On Nov. 2, country-singer Kip Moore showcased the set of his “Plead the Fifth” tour at the Orpheum.
Alongside Moore were openers Jordan Davis and Drake White. Each performance built on each other, setting the stage and the environment for the headliner.
With the general admission section moderately filled at 7:45 p.m. for an 8 p.m. show, there was excitement and anticipation in the air.
Davis hit the stage first, showcasing a few covers and presenting his first few singles of his musical career. “Slow Dance in a Parking Lot” mellowed things down a bit, prepping for his cover of “Slow Hands,” originally written and sung by Niall Horan. Even if Davis is a relatively new artist, it was not evident given the crowd’s familiarity with his songs.
White then came to the front of the stage, opening with “It Feels Good.” Admirably, White brought a different sense of enthusiasm to the venue as he was using up as much space as he could on stage. “Livin’ the Dream” was another tune that the audience reacted well to. Perhaps performing is the dream he is talking about.
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When White left the stage, the stage helpers prepped for the entrance of Moore. The two openers had left the audience with more than enough anticipation to see Moore. The lights dimmed, the crowd silenced and the band came out.
Moore opened with “I’ve Been Around,” a track from his newest album, Slowheart. The chorus was when the audience truly became present — it appeared everyone had known the song and that the same would follow through throughout the set.
If the crowd did not already seem excited enough, “Beer Money” and “Up All Night” positively enhanced the environment. The combination of these two well-known pieces could not have been planned better. The crowd’s contribution to the chorus and verses was overpowering.
“Plead the Fifth” was also a big hit throughout the Orpheum. With the tour being named after the track, the excitement throughout continued to grow. It was also not one of those songs where the chorus dominated over the verses — each set of lyrics was treated with the same magnitude of engagement and excitement.
Within the crowd, a fan had a sign that read, “Backseat Or We Riot.” Luckily, for both Moore and the audience, the track was played. “Backseat” produced a loud and profound echo from the crowd.
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One of the most interesting parts of the performance occurred throughout a cover of U2’s song, “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” Moore began the track like usual with the opening verse and chorus. Next, he called Davis and White up on stage, and the whole atmosphere changed from there.
“But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for,” was the line that each of the artists took turns singing. This truly united each of the artists, eliminating any hierarchy or difference of importance. Following suit, the members of Moore’s band also chimed in with the pattern, completely uniting all contributors of the “Plead the Fifth” tour.
Another track from his recent album, “Blonde,” also stirred in the crowd. contributed to the crowd’s engagement. Singing of a lost friend that had perhaps reached fame and forgot about her roots, Moore sang “Now you’re just a never coming homecoming queen,” where many turned to their neighbors in relation. Not only is the song pointing out many tendencies of growing up, but it was evident that the lyrics provided a relatability to many within the venue.
Between a few of his more personal tracks, Moore remarked on the first time he fell in love. While this love also led to his first heartbreak, Moore was not “pleading the fifth” here and instead delivered his emotions openly to the audience. This made for an open and trusting environment between Moore and his fans, something that is not always seen in a larger venue.
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The next track, “Pretty Girl,” brought the crowd back to his Up All Night album, increasing familiarity within the track and lyrics. Alongside this, “Something Bout a Truck” also created an abundance of excitement. With this being Moore’s most popular track historically, it was a good way to begin to wrap things up for the night.
The seemingly last track was “Guitar Man,” also the last track on his Slowheart album. “Get you high, get you low, I’m the guitar man,” Moore sang and his identity truly resonated throughout the venue.
However, with a requested encore from the crowd, Moore came back out to deliver one more song. “Lipstick” ended the night, which has a common theme relating to traveling across the country and stopping in various cities along the way. Perhaps this is relevant to his tour lifestyle as he sees much of the country.
The “Plead the Fifth” tour gave Madison what it was looking for: excitement and unity between the artists and the crowd. Moore’s fans were undeniably there for support and a good time, something that was evident from the relationship that was generated that night.
