Kid Rock adds country to ever-expanding musical arsenal
By Brjden Crewe
House of Blues 8 p.m. doors, Jan. 27-28, $104-$135 plus tax and fee, 21+. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
He’s come a long way from his first hit single, “Bawitdaba,” but that doesn’t mean that he’s changed, right? Grammy-nominated Kid Rock performs his multitasking style of music, which includes rock, hip-hop, and most recently, country, at House of Blues this week. Following the success of his most recent album, Born Free, Kid Rock set his sights on touring to promote his sixth U.S. platinum album, led by the single of the same name. The Detroit native has made plenty of television and stadium appearances this past year, introducing yet another side of the versatile musician to a new generation of fans who may not be familiar with the self-proclaimed “American Badass” from the late ’90s.
The country-rock sensibilities of his new album are a surprising yet perhaps inevitable course in his musical journey—a far cry from his early days when fans knew him as DJ Kid Rock, growing up in the Motor City while rapping and break-dancing through the underground hip-hop scene. Having always appreciated a wide variety of music, Kid Rock went from battles against other rap crews throughout the Midwest to singing patriotic rock anthems that he’s performed in front of American service personnel in Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Great Britain.
Now shifting his musical energies to what he describes as a “very organic blues-based rock ’n’ roll,” Kid Rock has found even more growth to his music, which allows him to take anyone lucky enough to see him perform live on a very diverse journey of sounds and moods. And depending on his mood on any given night, his show is definitely an experience that could go one of many ways musically. With Kid Rock, you never quite know, because no matter how far he stretches his creativity, he’s still that kid from Detroit looking to rock the crowd whenever he gets his opportunity to hit the stage.
