Although Lady Antebellum may have been the headliners of a trio of country acts that performed in front of a sold-out Sacramento crowd on March 29, it was a husband-and-wife country duo named Thompson Square that captured the evening’s most enthusiastic reception.
Shawna (a dead-ringer for Shania Twain) and Keifer (Daughtry with a better fashion sense) Thompson played a sweet, accented and engaging six-song set for the diverse crowd that arrived early to the Power Balance Pavilion to catch a glimpse of one of country music’s most buzzed-about new acts.
Thompson Square released their self-titled debut album in 2011, which went on to become country music’s No. 1 most-played record of last year according to Mediabase.
Combine that with the two Grammy nominations they nabbed this year and a trio of American Country Music Awards they’ve won and you’ve got an act that will undoubtedly be headlining arenas on their own in no time.
The allure of Thompson Square is heavily derived from the authenticity of their hook-laden love songs.
Performing “Glass” (the fourth single off of their album), Shawna’s pitch-perfect voice is allowed to be showcased beautifully on one of Square’s rare ballads.
“I’ll let you look inside me through all the stains and all the cracks,” Shawna sings to her doting husband who strums an acoustic guitar seated on a stool two feet away.
The interplay between the Thompson’s is playfully cute, especially on songs like “One Of Those Days” where Keifer wails on his guitar in an Angus Young-like fashion while Shawna whips about her long dark hair in rhythm.
Closing their set with “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” stoked the excitement already coursing through the standing audience.
“Sacramento, are you ready to kiss?” Thompson Square asked in tandem as two huge red inflatable lips were erected in the center of the stage.
Sharing a microphone, Shawna and Keifer crooned their biggest hit to date.
As the song entered its final stanza, Shawna abruptly stops singing and amusingly looks at Keifer.
“So are you gonna kiss me or not?” Shawna asks Keifer allowing an ensuing pause for maximum effect.
Keifer looks to the rapturous crowd for approval. The screams and cheers prove enough and the beautiful couple locks lips.
Wiping the lipstick off of his lips, Keifer closes the song with a final rendition of the chorus, repeating the verse, “I really think we got a shot,” multiple times, each one softer than the last.
Whether the lyric is referring to the longevity of their relationship or their budding career, I couldn’t agree more – Square really has a shot in the crowded arena of country music.
Thompson Square
Standout songs: “I Got You,” “Glass” and “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not.”
My final verdict: Loved it? Loathed it? Missed the Mark? – Loved it!
