JLC, London, ON - October 6, 2008
Journey worth the ride
By JAMES REANEY -- Sun Media
LONDON, Ontario - Carrie's country carnival ride had thousands along for the hits at the John Labatt Centre last night.
With about 9,000 fans jamming the London arena, U.S. country superstar Carrie Underwood hit the stage with Flat on the Floor from her hit album Carnival Ride.
The fans thundered out the final seconds of a big-screen countdown before a virtual Underwood emerged in faux leather in a video of a desert scene.
The real American Idol winner arrived at the back of the stage on a lift to huge cheers and flashes from countless cameras and cellphones.
Shouting out the lyrics, which included a Led Zeppelin nod with a ferocious "baby, baby, baby," Underwood strolled her way down stage stairs in silver boots. The rest of her outfit -- an odd combination of Madonna in a vest at the top and a flared, multi-coloured dress -- was not Underwood's best look.
The glittery butterfly image on her headband was cuter.
Fans didn't have to wait for her hits, with Some Hearts coming in second and All-American Girl shaking up the arena soon after.
Underwood switched the lyrics to make it all-Canadian Girl, helped by a little princess, Holly Siviero, age 5.
Underwood herself will have to wait for Nov. 12 to see if she three-peats as the Country Music Association's female vocalist of the year after winning in 2006 and 2007.
She says there is nothing more rewarding than to be recognized by your peers and to know your fans are enjoying the same ride.
Her debut album, Some Hearts, is the biggest-selling American Idol album to date, selling more than six million records in the U.S. alone. Some Hearts, released in 2005, has been the best-selling female country album of 2005, 2006 and 2007. Her singles have been No. 1 time and again. Underwood has won two Grammys plus trophies from the AMA, ACM, CMA, People's Choice and Billboard.
U.S. country group Little Big Town opened for Underwood. The group's four singers produced a standing ovation of their own by closing with Boondocks, which started with an enthusiastic salute to southern gospel.
Then, there was a half-hour wait for Underwood, who is truly on a ride.
Her own favorite metaphor for the journey, taken from the Hillary Lindsey/Chris Lindsey/Aimee Mayo song Wheel Of The World, which closes her second album Carnival Ride.
"This part of my life has been absolutely crazy and to think it all started from one little decision I made to get on that ride. That's why Carnival Ride works as my album title, because it describes the wonderful craziness I've been through over the past couple of years."
The presence of four songs co-written by Underwood makes a personal statement. They are All-American Girl, Crazy Dreams, Last Name and Carnival Ride's first single, So Small.
"It's a collection of songs I would want to hear on the radio," she says, "and songs I want to sing. I really hope my fans will get a little bit more of me out of these songs."
Underwood majored in broadcast journalism at university, her sights set on a career in television news. Then, in her senior year, she saw news reports of tryouts for American Idol's 2005 season.
She tried out for Idol in St. Louis and wound up winning the 2005 Idol title.
These days, the ride is a bit of a blur. A happy blur.
"I remember certain things -- Saturday Night Live was really cool," she says. "It was great to be added to the list of such great iconic artists who have performed on the show before. "And of course, being on stage at the Grammys -- that was an amazing moment.
"Who'd have thought?"
CANOE -- JAM! Music - Artists - Underwood, Carrie - Concert Review: JLC, London, ON - October 6, 2008
thanks to Ver for the set! iloveit.
Carrie's pointing to me! Just Got My Pick. 
