Congratulations! You just scored a backstage pass to the hottest tickets in town.
After COVID-19 put a pause on live entertainment, your favorite artists are ready to hit the road and entertain audiences safely with brand-new tours and experiences. And regardless of where you are, we're offering an all-access ticket to every must-see concert of the summer. Welcome to E!'s Backstage Pass.
If you ask Dierks Bentley, now is the time to raise a glass to live music.
After spending much of the pandemic making memories with family in Colorado, the country singer is back onstage as part of the Beers on Me tour. And nearly one week into the shows, Dierks has fallen in love with life on the road all over again.
"It was everything you dreamed and more," the Grammy nominee exclusively shared with E! News just days after kicking off his 2021 tour. "I thought it was just so fun to be out there with my own band and crew riding the bus and all the dumb, fun things we do away from the stage. Riding bikes, going mountain biking, playing pickle-ball. I love the guys in my band and crew and it's so nice to be around them."
Dierks continued, "And then of course, the shows. I don't think I've ever seen crowds so happy. Guys singing along with their buddies at the top of their lungs, girls up on guys' shoulders the entire show. It's such a celebratory energy out there after last year."
Soon after rising stars Parker McCollum and Riley Green open the show, Dierks takes over, performing his biggest hits from his career that started in 2003. With his latest No. 1 single "Gone" kicking off the set list, fans won't want to miss a minute.
"It's a great way to start the show," Dierks explained. "It's so appropriate because we were gone, but now we're back. It feels so good to be back. It's a great show opener and the goal is just to get out there right away and just get after it and put the pedal down and get this thing started."
And as Dierks follows tradition by wearing Flag & Anthem flannels, singing through aisles and giving his parody band Hot Country Knights a moment to shine, one thing is certain. This country singer is extra grateful for the opportunity to perform in front of thousands of screaming fans again.
"I never lacked gratitude for what we get to do but this year, everybody is so stoked to be getting back out there and I'm thankful it didn't go away," he shared. "A lot of habits changed. Luckily, live music did not."
For a behind-the-scenes look at the Beers on Me tour, keep scrolling. And find out when Dierks is coming to your neighborhood before it's too late.
During the Beers on Me 2021 tour, Dierks Bentley is determined to give fans an unforgettable experience. "Have a great time and have fun," he told E! News. "Like the song ‘Beers on Me' says, ‘Everybody's got a problem, so do I / But we ain't gonna solve 'em on a Saturday night.' This is the time to let it all go. Have fun, catch up with friends, scream, yell, shout. Just let it all go for a night."
"Before the show, I'm just spending time with the band either on our bus or in the dressing room," Dierks revealed. "There are shots being passed around. There are old friends I haven't seen in a while. It's just a lot of excitement. I'm usually pretty busy for the two hours leading up the show to take care of friends and guests I haven't seen in a while."
How does Dierks and the crew unwind after long days of traveling? With a game of pickleball, obviously.
In between performing in Oregon, Utah and Idaho, Dierks, along with his band and crew, were able to enjoy the scenery while breaking a sweat on bikes.
"I've done so much preparation for the tour in advance. Now, I really feel like my job is just to show up and be present in the moment," Dierks reflected. "It's a concert, but my job is just to get it started. Once the concert's going, it becomes a party and I just get to be bartender and oversee it. I love my role and I love what I get to do."
"I get to thank the band publicly onstage, but it's surreal what my crew does," Dierks shared. "The opening weekend reminds me of how much work goes into these tours. I get up from my bunk in the morning and I look out and my guys are already putting the stage together...These guys work their butts off, day in and day out…I have the best crew in the business."
With school in session, Dierks' three kids will likely come out to see a show once a month. According to the singer, they savor every moment on the road. "They're all involved in some way and they love it," he shared. "They love the bus. They say, ‘Dad, you can never quit.' It's pretty fun."
"I feel super honored to have these guys on the road," Dierks shared after performing with his opening acts Parker McCollum and Riley Green. "Parker is already playing for 20,000 people back in his home state of Texas. He's going to be a huge star. He's a great guy, has great energy and is fun to be around."
"To me, Riley Green is like the next superstar," Dierks shared when discussing his opening act. "He's a great songwriter, great singer. He has that kind of quintessential Alabama country thing going on around."
No matter if your seats are in the pit section or the last row, Dierks wants to give you a show. "I'm just trying to reach every person that's there," he explained. "I went to a Garth Brooks concert when I was a kid and I felt like he was singing right to me and I was in the back...I still felt like he was singing right to me…You got to treat the amphitheaters like you're playing at the Honky Tonk and you want to reach out to everyone and sometimes that requires leaving the stage and walking physically out there to the grass or going for a stage dive."
Attention, concertgoers! Don't leave early or you may just miss the Hot Country Knights. "The Knights have to come out at the end of the night," Dierks teased. "You've got to stick around for the whole show if you want to get your '90s country fill."
"We have wardrobe cases on the road, but most of that is for the Hot Country Knights," Dierks joked when discussing tour fashion. "They have more elaborate costumes. I try to keep it fairly simple. I start off with the same black jeans and then a pair of boots. Up top is Flag & Anthem...I guess I describe my fashion as efficient and utilitarian."
Want even more access? Go inside the making of Lady A's What a Song Can Do tour.