Keith Urban shocked fans when it was revealed that he had let some of his band members go. Urban doesn’t give any specific reasons for the restructuring of his band, but he does say that he is thrilled with the new formation, especially as he gets ready to embark on his High and Alive World Tour.
“It feels really good,” Urban says on Country Countdown USA. “I’ve always followed my inner voice that says it’s time to make a change in my life, and just take a leap. We’ve been lucky with this band, because we had the residency in Vegas to do with the new band. But I’m looking forward to getting out with a new band, new songs, new production, new everything.”
The New Zealand native’s decision to switch out some of his band members was simply a matter of Urban listening to his instincts, even if his decisions might not make sense to outsiders.
“I’ve always just followed the inner voice that says it’s time to make a change, in any area of my life, and sort of just leap. Just take the leap,” Urban explains. “I don’t always know where I’m going. It’s a little bit like playing live on stage. I don’t always know what I’m going to do next. There’s something exhilarating about living that way, and about performing that way.
“Again, we’ve been really lucky with this band,” he continued, “because we’ve got these five shows in February in Vegas that we got to do as a new band, and get some shows under our belt, before we get into rehearsals for our tour. I’m really looking forward to getting out with the new band, new songs, new production, new everything.”
Urban’s High and Alive World Tour begins on May 22, and the father of two is already counting down the days.
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“I live for it,” Urban says of performing live. “I live for playing live, especially since we haven’t done a full tour since 2022. I feel like a racehorse at the starting gate, kicking at the stalls trying to get out. I can see the track, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Urban got to perform with his new band members earlier this year, for the second half of his HIGH in Vegas residency. The five shows were just enough to whet his appetite for more.
“It feels like we crammed six months into three months,” Urban acknowledges. “That’s what it feels like. New Year’s Eve feels like so long ago. After that, we did the residency in Las Vegas, and that was kind of like a preview of what we’re going to be doing in the tour.”
Urban’s High and Alive World Tour kicks off on kicks off on May 22 in Orange Beach, Alabama. Urban is also part of the new reality TV talent show, The Road, airing on CBS this fall, working alongside Blake Shelton and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan.
Find all of Urban’s music and upcoming shows at KeithUrban.com.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the CMA