NBA Star Charles Barkley Crashes Dierks Bentley’s Show in Chicago
For the first time in 15 years, country megastar Dierks Bentley stepped up on the relatively tiny stage at Joe’s Bar on Sunday (Oct. 27) to play a nearly 90-minute set to raise money for his RISER Foundation. And joining him were not only his '90s country cover band, Hot Country Knights, but also Charles Barkley.
Yes, you read that right.
NBA legend Charles Barkley was in attendance at the show, standing just to the side of the stage throughout the performance before joining the "Living" hitmaker and his Hot Country Knights bandmates at the center of the stage to help bid adieu to the crowd.
The intimate show was one of Bentley’s last official shows of the year, and he decided to go out with quite the bang.
“I see a lot of familiar faces in the crowd tonight,” the current three-time CMA nominee told the crowd, referring to a tour stop he made back in July in the Chicagoland area. “So, I’m going to do my best to keep you guessing.”
That promise resulted in a diverse set that included everything from “Lot of Leavin’ Left to Do” from Bentley’s second studio album, Modern Day Drifter, to a totally acoustic version of 2015’s “Riser.”
“I would never do this unless I was at Joe’s,” Bentley said. “You are the same people that have followed me for a long time, and I know I can trust you.”
Besides the ovation that Barkley received once Bentley gave him a shout out, the biggest crowd reactions came following songs including “Burning Man,” “Sideways” and the set-ending “Drunk on a Plane.”
“Thank you guys so much for coming out on a Sunday night,” Bentley said. “There are just so many memories here. But you can never have too many memories here at Joe’s Bar. We might be back here at Joe’s sooner than you might think we will.”
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