With the exception of last night’s opener Lee Ann Womack, I have been pretty impressed by the sub-headliner/opener performances this week at Country USA in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Phil Vassar put on a rockin’ show before Sugarland’s awesome set and Lee Ann Womack did a great job, but her performance just wasn’t for me. On the final day on Country USA with headliner Keith Urban, Clay Walker was the final act before the concert we’ve been looking forward to.

Clay Walker is a little more country and a bit less universal than Keith Urban is, but that didn’t stop him from impressing me and getting the crowd off their feet for most of his performance.

His band, equally as talented as he is, provided some great support to his deeply country rooted vocals complimented by the traditional cowboy hat.

Towards the end of the show, Clay Walker threw on a few leis while he sang “Then What” and kicked a whole bunch of huge beach balls out into the crowd. Confetti blew out of the sides of the stage into the crowd and just turned a good time into an even better time.

Not many opening bands do this with their shows, so it was great to see something like this happen before Keith Urban’s show; it put a big smile on a lot of faces.

Mid-show the two guitarists came to center stage and played a cover of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version of “Little Wing”. Let me say, there is some fantastic talent in that band; not just amongst the two fantastic guitar players, but everyone.

Clay Walker and his band have a new album coming out soon. He gave us a little sample of it, playing new song “Jesse James”, a nice combination of country with a little bit of punch.

Setlist: It’s Coming Back Again – Make A Living – She Won’t Be Lonely – Wrong Enough – Live Until I Die – Live Laugh Love – When She’s Good – Jesse James – Dreaming – Bury the Shovel – Little Wing – Then What – Cold Hearted – What’s it to You – Rumor/Tightrope/Fall