Kelly Clarkson brought her Piece By Piece tour to Staples Center here in Los Angeles and boy was it a show to behold. It was an emotional night of dreams fulfilled, emotional surprise announcements, and best of all, some fantastic performances.

For me it was a night of favorites and a night of new discoveries split pretty much right down the middle. I have to say, I walked away after the show with two new artists that I enjoy and further proof as to the other two artists supremely excellent talents.

Abi Ann

First up, was 18 year old newcomer, Abi Ann. She took the stage singing a Taylor Swift song which is basically in immediate way to get into my good graces.

It was pretty much right away that she took hold of the audience and had them loving her. She was super fun and really took Staples by storm. Her set, felt fun and intimate. She could have easily been playing a small room anywhere in town. She had a confidence about her that made her a joy to watch. You’d think she was doing major stadiums forever.

She played just a few songs but I loved every one of them. She’s got some great tunes. Truck Candy? How is this song not destroying country radio? It’s such a cool song.

Abi was the first one to mention playing staples was a dream gig. She talked about how she was sitting in that audience just a few months ago and now look where she is.

You’d never know it. She played that show like a seasoned vet and I can’t wait to see her take the world by storm.

Check Abi out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Her latest EP “17” is available on iTunes!

Next on the docket was Eric Hutchinson!

I knew the name and a couple of songs but I’d never seen him live before. He puts on a fun show. He has some excellent songs and ALSO worked some Taylor Swift into his set. These guys don’t need to play to my tastes! I like them already!

I did get a kick out of Eric introducing himself as Kelly Clarkson and Pentatonix during his show and indicating he was on Grindr after he listed off his social networks. Not sure if most of the crowd got that joke but it made me laugh.

I was really pleased with his set overall. It was high energy, he worked the crowd up to an excited roar, not easy to do with a late coming LA audience and played that place like it was full. He definitely made me want to hear more and I’ll most certainly be listening to his tunes.

His songs are catchy and had me wanting to hear more, which is pretty much the perfect outcome for a concert I think.

Now comes the incomparable Pentatonix.

I totally love these guys. This is the second time I have seen them and they never fail to impress. Vocally, they’re incredible. I love everything they do and seeing them live is a whole different experience from the youtube videos or the EPs.

 

Live, it’s real. It’s right there and their vocal acrobatics are on full display and it is really magical.

 

These guys also had a dream of performing at Staples and it certainly came true in supreme fashion. They had the crowd on fire even before they came out.

When the crew was setting up the stage and raising the Pentatonix banner the crowed went bananas. They were ready for them and the moment they hit the stage it was bliss both for the group and the audience.

They ran through a few covers and a couple of excellent original tunes from their upcoming album.  Pentatonix is a seamless unit now and when they let loose, especially Mitch Grassi who has a voice that is near unbelievable, it’s a experience you won’t forget. They killed it last night and I can’t wait for my third chance to see them.

Kelly Clarkson. A couple of years ago I saw her here at the Hollywood Bowl and then flew across the country and saw her again in Michigan. She was fantastic both times.

This show surpassed both of those shows. This recent show was an emotional rollercoaster, it was a personal evening for her, she revealed to us that she was pregnant as she struggled to get through a heart-wrenching piano ballad version of Piece by Piece, the title track from her latest album. The audience loved every moment, and so did I.

Clarkson might just be one of the most vocally underrated singers working today. She is certainly the best vocalist to come out of American Idol, and yes I include Jennifer Hudson in that. Kelly’s voice is incredible and last night she was on fire. When she belts you might as well be in that old Maxell tape commercial because you are getting blown away.

Kelly Clarkson is an artist through and through. She has great fun songs and deep emotionally connecting ballads that everyone in that stadium could relate to. It was an emotional evening for Clarkson, heightened by her newly revealed pregnancy hormones, but it was a night where she connected with the crowd and made magic happen. She’s always been great in my experience but last night was something special. It was a big grand show that felt intimate. It felt like we were all a bunch of friends hanging around listening to another friend sing some tunes.

From her hits, to her deep cuts, to an absolutely stellar cover of Demi Lovato’s Cool For The Summer, it was a night of amazing music with Kelly at her absolute best.

Special kudos to her for her Open Mic Night which featured local singer Luke Edgemon who performed My Funny Valentine and absolutely killed it. I can’t imagine his iTunes offerings not getting a substantial boost after that performance.

Kelly Clarkson delivered a dynamite show. A perfect mix of old and new and a couple of covers for good measure. She is a true artist and a vocalist that has to be seen to be believed.

All in all, a damn fine night of music from start to finish. I loved every moment.

Check out more tour dates below and GO TO THIS SHOW.

Kelly Clarkson 

Piece by Piece Tour

10/10

Fri Aug. 21 Wheatland, CA Toyota Amphitheatre

Sun Aug. 23 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre

Tue Aug. 25 Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion

Thu Aug. 27 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater

Sat Aug. 29 Austin, TX Austin360 Amphitheater

Sun Aug. 30 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion

Tue Sept. 1 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Thu Sept. 3 Little Rock, AR Verizon Arena

Sat Sept. 5 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena

Thu Sept. 10 Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood

Sat Sept. 12 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts

Sun Sept. 13 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts

Tue Sept. 15 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

Thu Sept. 17 West Palm Beach, FL Coral Sky Amphitheatre

Sat Sept. 19 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amphitheatre

Sun Sept. 20 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center