You can always count on Michael Ray to bring a great show. He did it again when he returned to the packed house at the Dusty Armadillo in Rootstown Ohio on the third leg of his “Get to You Tour,” last Friday night (April 20).
Ray was supported by a rockin’ opening act, Tim Montana and the Mighty Shrednecks, as Montana refers to his band. They are high-energy and loud, maybe a little more rock than country, but the enthusiastic crowd did not seem to mind. Montana performed some interesting cover songs, including Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” and the Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing.” His original song “Hillbilly Rich,” which is being played on SiriusXM radio, is entertaining and fun, allowing you to let loose and dream of telling off your boss. Another party song, “This Beard Came Here to Party,” is heavily influenced by his love of ZZ Top. It will be interesting to see what we hear from Montana next.
The floor of the club was vibrating with the anticipation and excitement of the crowd when Michael Ray finally entered the stage. He kicked off his set with a brand new song, “Fan Girl,” from his upcoming sophomore album. The collection of songs is named Amos, after Ray’s grandfather, who passed away in 2015. It was Amos Roach who inspired Ray’s passion for country music while growing up in Eustis, Florida, as well as his extreme respect for volunteer firefighters, EMT’s and military personnel, as there are several in his family over the generations.
Ray also performed his current single, “Get to You,” the first single from the upcoming album. The song is currently in the top 20 and could easily end up being his third number one.
In all, fans in the sold out crowd got to see Ray perform 6 of the 11 songs from the Amos record. When I asked what he’d like his fans to know about the new album, he replied, “It’s an insight into my life over the past couple of years and I can’t wait for you to hear it.” A highlight of the evening was when Ray sat on a stool and performed an acoustic version of another new song, “Drink One For Me.” This ballad was inspired by seeing his military buddies go overseas and no matter what happened, when they returned home they could go back to the same routine of hanging with family and friends and having drinks, just like old times.
Ray seemed to get a rush seeing the crowd sing along to his first number one song, “Kiss You In the Morning. “He first came to this area four years ago when touring with Chase Rice at the House of Blues in Cleveland. Since that day he has garnered a huge following of fans here, so it is no surprise that everyone in the room knew every single word to the hit song.
This was not Ray’s first sold out concert at the Dusty Armadillo and it will most likely not be his last. He is a wonderful entertainer who truly cares for his fans. His performances continue to thrill the crowd and will only get better and better as he adds new music to his discography.
Set List
“Fan Girl”
“Livin’ It Up”
“This Love”
“Kiss You In the Morning”
“Look Like This”
“You’re On”
“Real Men Love Jesus”
“I’M Gonna Miss You”
“Her World or Mine”
“Drink One For Me”
“Get to You”
“Fast as You”
“Another Girl”
“Runaway With You”
“Cold as You”
Encores:
“Dust on the Bottle”
“Think a Little Less”
Michael Ray w/Tim Montana (4.20.18) – Photos by Catelynn Rickenbacker
