Keith Urban Reveals the ‘Strangest’ Show He Ever Played

Keith Urban has played hundreds of shows throughout his career, but there’s one that he’ll always remember as being a little bit stranger that others. During a Wednesday appearance on on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Urban discussed his most unusual gig, sharing that it took around 20 years ago place in an airport, which “doesn’t sound horrible except for the fact it was a tiny regional airport in Australia.”

“My manager at the time, I think had done some very questionable deal to get us a couple of airline tickets,” he recalled. “We had a three-piece band and we were just gonna play at this little airport… one baggage carousel, that’s how small the airport is.” When he and his band arrived, his manager showed them where they were going to play. “You know the little carpeted area above the carousel where the bags come around, the little island above it?” he said. “That is where we had to play.”

“So we set up the drum kit, me and the bass player just fit in this little tiny strip, and we sound checked a little bit,” he continued. When Urban asked his manager when their set started, his manager replied, “just start now.” “I went, ‘There’s nobody here,’ and he said, ‘If you just start playing I think some people will come,’” the singer said. “So we start playing, a couple of people came over and they’re checking out the music, and a few more people, and I’m like, ‘It’s actually not a bad gig.’”

Around 15 people were “kind of getting into it,” at which point Urban thought, “this is not so bad,” when the luggage carousel began to move. “Next minute, [honk, honk] all the bags start coming down and everyone got their luggage and they just all left,” he laughed. “Playing for nobody.”

Urban will be performing for a significantly larger number of people on this Sunday’s ACM Awards, which he is also co-hosting alongside Mickey Guyton. “I’m beyond thrilled to be co-hosting with my friend Mickey,” Urban previously said in a statement. “I love that finally everyone will get to see her infectious energy and uber creative spirit in full light.”

The show will take place at three iconic venues in Nashville, broadcasting from the Ryman Auditorium, The Bluebird Cafe and the Grand Ole Opry. The 2021 ACM Awards will air Sunday, April 18 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and on demand on Paramount+, which you can sign up for here.

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