Robert Earl Keen

I was so excited to see him play in Minneapolis. I have wanted to see him play live for YEARS and I was completely blown away. He and his band exceeded my wildest expectations. The only criticism is that he didn't play until the early morning hours. I am very happy. Checked another off my bucket list.

D & D the Opening Act were fun and unexpected comedy. REK was excellent as always and the crowd chimed in on every song. Loved the "covers" of classic Rock performers, it added a new dimension. May the Road go on forever...

My 1st show at the Tivoli. It is a grand ole building. I have been to a few other venues around the state. The Bijou in Knoxville, The Ryman and The War Memorial in Nashville. I think this one is the most ornate, it seems slightly bigger than The Bijou. Certainly the acoustics were well designed, so everything sounded great. It looked like there was not a bad seat in the house. Large restrooms too. My only issue was that they closed the bars after the 2nd song. Robert Earl Keen and his crew did a great job. Looks like they were all having a blast. This Christmas show tour should be a big hit. They mixed in lots of other artist's songs, and they even dressed in character. Took me a while to figure out that Rich was Neil Young and throwing in Tom Petty was perfect. Dwight Yoakam was spot on with costume and voice.

This was a great show. We thought that this would be a typical show with the great Robert Earl Keen headlining with a nondescript opening act. Instead, Todd Snider and Bruce Robison had equally billing on the stage. I had never heard of either of them and they were great. What I particularly liked is that there was sufficient contract between Snider and Robison that made the show that much more interesting. Snider was a quasi Robert Earl with not as much polish but with nearly equally appealing lyrics. His range of singing was average at best but his lyrics and playing more than made up for it. Robison was, for me, that perfect combination of country and folk that I particularly like. I loved the "What would Willie do". This was the second time I had seen Robert Earl and he is just so cool. I love his lyrics ---his voice is not perfect but it is original and his playing is great.

What a great performance by three extremely talented men. They worked so well together and brought the crowd to a amazing level of enthusiasm. I really loved that they stayed to meet people afterwards. Plus Todd Snider is so cute!!!

Excellent combination of storytellers and talents. Very funny. Good time had by all.

The concert was ABSOLUTELY amazing....I could have listened to all three of them play all night.

Mellow and funny. Robert Keen, Todd Snider and Bruce Robison were in good form, singing many favorites. And they had an easy rapport with the audience, who were quite appreciative of their skills and renderings.

Show was wonderful. music was great and group session was very entertaining.

The familiar and relaxed atmosphere of the show felt like everyone had happened to show up with the three musicians in someone's living room and they just felt like jamming. It was a great evening of good music and friendly riffing. A side of musicians that often gets lost in shows but is what music is really about - making music, not showmanship! Birchmere is the perfect venue for this type of show.

This show was incredible. If you ever have the chance to see Robert Earl Keen and his band in a small, intimate venue, pony up and pay whatever it costs. Trust me, it's worth it. He played a lot of stuff off his new album, which I didn't know, but I loved. He and his band were captivating, and obviously cared about performing well in front of a smaller crowd (about 400 people I'd guess). I saw him the following day at a big festival in San Francisco, and it was still great but not nearly as memorable. A++++

Was so excited to finally get to see REK live and he absolutely delivered. His new record, Rose Hotel, is really great and it was great to hear new songs plus old ones too. I think every Texan in Los Angeles was at the Troubadour that night; it was awesome to hear the whole audience singing in unison with a lot of the songs. REK's songs can be so heartbreaking and beautiful, and also incredibly witty and funny. His band is fantastic too. I wish he would come to LA more often!!!

Fantastic, fun evening at the Troubadour. Played without a break, excellent covers, great originals...the band is superlative! Their combined talent, with bonus points for his wit and clever lyrics, makes for a solid evening of fine music and some good laughs!

The concert was in San DIego's House of Blues and it was a really good concert. The venue was great!

American icon. Kills it every single show. Thanks.

Tickets for this performer were way overpriced, and judging from the size of the audience, I think most agreed. The opening acts were OK, when they played some lively music, there were way too many slow ballad-type songs that had us nodding off - not a good choice for a live concert.

