those that we have lost to the good fight, point your finger up to the sky, tell them you love them and that you miss them and that you will see them again soon,” he said.
Gilbert continued with “Bottoms Up” and “Take It Outside,” prior to closing with “Read Me My Rights” and his breakthrough single and No. 1 hit “Country Must Be Country Wide.”
The Verdict
Overall, Brantley Gilbert was impressive at MetLife Stadium and he got the stage fired up for Jason Aldean and Kenny Chesney. He sang with a lot of heart and that resonated well with the crowd. He showcased his wide range as a recording artist and live performer. He proved that he deserves to be nominated for “Male Vocalist of the Year” at the upcoming Country Music Association (CMA) awards. His show garnered an A rating.
