He tipped his signature hat to Southern Rock with a soulful reading of the genre’s most iconic anthem, “Free Bird,” forgoing the epic guitar jam to segue straight from “and this bird you cannot change” into an anthem of own device, “The Devil Named Music.”Īnd by that point, it was more than clear that Stapleton is destined to remain his own distinctive brand of maverick. He even has a song called “Outlaw State of Mind.” And his touring band includes a longtime Willie Nelson sideman, Mickey Raphael, on harmonica. Stapleton’s own set more than lived up to the hype that greeted his arrival on the scene with “Traveller.” He’s the spiritual heir to the Outlaw Country movement of the ‘70s. This is what made the concert venue iconic and what's next Chris Stapleton remains his own distinctive brand of maverick But if this is the last we see of Strait in Arizona, you can't say he didn't leave us wanting more.Īrizona's favorite country bar: Mr. The man's already done a two-year farewell tour. It was one of several moments in the more reflective back half of his set that had to leave a person wondering if this could be where the cowboy rides away, as Strait sang on his final song. I'll still hear your screams and cheers in my mind. "I do want you to know, though, that when I do walk off this stage for the last time and I'm all settled in, away from all this, you won't be far away. "I don't know how many more years I've got left to do this, but I figure a few," he said in that unhurried, conversational delivery.
That last one may have been the emotional centerpiece of Strait's entire 32-song set, especially the monologue. George Strait at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday, March 6, 2023. It was an unexpected treat in a set with no shortage of highlights, from “The Fireman” to “Here For a Good Time" and “Ocean Front Property" - inspiring the massive singalongs you'd expect -and he dedicated "I'll Always Remember You" to the fans. Midway through the concert, he was joined by Stapleton on a cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Pancho and Lefty” (as famously covered by Waylon & Willie) and two Stapleton songs Strait recorded (“You Don’t Know What You’re Missing” and “Love’s Gonna Make it Alright”). Stapleton, a Strait tradition going back at least a decade. General Leroy Sisco come out to present a mortgage-free home to a military veteran, retired U.S. Toward the end of his performance, Strait took a break from the music and had retired Lt. They also slipped in tributes to his heroes Waylon Jennings (“Waymore’s Blues”) and Merle Haggard (“Misery and Gin”) and somehow landed on perhaps the most garage-rock entry in Tom Petty's massive catalog, “You Wreck Me,” which they bashed out with requisite swagger and a smoking hot guitar lead. They reached back to his 1981 debut, “Strait Country,” for a set-closing rendition of his breakthrough hit, “Unwound,” and brought us up to date with three selections from “Honky Tonk Time Machine," his latest effort.Ĭoncert review: Dierks Bentley came home to rule Country Thunder Arizona: 'This is what made me who I am' Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard and Tom Petty tunes were a welcome surprise Strait was backed by his Ace in the Hole Band, a trusty collection of talented players who set the tone for his performance with “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” a tip of the hat to Strait’s beloved home state and the subject of a number of the concert’s finest moments, from “Amarillo By Morning” (his personal favorite) to “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” and “Take Me to Texas.” His vocals have held up remarkably well, although there were times when they did get overpowered by the playing of his band, especially when he dipped into his lower register.
The emotional resonance of “Troubadour,” a reflective ballad that opens with “I still feel 25 most of the time,” was further underscored by photos of the artist as a young man splashed across the screen behind him.
1 he’s ever had at State Farm Stadium, the first of only seven stadiums he plans to play in 2023 with special guest Chris Stapleton.īut fans were treated to a staggering assortment of his most iconic hits, from “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” to “Check Yes or No,” "Amarillo by Morning" and “The Chair,” in a 32-song set that ended, as it had to, with “The Cowboy Rides Away,” one of several songs that couldn’t help but feel a bit more poignant as delivered by a performer about to turn 71. Country Thunder: The most Arizona things we saw at Country Thunder 2023, from Dierks Bentley to Kurt Warner Playing the classics, from 'All My Ex's Live in Texas' to 'Amarillo by Morning'
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