What great night. Show started earlier than usual. 7 p.m. Opening act "The Greencards" played a solid set of Bluegrass/Rockabilly.Fantastic singer. Second band or artist Sara Watkins(?) Great fiddle player.She seemed a little shy at first but really opened up as the crowd warmed to her.. REK came on around 9:15 and Playing everybodies favorites, proceeded to rock the house. Wife wasn't sure if she'd know any of his songs. When I looked over she was singing right along. Had a few raindrops. Heard the fastest version of "The Road Goes On Forever" Liked "The Family Christmas" and "The Front Porch". Hell, liked the whole show! Fraze is a great place to enjoy a concert.

Robert Earl Keen had another wonderful performace. His shows are entertaining and makes for a wonderful evening. We hope that he comes back to Dayton every year!!!

Have seen Robert Earl Keen 5 times in 4 different venues this was the best. Everyone on stage was involved even Marty Muse sang. And Christmas too what!!!

With the exception of the opening act (Doyle & Debbie) the concert was excellent! Was impressed with the whole arrangement and the music was terrific!

I saw REK previously with Lyle Lovett which was an excellent show. I was excited to see the full band and wasn't disappointed. The show started out with a few slow tunes but quickly turned lively. No songs from the bluegrass album so that was a bummer would have liked to have at least one of those thrown in. The Super Secret Song was Peaceful Easy Feeling which I thought they did an awesome job on and was unexpected. Just getting to hear The Road Goes on Forever live made the whole show!!!

Have seen REK several times over the years; but always in my home state of Texas. It was great fun seeing fans from the Northeast embrace REK as enthusiastically as most of his fans from Texas.

The music was great. REK was great. Venue had limited close parking. The venue was also dark. Seating was somewhat chaotic, ticketed/assigned seating would be much preferred. Also the ability to print tickets would have been a great option.

I've been a long time fan and just never ended up in the right place at the right time to catch him live. No disappointment here, Robert Earl put on a fantastic show. The band was tight, his singing and playing were great and the entire audience had a great time. He played a lot of songs from over the years and we had a great time. The only thing to have made it better was if he could have stayed a couple more hours. One great night. He did ask for no flash photos and the theater enforced it. I have to say that was nice. Nothing worse than going to a show and trying to watch through a sea of iPhones recoding or blinding everyone. I'd write more but...I gotta go.

I used to see REK play every year in Atlanta. When I moved to Miami, all I could do was listen to him digitally. When I saw he was coming, didn't even check my schedule and booked it! Love his shows where its about him, the band, and the music only. Nothing fancy, just great music. Hope I don't have to wait another 11 years to see him again!

This was classic RoberT Earl Keen doing all of their classics! They were on par and very entertaining1 The only bad thing was it was on a Monday night!

Robert and the band never disapoint. Have gone to over 30 concerts or more over the years. Seen them in NC at various venues, but mostly at The Neighborhood theatre in Charlotte. Seen them several times in VA, DC and MD. Seen them in TN at least twice, and other places I don't remember. Have all their CDs and the first songbook that has been taped many times to keep it together.

As always a great show. Have seen Robert Earl many times, his show and band are so much fun.

I had never seen him live. I expected him to be good and I was not disappointed. The band rocked the house down and Robert was funny as hell and had great connection with the audience. His band mates were all in synch and all of them could play. I especially liked the mandolin player. It was an absolutely great concert with a great audience. My only complaint is that Robert's vocals were a bit muddy. I suspect a microphone issue.

Nonstop music. High energy. Tight band. 3 encores. What more can I say!!!

First country concert - good job - nice venue. My review text is too short - that's all I have to say

Great show at a great facility. Music was fabulous. Staff is way to uptight about taking pictures and video.....with what artists charge these days they have to allow the fans to take pictures. The show overall was memorable and repeatable.

It had been several years since I had seen Robert Earl Keen. When we lived in Texas we couldn't go more than a few months between running across him at one of the innumerable festivals, or seeking him out when we felt it had been too long. Those shows always had a incredibly vocal and rambunctious contingent of Texas frat-boys and sorority girls, with their ceaseless chants of "Robert Earn Keen!" shouted to at full throat to the heavens to try and get him to come out for just one more song. He always seemed just a little perplexed (and maybe even a little frightened) by all of that collegiate adulation. Never quite comfortable with the status as a Texas College Music Icon. Regardless, over the more than 20 years I have been seeing REK play live both he and his audience now seem to be "in the pocket" as the musicians say. The recent show here at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall here in Florida showed a REK and an audience that had noticeably mellowed, a band that showed every bit of their 22 years together, and a Robert Earl that still seems to enjoy his craft every bit as much as he now appears to enjoy his audience. If it's been a while since you seen Robert Earl - don't delay. If you've never seen him, don't deprive yourself of a fantastic cross-section of old and new songs that deserve all of the acclaim they have won.

