Toby Keith kicked off the first of three sold-out shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas on Sunday evening (Dec. 10), making for a triumphant return to the stage.
During the first of three sold-out performances, which quickly became one of the venue’s fastest-selling events, the 62-year-old country music icon delivered an unforgettable two-hour set that thrilled the sold-out crowd in Sin City. Sporting white pants and a white jacket over a black t-shirt and dog tags around his neck, Toby Keith took fans on a journey through his iconic catalog and told stories along the way, making for a more intimate experience, according to social media posts from fans.
24-Songs, 2-Hour Performance
The Oklahoma native offered an extensive set list that featured 24 songs and over a dozen of his greatest hits, such as “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” “I Love This Bar,” “As Good As I Once Was,” “Beer For My Horses,” “How Do You Like Me Now?!” and more. The concert also featured many of his 32 No. 1s and 42 top 10 hits that have propelled him to have more than 100 million BMI performances and more than 10 billion streams overall.
According to a press release, a highlight of Keith’s set was when he sat on a stool, center stage and performed a series of six songs that he said “should’ve been singles,” including “Somewhere Else,” “I Won’t Let You Know” “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This,” “Blue Moon,” as well as his current single at Country radio “Don’t Let The Old Man In” and a poignant tribute to the late Jimmy Buffett with a cover of “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes.”
Prior to performing “Don’t Let The Old Man In,” Keith joked with the crowd, saying “you think I’m dying don’t you… Me and Almightys got this, we’re good, y’all!” He then continued, “I get up every day of my whole life, even living out here, I try to be productive and I just ain’t going to let that old man in. I’m going to play it for you tonight. These are great ways to live by.”
Surprise Guests: Sammy Hagar And Trace Adkins
Toby Keith even surprised the crowd with two special guests: Sammy Hagar and Trace Adkins. Hagar introduce Keith to the stage as well as joined him later on in the show during “I Love This Bar,” where Hagar shredded on electric guitar. Meanwhile, Adkins joined Keith for a duet of “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (Angry American).”
“A Triumphant Return“
Following night one of a trio of shows, Toby Keith took to social media to share a series of photos from the unforgettable evening.
“It was a triumphant return. One hell of a night in Vegas. Ready to do it all over again tonight,” he captioned the images alongside the hashtag: #TobyInVegas.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee’s three-night residency at Dolby Live marks Keith’s first official set of live shows following his stomach cancer diagnosis and an extended hiatus. Despite his break from touring to focus on his health, Toby Keith has made several surprise appearances over the last few years at random locations, as well as even popped up to sing a song with Jason Aldean in his home state of Oklahoma.
Toby Keith will return to the Dolby Live at Park MGM stage on Monday night (Dec. 11) as well as Thursday night (Dec. 14).
Toby Keith Set List: Las Vegas Night 1
- Big Dog Daddy
- Made In America
- God Love Her
- I Wanna Talk About Me
- Whiskey Girl
- Who’s That Man
- Wish I Didn’t Know Now
- Beer For My Horses
- Somewhere Else
- I Won’t Let You Down
- You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This
- Don’t Let The Old Man In
- Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes (Jimmy Buffett Cover)
- Blue Moon
- Who’s Your Daddy?!
- Dream Walkin’
- Red Solo Cup
- As Good As I Once Was
- I Love This Bar
- Should’ve Been A Cowboy
- How Do You Like Me Now
- A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action
- American Soldier
- Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (Angry American)
Return To Touring
The trio of performances marked a taste of what’s to come from Toby Keith, as he teased his return to the road during an interview with Taste of Country Nights.
“It’s on the board,” Keith said of a full-scale tour. “They have got a great plan together, and we’ve built a new set, and we’re getting the trucks and buses fired up. Our plan is to go forward, don’t let this stuff define our future — let’s go.”
Recent Health Update
While Keith may be returning to the stage and soon to the touring circuit, it appears he is still battling cancer. He recently shared that he is currently exploring new treatments in Florida during an interview with Bob Stoops on Sellout Crowd. “It’s a rollercoaster all the time with this stuff,” he said, adding that he is financially able to “get the best treatments I can get” and was preparing to travel to Florida to “see another guy down there that’s got some other kind of treatments. I’m trying ’em all, I’m throwing the kitchen sink at it.”
In addition to speaking of the new treatments, he also revealed that he is feeling “pretty good.”
He further elaborated on his cancer battle while talking to Taste Of Country, where he admitted that he “ain’t afraid” of the disease anymore and that he won’t let it define who he is. “I finally got it in a spot where I’m really comfortable with it,” he told the outlet. “Everything’s trending really well right now, and I’m not gonna let this define the rest of my life. If I live to be 100, or I don’t, I’m going to go forward. I’m feeling good, and I’m off of chemo, and I’m rolling. We’re just going business as usual, going forward.”
