Keep The Wheels Moving

Lady Antebellum rolling along different tracks

Lady Antebellum is flying in a new direction with the release of a fifth studio album, "747."

Though bandmates Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood skyrocketed to fame with ballads, such as "Need You Now," "We Owned the Night" and "Just a Kiss," fans attending the Sunday night concert at the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion in Rogers should expect to hear lively, up-tempo numbers designed to get crowds on their feet.

FAQ

Lady Antebellum

WHEN — 7 p.m. Sunday

WHERE — Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion, 5079 W. Northgate Road in Rogers

COST — $35-$65

INFO — 443-5600 or arkansasmusicpavili…

"Every record we try to do something a little different," Kelley says by phone during a recent interview. "We're known for our ballads, but we wanted something that would translate to our live show. If anyone has seen us before, I hope they'll see a change."

The concert will be Lady Antebellum's second performance in Arkansas. The group made a stop in North Little Rock on the "We Own the Night" tour in 2012.

"Arkansas has always been a great crowd for us," Kelley says. "Outdoor concerts bring a different kind of excitement and Southern-town feel. We've gauged our show around that atmosphere and tried to get closer to the audience."

Producer Nathan Chapman -- who has worked with the Dixie Chicks and Taylor Swift -- guided the musical explorations of the seven-time Grammy winners, who have sold more than 11 million albums worldwide.

"We're never going to be the new kids on the block again, so we just need to continue to deliver solid music," Kelley says. "We want to be an act that is around for a long time. We want to continue to push ourselves musically and stay true to who we are."

The first single off Lady Antebellum's album was "Bartender," which spent 12 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 and climbed to No. 31 on the chart.

"'Bartender' is one of the biggest singles we've ever put out," Kelley says. "As more and more fans get to know it on the radio, the more they're singing along at the live shows. I think they're digging it."

"Freestyle," the album's second single, diverges from the group's traditional sound with rapid-fire lyrics and several pop culture references to acts like rapper Macklemore and actor Matthew McConaughey.

Also included on the album is a cover of "She Is," originally written and recorded by former University of Arkansas student Ben Rector.

"Hillary used the song in her wedding video montage and just fell in love with it," Kelley says. "Next thing you know, we cut it for the album. We stayed pretty true to the original, but it's kind of fun for pop artists to see how another genre interprets their song."

Though Lady Antebellum has traded piano ballads for guitar riffs on the 11-song album, bandmates haven't abandoned their claim to fame completely with ballads like "Damn You Seventeen" and "One Great Mystery." "Lie With Me," a song about two estranged lovers not wanting to let go of a relationship, also stays true to the band's roots as a soft-rock melody with triple-stacked harmonies.

Lady Antebellum is joined on the Wheels Up 2015 Tour by Kelsea Ballerini and Hunter Hayes. Ballerini released her debut album, "The First Time," in October 2014, and her first single, "Love Me Like You Mean It," jumped to No. 57 on the Hot 100.

Hayes wrote or co-wrote all the songs on his self-titled debut album that produced double-platinum single "Wanted," gold single "Storm Warning" and chart-topping single "I Want Crazy." His second album, "Storyline," was released in May 2014 and notched the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. Hayes was named the best new artist of 2012 by the Country Music Association.

"It's definitely felt like one of our bigger tours," Kelley says. "It's a big production, and the set is full of songs that people know. It should be a good time, and I hope everybody digs it."

Gates will open at 6 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Walton Arts Center Box Office in Fayetteville or by visiting amptickets.com.

NAN What's Up on 06/12/2015

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