This tour was a wide swath of his lovable sing-a-long classics with a few rollicking renditions off his bluegrass album sprinkled in. Basically several sing-a-longs and a few amazing jam sessions...".his band" is amazing with the highlights being the mandolin and the fiddle players. REK stuck around while the band took a break midway and he entertained us with short songs and stories from recent memories and current events that may have been made up on the spot...brilliant show

I am a veteran of Robert Earl Keen's concerts having seen him multiple times before, mostly at The Pageant and Ready Room in St. Louis. However, this was the best show I have seen. Despite a less than capacity crowd, the energy was palpable in Parker Playhouse and those that showed up knew what they were witnessing...a consummate live performance professional band at the very top of their game. It appeared to me that everybody had fun and walked away very grateful that they had made the effort to come to PP that night. What a great group of musicians

He isn't all that well known in the Miami area so it was quite a risk coming as far as he did to put on a show. And what a great show it was. And though he didn't fill the theater it was as appreciative an audience as I ever saw ... and I've been to a couple dozen of his shows over the years, I'm sure. Thanks for the performance. You always sound fresh even though you've played some of your songs a thousand times.

whoooooa....gotta do it again! Soon!! Keen and his band continue to amaze!

I don't know when I've had more fun at a concert! Not only was the music as exceptional as I had expected, Robert Earl Keen interacted with the audience in a way that made us feel like friends. Great show! Fantastic musicians!

Saw REK at the same venue about two years ago. As expected, he and the band put on a great show. A real talented group of musicians, and the venue is very well-suited to this type of event.

Robert Earl put on a good show and was a lot of fun. Did most of his better know stuff plus the band members covered songs from other country stores like Hank Williams Jr, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Bob Wills. Lots of audience participation.

I wanted to hear REK songs not the band members singing old country

Loved the backdrop that REK claimed he made in his garage. Loved the REK songs especially "Merry Christmas from the Fam-a-Lee" of course. The show was silly, crazy & entertaining. Finally REK's smile is contagious as all ways.

So surprised that the sound at the Ryman was "off". We sat on the first floor toward the back under the second floor with extra piped in speakers. It was very loud with a 'tinny'/ too much treble sound. Second time in that section and I won't buy seats there again, either main floor in the open or second floor. The Christmas set was a hoot, the show had a fun take on fam-o-lee and the band members each got showcased. They obviously were all having a great time and the crowd did as well.

REK put on one heck of a show! We have seen many but this was by far his best yet!

This was a great artist in a famous venue. Would say this was a fabulous event and venue. Love Robert Earl Keen and go to see him when he is in area around upper SC and mountains of NC but would gladly go again to Nashville.

Very good. I consider myself a fan. I had no how enthusiastic "real fans" would get. The Ryman went absolutely nuts!!! The music was great, each solo was very good. REK was his charming, entertaining self. We had a great time.

It was a great show.A large crowd, with everyone really into the show.

Loved the music. Couldn't see the show, bad seats.

Haven't seen him in 20 years...definitely won't wait that long to see him again!!!

REK always puts on a great show.... The fam-o-lee was a surprise addition and the stage set up was amazing!! Loved it!!!

Merry Christmas from the Family is a must see for anyone who is a fan of REK.

The Hippodrome packed the house for REK. What a great show! It is always a good time when Robert Earl is on the stage and the Christmas show was a hit. Waco brought him out for two encores!

I have seen Robert in 4 states. Each show brings something new; unplugged, bluegrass ensemble, 4 piece honky tonk show... REK's masterful songwriting and personal connection to the crowd, coupled with the All-Star musicians he plays with, make each one of the shows tremendous music experience. Additionally, his opening acts are always vetted and excellent!

R E K really rocked the Ryman.The fans in the floor seats stood up the whole show, wanting more, more, more. He plays all around us in Texas but I had never been to see him - always wanting to. Now that we have seen him in Nashville we will take every opportunity to see his show in Texas. As he says - Thanks So Much!!!

