Adkins is on a headline theater tour before joining Blake Shelton in arenas next year
Trace Adkins brought his Somewhere in America tour to Capital One Hall on Thursday (Oct 3rd). The triple Grammy nominated singer opened with the swaggering “I Got My Game On,” and from there offered 18 more hits from across his nearly three-decade career.
Adkins’ baritone voice is low and gruff. Yet there’s a nasal twang that pierces through, making his timbre uniquely soothing at the same time. This is most obvious on his ballads, such as the hooky “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” and the tear-jerker “You’re Gonna Miss This.” Adkins gets to have fun with his voice’s natural growl on upbeat honky-tonking number “I Left Something Turned on at Home” and the thumping “Songs About Me,” a classic 90s arena-country song.
Having to sit down due to lingering effects from leg injury didn’t dampen Adkins’ record-perfect voice. Twenty-eight years on, he still sounds exactly like he did on some of his most beloved numbers. During “Marry for Money,”Adkins hit a bass note that literally made the seats vibrate.
Adkins’ on-stage stoicism mixes well with his musical style. His tall, burly presence alone commands a room. His voice is authoritative, and his lyrics confident. That said, he’s clearly a cowboy who can laugh at himself. “Honky-Tonk Badonkadonk,” second to last at his Capital One Hall set, juxtaposes Adkins’ imposing presence with his ability to be just another dude in a bar.
Adkins paid tribute to nurses before deep cut “Then There Was You,” which he followed up soon after with the patriotic “Still a Soldier.” Before the latter, he talked with pride and honor in his voice about his work with Wounded Warrior Project. Adkins said being involved with them, “Has made me a better man.”
Adkins is underrated as an artist. His catalog is as good—if not better than—artists headlining venues 10x the size of the theaters he’s playing this Autumn. One artist who recognizes this is Blake Shelton, who’s booked Adkins to join him on his multi-star Friends and Heroes Tour.
That recognition itself is evidence of Trace’s place in country music history. His heavy-rocking, hard-driving sound still contains fiddle and steel, bridging the gap between 90s country and the modern era. Seeing his set live showed me that, Adkins—already 21 years an Opry member—is destined for the Hall of Fame very soon.
