Reba McEntire A Concert Review	August 20, 1995 The New World Music Theatre Tinley Park, IL A Review and Photos by The Dude on the Right

A warm August night brought Reba McEntire back to the Chicago area, no more Poplar Creek this time (I really, really, reeeaaallllyyyy miss Poplar - I'll get to that later), she was at the cavernous cave called The New World Music Theatre. She brought dancers, she brought a Taxi Cab, she brought a talented back-up band, she brought a stage set that looked straight out of the Prince "1999" video, she brought a platform that ascended over the crowd, but most of all, she brought a performance that shows who the hardest working woman in country music really is.

Arriving in a taxi for the opener "Fancy," Reba blasted her way into a show full of action, tears, excitement, and touching songs that hit everyone's heart at one time or another. She threw in some older classics: "Whoever's in New England," "Cathy's Clown," she hit on some newer classics: "And Still," "She Thinks His Name is John," and "Is There Life Out There." She had me wanting to grab my cellular phone and call my dad and tell him I love him on "The Greatest Man I Never Knew," and she had the 30,000+ people giving a standing ovation for the floating stage over the audience during the duet with Lynda Davis, "Does He Love You."

The night was filled with Reba performing to just about everything that everyone could want to hear, although if that were truly the case she would have had to been up on stage a hell of a lot longer than 2 1/2 hours. But she did some cutesy things, like her "tribute" to the movies she was in, from "The Little Rascals" to "North," even to "Tremors." Yep, that's right, Reba McEntire was in that great movie called "Tremors," you know the one where the big snakes eat the people in the desert. As this big giant snake exploded from out of the stage, I was thinking to myself how I couldn't believe she didn't get an Oscar for that one. Alright, that was a cheap shot, I admit, and she really isn't that bad as an actress, but performing on stage shows her true talent, and it showed this night.

Well, what do you think Reba gets? Hard to tell, huh? Yep, Reba McEntire and her entourage of entertainers all get TWO BIG OL' THUMBS UP!!!! They all put on one hell of a great show no matter what that one guy from some big ol' Chicago paper said.

Oh yea, why I miss Poplar Creek. Reba has a great voice, but unlike a loud show where muddied voices blend with the music, the echoes of The World Music Theatre drown out her lyrics. Thankfully I knew the words anyway, otherwise it would have been a very long evening. Poplar, on the other hand, before being reduced to rubble, had great acoustics, no echoey cave sound, and it was a hell of a lot easier to park. Enough rambling.

Opening for Reba was a great entertainer in his own right - Toby Keith. He knows how to work the crowd, and he sure is a lot of fun. He even gives little lessons about what that whole "pealin' the label" thing is all about, and knows that a Sox jersey on the south side will get anyone applause. Yep, Toby is coming up quick and he gets TWO THUMBS UP as well.

And if that weren't enough, opening for Toby Keith was Rhett Akins, another up-and-coming star. He too works the crowd well, and doesn't hide behind his microphone or monitors. Good Luck Rhett, keep up the good work and you'll go far. For the night though, ONE THUMB UP is what he gets. Time will probably get the other, but for now it's just too soon to call.

Another day, another dollar (don't I wish!) But, let's do the drill: Party Smart, and as always, Rellim Reeb, Rellim Reeb!!!!!!