Langley does the best she can, and it's paying off

Life's been good for Ella Langley. She's enjoyed success as a songwriter, singing with likes of Kameron Marlowe and Koe Wetzel, and released her debut full-length disc, "hungover," just a few weeks ago.

At a sold-out concert, Langley was able to show a few different musical sides. She was similar to many country artists these days where she leaned far more heavily to the rock side (her lead guitarist helped finesse that time and again) on songs like "better be tough."

She displayed her badass side on a cover of Gretchen Wilson's "Here for the Party." Langley did not improve upon Wilson, but the song was within her wheelhouse.

As the 92-minute show progressed, Langley leaned in far more heavily into country music and was the better for it. That was never more apparent than with one of the highlights of the show – Langley going solo acoustic for the cowboy segment of "cowgirl don't cry" and "cowboy friends." This was a more tender, heartfelt moment and a welcome change from the rock elements of her show.

And then she proceeded to hit a misstep with Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl," seeming to want to be all things to everybody.

But the Alabama native rebounded with the closing fun song "you look like you love me" with opener Aaron Raitiere assuming the role of Riley Green from the recording (the two co-wrote the song). In a rarity, Langley delivered a spoken word introduction.

Langley capped the night with the one-two punch encore of "hungover," a ballad with the crowd singing along as they did often, and the bold sounding "That's Why We Fight."

Langley may have a few too many sides on her palette, even if capable on all. On this night at least, Langley was living the good life. "You have one shot. You're doing the best you fucken can," Langley said at the end of her show about putting "hungover" together in a stream of consciousness delivery. Langley indeed is doing the best she can, and it's paying off.

Raitiere opened the show with his acoustic guitar in hand. Raitiere, a Kentucky native, has carved out a successful career as a songwriter. That did not translate as well in his half hour on stage.

A few songs went after women in a negative way thanks to some relationships that went south. That's part of life, but Raitiere seemed to have a bit of a misogynistic thing going on.

For reasons unknown, Raitiere downplayed his success as a songwriter in offering truncated versions of "I'll Never Love Again" from "A Star is Born," "4 x 4" from Lainey Wilson and the very humorous wordplay of "Armadillo," from Miranda Lambert's upcoming album. The songs were good enough to play, but apparently not a full version thereof. That was his loss.

Raitiere also tried to heard to be a jokester with the first two "songs" being "Well" and "I Am Lonely" and neither having more words than the title.

Raitiere may have a bunch of worthy songs, but his cloying presentation did not serve him well.