The Waking Up Laughing Tour is Three Hours of Fun Entertainment

With great anticipation and excitement I attended the Martina McBride concert at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw Michigan on April 27, 2007. The concert promptly began at 7:30 local time with opening act Rodney Atkin's four song set: � "These Are My People", "In The Middle," "Watching You" and "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)." Atkins performance was very high energy and I think the young females in the crowd appreciated he was wearing a shirt 2 sizes too small. It is about time Atkins is finally getting some time in the spotlight as he has been around for eleven years but just recently became popular in the last year. Although I was not versed in his music I found it to be very entertaining and wished he would sing more songs.

Little Big Town came out next with a nine song set: "Good As Gone," "Bones," "A Little More You," "Bring It On Home," "Stay," "Wounded," "Looking For A Reason," "Go Your Own Way," "Boondocks." My favorite song was "Boondocks." It was the first song I heard them sing on the radio and the only song I knew some of the lyrics too. Two males (Jimi Westbrook and Philip Sweet) and two females (Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Roads) take turns on lead vocals. The crowd appreciated their rendition of "Go Your Own Way." I think Little Big Town is a country version of Fleetwood Mac. Lindsey Buckingham also appeared with LBT on a CMT Crossroads special. Roads was noticeably pregnant and I wondered if that would affect the tour since it goes through August.

Martina McBride came out at about 9:00 local time. She entered stage from a rising platform to sing the first single off her new album "Anyway." McBride demonstrates her big lungs and resonance in this song, which she co-wrote with Brad and Bret Warren. I was fortunate enough to see them open for Martina last year and they were great. They are even better song writers than singers. The second song was "When God Fearin' Women Get The Blues" which is normally the song she opens with. The bass was so high I couldn't sit still in my seat. The third song "Wild Angels" was her first #1 on the country charts. It is my personal favorite. The next song was "My Baby Loves Me." Followed by a duet with her little brother Marty Schiff (taking the spot of Keith Urban), "Tryin' To Find a Reason." Martina commented that she was not sure this song would make it on the album since Keith Urban went on a "vacation." The new single and daughter Emma's favorite song on the album "How I Feel" contains the lyrics "wake up laughing" hence the name of the new album. McBride and the Warren brothers also wrote this song with Chris Lindsey and Aimee Mayo. McBride says "waking up laughing is one of the best feelings in the world."

After "Happy Girl" Martina goes into some songs from her "Timeless" album. Martina encourages the audience to sing along to the next song, the Lynn Anderson 1970's hit "Rose Garden." Before singing Loretta Lynn's classic "You Ain't Woman Enough" she tells the story about how a fan approached Lynn before a concert explaining that her husband brought another woman to the show. Lynn's response after looking out in the crowd was "She ain't woman enough to take your man." Then McBride sings "Help Me Make It Through The Night." Wayne Dahl does a great job on steel guitar for this Kris Kristofferson song. Back to contemporary country, Martina belts out "Concrete Angel," "Love's The Only House" and "For These Times." These great songs are commentaries on social issues. For "Broken Wing" Martina held the last note for fourteen seconds. "This One's For The Girls" is followed by "Where Would You Be." It has to be a difficult song that only someone with Martina's lungs and resonance can sing. The last song is the song she is known for "Independence Day." I personally enjoy this part of the show when she takes the microphone stand and throws it to the floor. She gets very emotional throughout the concert and that is what is so great about her. For an encore she sings Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" and Emmy Lou Harris' "Two More Bottles of Wine"

I was a little disappointed that she did not sing "Valentine" but since she sang "Where Would You Be" I forgive her. Saginaw definitely got their moneys worth with two mini-concerts and the main show.