"Billboard" spent a day on tour with DIERKS BENTLEY and they got a good look at some of his rituals. For example, he really does pilot his plane to concerts. There's a copilot, but Dierks prefers to be the main man.
And he's still doing that pre-show ice bath, although on this particular day he had to squat in a trash can. He also explained why he does it. It's like a 5-Hour Energy drink to him . . . but without having to suck down whatever they put in that stuff.
After warming up in a sauna, he does an acoustic set under a tent at his Tailgate Party for around 100 VIPs.
And then there's the pre-show soundcheck, which, you may recall, is Dierks and his crew pretending to be a bluegrass band. They change their name to fit the local area . . . as in the Mansfield Manscapers, or Big Jersey Johnsons. (Billboard)