Brad Paisley charms the audience at Cruzan Amphitheatre. (Drew Angerer / The Post) | Photos

Brad Paisley’s blistering guitar playing was the hottest thing at Cruzan Amphitheatre tonight. The weather finally cooperated, ushering in the first cold front of the season, and bringing perfect temperatures for an outdoor show.

Playing nearly two full hours, Paisley, with ten consecutive No. 1s, has more material than time these days.

But it’s his incredible attention to detail, his skill as an animator, and having one of the tightest bands in country music, that makes his American Saturday Night tour one of the most satisfying shows on the road these days.

It makes me wonder: Is there anything Brad can’t do?
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The Fox network says Carrie Underwood will host a two-hour variety special tentatively titled, “Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special,” to air Dec. 7.

The network says Underwood will perform new music from her upcoming album, previous hits and holiday classics. Musical guests will include Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley and David Cook.

Underwood won season four of “American Idol.” The 26-year-old country singer is a four-time Grammy winner.

Her new album will be released Nov. 3.

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The 43rd annual Country Music Association awards will offer fans one of the last chances to see Brooks & Dunn before they split next year.

The popular duo joins a star-studded lineup, including all five entertainer of the year nominees, scheduled to perform during the Nov. 11 ceremony.

CMA also announced Monday that Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire, George Strait, Sugarland, Darius Rucker and Keith Urban will perform. Also scheduled to play songs are co-hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn plan to tour next year, then will dissolve a partnership that’s sold 30 million albums and had 23 No. 1 hits. They’ll be competing for their 15th vocal duo award and are also nominated for top musical event with McEntire.

Last night’s CMT Awards were fun but predictable, with the usual names taking home buckles: Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Sugarland and of course Taylor Swift.

Truthfully, I was a little bit overwhelmed by Taylor Swift’s domination of the 2009 CMT Music Awards show last night. I fully agree that her video “Love Story” earned its position as Video of the Year, but did we really need to see three performances from her?

Don’t get me wrong: I love Taylor. Always have. But I find some of her antics contrived, and it seems like no one wants to question Taylor’s judgment. Like the bathrobe behind the fake window during “You Belong To Me”? Did we really need all this overly-orchestrated stuff?

And I was dreading the rap I’d heard about and the Def Leppard number, “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, but I have to say, her rap with T-Pain was cute. And you have to love someone who can make fun of herself.

It also shows Swift’s open-mindedness to other genres and her depth as a musician that she can morph so easily with rap and rock. And the preamble to the pre-taped rap had Swift in Vulcan ears on the bridge of the USS Enterprise and then in NFL gear. “It’s my dream,” was the hook. I doubt Swift dreamed that she’d become the face and name of country music in 2008-09.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Taylor Swift opened the Country Music Television awards with a skit about living out her dreams. The 19-year-old country and pop sensation went a long way toward doing just that by winning video of the year and female video of the year for “Love Story” and by performing with one of her favorite rock bands.

“I want to thank Shania Twain for always making such theatrical videos, and Garth Brooks for always putting the fans first. I take my cues from you,” Swift said Tuesday in accepting video of the year honors at Nashville’s Sommet Center.

“I thank the fans for giving me video of the year when my whole family is here watching.”

Swift won the fan-voted award over Brad Paisley‘s “Waitin’ on a Woman,” Trace Adkins’ “You’re Gonna Miss This,” Carrie Underwood’s “Just a Dream” and Sugarland’s “All I Want to Do.”

Her “Love Story” video is an elaborate production with period costumes that echoes the story of Romeo and Juliet.

“This is for everybody who still believes in love stories, because I do,” Swift said earlier in winning female video.

She closed the awards show by performing “Pour Some Sugar on Me” with the British rock band Def Leppard.

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WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY!

No monster trucks, but there may be mud, at least, in your future if you check out Live Nation’s $24.99 special for lawn seats for several shows at Cruzan Amphitheatre this summer, if you buy them tomorrow. That’s straight-up with no service fees.

Those shows are:

 

• Brad Paisley with Dierks Bentley & Jimmy Wayne
• Creed
• Crue Fest 2
• Def Leppard with Poison and Cheap Trick
• Kid Rock & Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Rascal Flatts with Darius Rucker
• Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Tour featuring Marilyn Manson & Slayer
• Toby Keith with Trace Adkins

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Sugarland leads all the nominees announced Tuesday for Country Music Television‘s awards show next month with five nominations.

Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift are next with four each, followed by Rascal Flatts and newcomers Lady Antebellum with three fan-voted nominations apiece.

Kelly Pickler and CMT personality Lance Smith announced the finalists on air Tuesday morning.

Sugarland is nominated twice for duo video of the year — for “All I Want to Do” and “Already Gone.” They also received two for “Life in a Northern Town” with Little Big Town and Jake Owen: collaborative video and performance of the year.

Their final nod is video of the year for “All I Want to Do.”

Paisley’s “Waitin’ On a Woman” is nominated for video of the year and male video of the year. He’s also up for collaborative video for his duet with Keith Urban, “Start a Band,” and for performance of the year for “Country Boy” with Alan Jackson, George Strait and Dierks Bentley.

Swift’s “Love Story” is nominated for video of the year and female video of the year, and her performance of “Photograph” with British rockers Def Leppard is nominated for performance of the year and wide open country video of the year.

Viewers cast more than 2.5 million votes to decide four finalists in most categories. Fans can vote online at CMT.com through June 15 to determine the winners.

The video of the year competition is being handled a little differently. CMT has identified 10 nominees so far, and it will announce the finalists at the beginning of the June 16 awards show in Nashville. Fans can vote for their favorites throughout the show.

The cable network will air the awards live at 8 p.m. Eastern, and the show will feature musical performances by Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Def Leppard.

Brad Paisley‘s tours mix good fun and great guitars. This weekend, tickets for one of the top country tours around go on sale for his show at Cruzan Amphitheatre.

Paisley brings his latest show, with estimable opening act Dierks Bentley, to the Cruzan on Oct. 17.

Also up for sale this weekend:

• Pittsburgh rockers Rusted Root — a band with as many influences as there are styles of music — come to Fort Lauderdale’s Revolution on June 13.

• Collective Soul, who played a well-received set at SunFest, return to South Florida with Gavin DeGraw on July 15 at Revolution.

• O.A.R., who built their large fanbase through word-of-mouth and file-sharing, come to Pompano Beach Amphitheater on Aug. 29.

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