Blake Shelton.Photo:Jamie Wendt

Blake Shelton Kicks Off Vegas Residency

Jamie Wendt

Blake Sheltonis finding a home in the neon light of Las Vegas.On Feb. 5, the country superstar kicked off his Las Vegas residency show at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum, and he wasted no time, coming on stage to “Pour Me a Drink,” his song withPost Malone.“This is a big deal for me. This is the first night of my very first residency anywhere. It just happens to be at Caesars. That’s pretty cool,” he told the crowd of 4,300.Blake Shelton.Jamie Wendt“I’ve been coming to Las Vegas for a long, long time, so I know what my job is here tonight. I know what we’re all doing here," added Shelton. “We’re here to make memories that we’re going to pretend like we don’t remember, and my job tonight is to provide a soundtrack for your trip to Las Vegas.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Blake Shelton.Jamie WendtThe 90-minute show was classic Shelton, as he rattled off hit after hit from his deep catalog, sipped booze from a plastic black cup on stage and often bantered with the crowd. During one moment, he noticed a fan’s custom-made t-shirt that said: “Still not a Swiftie. I’m a Sheltie.”“That’s gonna be a YouTube moment. That’s gonna be on social media,” he said after reading the shirt’s message out loud. “Taylor Swift’s gonna have me killed.”Blake Shelton.Jamie WendtStill, Shelton brought the crowd alive while energetically playing newer songs, such as “Texas,” but he also thrilled the crowd with classics, such as “Austin,” “Some Beach” and “Home.” He also delved into several duets with his wife,Gwen Stefani, who harmonized with her husband in a prerecorded video on an oversized screen behind him.“This is too much fun to be work,” he said later in the show. “There’s some kind of added pressure when you do Las Vegas, like everybody is waiting for the trapeze people or some dancers to come down.”Blake Shelton.Jamie WendtBy the end of the evening, Shelton was flying high from his no-frills, all-substance concert, telling the crowd it was a night he’ll “never forget.”While the six-show run is a long time coming, Shelton recently joked that he has to use the word “residency” delicately around Stefani, who had a three-year residency show in Vegas from 2018 to 2021. In total, she performed her Just a Girl show 57 times.Blake Shelton.Jamie Wendt“Gwen actually says I’m not allowed to call that a residency because it’s only six shows,” he told the crowd after recently celebrating the one-year anniversary of his Ole Red bar, which sits kitty-corner from Caesars Palace. “I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”Shelton takes the Vegas stage again Feb. 7, 8, 12, 14 and 15.

Blake Sheltonis finding a home in the neon light of Las Vegas.

On Feb. 5, the country superstar kicked off his Las Vegas residency show at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum, and he wasted no time, coming on stage to “Pour Me a Drink,” his song withPost Malone.

“This is a big deal for me. This is the first night of my very first residency anywhere. It just happens to be at Caesars. That’s pretty cool,” he told the crowd of 4,300.

Blake Shelton.Jamie Wendt

Blake Shelton Kicks Off Vegas Residency

“I’ve been coming to Las Vegas for a long, long time, so I know what my job is here tonight. I know what we’re all doing here,” added Shelton. “We’re here to make memories that we’re going to pretend like we don’t remember, and my job tonight is to provide a soundtrack for your trip to Las Vegas.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Blake Shelton Kicks Off Vegas Residency

The 90-minute show was classic Shelton, as he rattled off hit after hit from his deep catalog, sipped booze from a plastic black cup on stage and often bantered with the crowd. During one moment, he noticed a fan’s custom-made t-shirt that said: “Still not a Swiftie. I’m a Sheltie.”

“That’s gonna be a YouTube moment. That’s gonna be on social media,” he said after reading the shirt’s message out loud. “Taylor Swift’s gonna have me killed.”

Blake Shelton Kicks Off Vegas Residency

Still, Shelton brought the crowd alive while energetically playing newer songs, such as “Texas,” but he also thrilled the crowd with classics, such as “Austin,” “Some Beach” and “Home.” He also delved into several duets with his wife,Gwen Stefani, who harmonized with her husband in a prerecorded video on an oversized screen behind him.

“This is too much fun to be work,” he said later in the show. “There’s some kind of added pressure when you do Las Vegas, like everybody is waiting for the trapeze people or some dancers to come down.”

Blake Shelton Kicks Off Vegas Residency

By the end of the evening, Shelton was flying high from his no-frills, all-substance concert, telling the crowd it was a night he’ll “never forget.”

While the six-show run is a long time coming, Shelton recently joked that he has to use the word “residency” delicately around Stefani, who had a three-year residency show in Vegas from 2018 to 2021. In total, she performed her Just a Girl show 57 times.

Blake Shelton Kicks Off Vegas Residency

“Gwen actually says I’m not allowed to call that a residency because it’s only six shows,” he told the crowd after recently celebrating the one-year anniversary of his Ole Red bar, which sits kitty-corner from Caesars Palace. “I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”

Shelton takes the Vegas stage again Feb. 7, 8, 12, 14 and 15.

source: people.com