Concert review: Chris Young charms at Oklahoma City's Diamond Ballroom

From passionate balladeer to down-home party animal, Chris Young let fans hear his varied “Voices” Friday night at the Diamond Ballroom, where he played a solo show during a break from touring with country A-lister and Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert.

Stalwartly weathering bitter cold outside and oppressive heat inside, hundreds of fans in cowboy hats, boots and embellished jeans whooped wildly as the up-and-coming country star took the stage nearly 40 minutes after opening act The Lost Trailers exited with their new comeback anthem “Underdog” and a reprise of their raucous “Holler Back.”

Young made the wait worthwhile, launching his set with the playful party song “Save Water, Drink Beer,” which had people toasting with their cups and bottles and shouting out the chorus even before he got the crowd organized into a friendly sing-along contest.

“I can already tell this is gonna be one of those deals that I have to roll my sleeves up,” the rising star said, cuffing the sleeves of his dark gray plaid shirt and flashing his killer smile.

But Young charmed his audience — particularly the female fans — with relative ease whether offering up a countrified version of Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” or making romance with “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song),” his first No. 1 hit.

With five chart-toppers to his name, the singer-songwriter’s hourlong set featured plenty of chances for the crowd to sing along. Young spiked his honey-rich baritone with ardor for “The Man I Want to Be,” “Tomorrow” and “You,” and the smash ballads got several couples slow-dancing around the ballroom. The Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Page 1 of 2