There have been so many different genres — from hip-hop and dance-pop to classic rock and EDM — showcased during the Super Bowl week concert lineup in the Bay Area.
On Saturday — Super Bowl eve — it was country music’s turn to shine as Chris Stapleton headlined a show at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.
Despite battling some type of a cold, Stapleton sounded strong — especially on guitar — as he opened his set with the defiant “Bad As I Used to Be” and then rolled right along with “Midnight Train to Memphis.”
Stapleton told the crowd that — although not feeling 100 percent healthy — he still planned to play as much music as he cold in the allotted time.
“And your job is to have as much fun as you possibly can,” Stapleton said to the audience.
The attendees — including those in the massive elevated VIP area that basically took up half the space on the auditorium floor — seemed to indeed be having fun as the country music superstar continued through “Arkansas,” “What Am I Gonna Do” and his powerful cover of Guy Clark’s “Worry B Gone.”
For those who missed the show — or simply want to double up on the country music goodness — Stapleton returns to the Bay Area on July 8 for a date at Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View. For tickets and other information, visit livenation.com.
Rising Americana/country/bluegrass star Sierra Ferrell opened the concert at the Bill Graham Civic on Saturday with a winning performance, which included a particularly nice rendition of Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee.”
“Drink plenty of water, say your prayers and call your mom,” Ferrell wisely advised the crowd at the end of her set.