Warmup band may have some talent, but sound system is over modulated! Cranked up beyond it's hardware's capability. Keen should seek another venue next trip to Denver area.

Excellent show, first time to see REK and first time at that venue, the Royale.

monster -- REKeen is one monster songwriter, Rick Brotherton is one monster guitar player, and the rest of the band too -- it was pure high energy straight ahead Texas US music nonstop. Not folk, not rock, not country, no labels, just fun and talent.

As usual, the show was amazing. 100% acoustic. Great venue. About 400 people. Played mostly older stuff. Had these two amazing musicians with him on this tour(Todd Snider and Bruce Robison). If you haven't heard of these two, you will soon. Snider reminded me of David Bromberg. Funny Funny stuff. Take the time to see this tour. It is relaxed and comfortable. I actually met REK behind the venue and had the opportunity to get my picture taken with him. A really nice guy. I reminded him of the shows I used to see in Crested Butte, CO at the Country In The Rockies. A good time was had by all...................And the party never ends !!!

My wife who is NOT an americana fan and doesn't know much about REK and Todd Snider and nothing about Bruce Robison couldn't believe how much fun it was. She wants my I-tunes playlist now. All three are fantastic and anyone who likes root, alternative country, Americana or whatever they call it these days needs to RIGHT NOW get all their music.

We saw these guys last in Knoxville '06. That was a great show, but I think this one topped that. Part of this had to be the venue. Being an old fart, I've been going to concerts since the 70s. The Fraze Pavillion is an awsome place to see a show! The band was awsome as were the opening acts. I still find it hard to believe more people don't know how talented REK and his band are. The botton line is, I've driven 5 hours to see these guys, so the 2.5 to Kettering was a bargin. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT SHOW IN OUR AREA!

A cross between Johnny Cash, Ronnie Van Zant, Townes Van Zant, Kris Kristopherson....visual songs, great lyrics, awesome playing, with a great sense of humor. A MUST SEE! My teenagers and their friends cannot wait to see him again. From 17-77, all ages love REK

Fabulous show,great venue, great crowd Even better than I expected

Great performance from a great performer. The whole show was just plain fun! The venue was nice and clean and the staff was friendly and accommodating. I have always loved the Varsity, but the new Varsity is head and shoulders above the old. Can t wait to go back..

HOB and REK a great combination. Great crowd to be a part of.

Great concert. This is a beautiful venue. Hope to go here again soon.

Laid back and relaxed show. Doyle and Debbie were refreshing. REK and band performed their best.

I have seen REK many times, but never have seen his Christmas show. I didn't know what to expect, but knew it would be a good show as always. I was wrong; it wasn't just a good show like you will find every time they play. It was hands down the best show Ive been to. If this show is anywhere around you make a point to get there. Hell, for that matter if its not near you find a way to get there anyway!

This show was the perfect blend o REK classics along with tributes and Christmas to set the holiday mood! We had a great time...venue, seating, and sound were excellent as well! Would see this show again!

Best REK yet! Enjoyed the entire show and I hope Robert Earl makes Knoxville an annual December visit!

I have been a fan of Robert for many years. Last time I saw him was 7 years ago in Reno at the Nugget. First off their warm up band was beyond bad. I could not understand a word they said. Onto the show. Robert is old. He read from papers to tell us about a song they were going to play. It appears their was no rehearsing or any type of once through. His songs were mumbled, and he had NO enthusiasm what so ever. It was just a show and money for him. He changed the rhythm of old songs that should of been left in their original way. Even the last song Merry Xmas was altered, rushed and he could of cared less that we noticed. Robert, we noticed!! I will not attend any more concerts of his. Waste of time, and money. Robert get off the stage, retire, buy some glasses. You lost a fan tonight and I am sure more than just me!

Always enjoy REK, but the band played a larger role in this one as they impersonated famous acts from Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, the great Levon Helm, and others. Great pacing, great music, lots of fun.

idk, maybe i didnt get it, but the show was mostly about songs and bad performances of other artists. I love Robert Earl Keen. He is exceptionally talented and his songs are like books, but this dude needs to seriously provide his fans with new songs, i mean, like when was the last time he actually released a new album with NEW songs? this show was just awkward IMO

An absolute blast. Hope this becomes a Christmas tradition.

