McBride kicked off her set on a powerhouse note with “Love’s the Only House,” and immediately broke into the fun and catchy “My Baby Loves Me,” where she paraphrased one of the lyrics to “he knows I’m smart,” which was an added treat.
An added bonus was hearing her sing the traditional sounding “Cry on the Shoulder of the Road” live, which was from her Wild Angels album. Equally fun were her more recent songs “Diamond” and “It Ain’t Pretty.”
She picked up the pace with the uptempo “When God-Fearin’ Women Get the Blues,” prior to breaking her audience’s hearts with the tear-jerking, powerful country ballad “I’m Gonna Love You Through It.”
McBride showcased her flawless vocals on the inspirational “Anyway,” which resonated well lots of fans at the beautiful Mayo Performing Arts Center.
“Reckless” had a more liberating vibe to it, and she paid homage to some country greats as Kris Kristofferson and Sammi Smith with the steel guitar driven ballad “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” and she honored Lynn Anderson with a refreshing version of “Rose Garden,” which was simply magical.
She showed the audience how she was feeling lately on the infectious chart-topping single “Blessed,” prior to singing her first-ever No. 1 country song “Wild Angels.” She had a great deal of fun singing “This One’s for the Girls,” especially for the female fans and listeners in the venue, and she displayed the multiple octaves in her voice by beting out “A Broken Wing,” where she even showcased her whistle register towards the end.
McBride closed her set with her career song, “Independence Day,” which was sheer perfection. Definitely a country music anthem for all, and her rendition was superlative.
The Verdict
Martina McBride is a performer that gets better with age and experience. With over 25 years experience in the music industry, she sounded as good as ever at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. Her passion and love for her craft was evident, and her band rocked as well. This marked this journalist’s 37th career McBride concert, and she proved once again that she is like fine wine. Her concert was worth the long trip (over two hours) to New Jersey. McBride garnered an A+ for a phenomenal show.
