Dierks Bentley Proves He’s Country ‘Gold’ With Return To Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena

Dierks Bentley returned to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Friday (Aug. 26), delighting the capacity crowd with a three-dozen song, career-spanning set list.

The superstar took the stage just after 9 pm. Backed by his longtime touring band, including the newest addition, ACM acoustic guitar player of the Year, Charlie Worsham, the country hitmaker proved his superstar status as he captivated the audience for over two hours. 

Bentley kicked things into high gear with an opening performance of his breakout hit, “What Was I Thinkin’.” From there, he went on to perform hits like “Burning Man,” “I Hold On, “Living,” and “Gone” before taking a moment to show his gratitude for the women on his team before “Woman, Amen.” 

Fans were also treated to a live performance of Bentley’s new single, “Gold,” from his forthcoming 10th studio album. 

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In addition to performing many of his 21 career No.1 hits, the Arizona native also invited show openers Dustin Lynch, Elvie Shane, and DJ Aydamn to return to the stage to join him for “Beers On Me,” “Bad Angel,” and “5-1-5-0” (respectively). 

The show was also quite the family affair as Bentley’s daughters, Evie and Jordan, joined him to perform P!nk’s “All I Know So Far” and his son, Knox, provided the dance moves during “Drunk On A Plane.” 

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@dierksbentley surprised in Nashville with a performance alongside his two daughters, Jordan and Evie. Together, they performed a cover of @pinkofficial’s AllIKnowSoFar.

♬ original sound – Music Mayhem

“Bridgestone Arena! When I think about this building, the first thing I think about is that it’s home to my favorite hockey team: the Nashville Predators,” Bentley shared from the stage in the midst of the show. “The main thing that I think about, though, is that this is the honky-tonk of Lower Broadway, y’all. It’s the biggest honky-tonk I know on Broadway!”

Bentley’s comparison to the Broadway honky-tonks made total sense, even more so when his comedy band, Hot Country Knights, took the stage to perform a slew of ‘90s country hits. 

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The Hot Country Knights put their hilarious antics on full display as they performed a medley of hits like “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” “She’s In Love With The Boy,” “I Hope You Dance,” and more. 

Closing the show with an energetic performance of “Sideways,” Bentley bid farewell to the Music City crowd on a high note. 

It’s hard to believe that after nearly two decades in this business Dierks Bentley had yet to be crowned Entertainer of the Year. He is certainly worthy of the honor, but as they say, nice guys finish last. It’s time that nice guys finish first.

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Dierks Bentley will make his way to Villa Grove, Colorado this week for his star-studded Seven Peaks Festival. Featuring performances by Bentley, Morgan Wallen, Tracy Lawrence, Ashley McBryde, HARDY, Jordan Davis, and so many more, Seven Peaks will surely be a memorable way to close out summer 2022.