The Merry Christmas from the Family show was awesome. The set design was amazing and unlike anything I ve seen at a concert before.

REK and his band were amazing. They did several great covers with each band member fronting the band for a song and all of my favorites too.

It was unusual to see REK without his usual backing band, but he made it work. I enjoyed it. It wasn't a religious experience for me like several of his concerts have been, but it was well worth the ticket and an hours drive to Chattanooga.

Great show. Excellent job showcasing band member s skills. Opening act Doyle and Debbie was hysterical.

I laughed til I cried! Hilarious, fun, & most creative concert I've ever attended!! They played some of the old favorites & the new songs. Opening act was a scream!!

Great concert mixing a lot of his new Bluegrass album along with some of his other popular songs (country). My first time at the Bijou and I liked the venue. I was all the way to the right in the orchestra section (row 2) and was concerned about getting blasted by the speakers but the sound was great. Also liked the warm up band. Great selection of beer and liquor at reasonable prices. Overall, great event.

This was unlike other Robert Earl Keen shows I've been to because it was almost entirely bluegrass (or in style of bluegrass). Although different, it was my favorite REK concert yet. The instrumentals were phenomenal and well worth the ticket price.

This was a great show. I had two people with me that were not farmilare with Robert Earl or blue grass music. They both enjoyed the experience and the venue. I liked the way he mixed old blue grass with his tunes. They went hand in hand.

I was not aware of the recent bluegrass release when I went and that the show would feature the songs from the album w/all acoustic instruments. It was really great as REK's band is always super. Rich Brotherton playing a few mando tunes was nice and even w/o his electric guitars his acoustic playing shone through clearly; they mixed things perfectly. Just a whole lot of fun.

Never seen Robert Earl Keene live before, but it was pretty good. I think he played a lot of his newer stuff which wasn't as fun for the audience, but maybe was fun for the band. he did talk to the audience, tell stories, etc., which was engaging. overall a fun time, the crowd liked it, cool venue. A great opening act as well!

Great Venue, great artist, great crowd (well, Ed was a bit much, but he was amusing). Hope to find a reason to go back soon.

Show was great! I watched one of my favorite bands from literally 4 feet away. Mr Keen and band were lively and professional with a few signature stories in between. They just released their bluegrass album which was good, but I would have like to hear a few more of the classics. I get it though, musicians gotta do their thing. Overall a really fun show!

Amazing show, as always! Loved the new bluegrass songs.

Amazing show. He is a great performer and definitely "still has it".

Loved rek. Always an awesome show. All the good songs plus some 70s Covers. Great.!!!!

I have been attending REK concerts since the early 90s. Loved this Christmas show - the 70s theme, playing 70s rock, the scenery. Don't retire anytime soon!

Robert Earl Keen always puts on a great show, but his Christmas show is always my favorite. He's great!

Absolute best concert ever - fabulous. Can't wait to see him again - his guitarist was brilliant. Really enjoyed the 70's theme.

REK is such a good storyteller. Loved the retro 70's show with the mix of old rock & roll songs. Took me back to my high school years!

Horrible singer, can't understand a word he sings! Drinks overpriced and nasty. I was very disappointed with the entire night!

Probably one of his best shows! and his musicians are amazing!

Robert is a little older than his picture, but the music was outstanding. Enjoyed the evening and the venue at Birchmere.

Robert Earl Keen, the pride of Bandera TX, is a funny guy and his sense of humor shows through his engagement with the audience. This show was no exception. To me, this really puts his performance over the top. You come away feeling like you got to know him and the band personally. His band is excellent, especially the lead 'gee-tar' player. The set was (as stated by REK) very heavy on the "western" style songs, not a complaint, just a statement. REK, thank you man. Please never stop coming to the Birchmere!

Awesome performance and awesome venue. Nice crowd. I've seen REK many times and in many places. Always love duling hall performances the best - more intimate.

Great show! They played nonstop and his band was great, too!

Robert and the band had a great night. Wonderful music and sound. The Variety has lots of character and good help. Also, a good opening act, Andrea Davidson.

As always REK was very entertaining. Great music! Good crowd (minus the overzealous, die hard REK fan up front with his group of friends who didn't seem to be paying attention). Love seeing REK in this venue. A mixed, fun set of songs. Awesome ending to the show with the bluegrass performance. Super excited about new album.