Brett Young kicked off his 2.0 Tour at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday evening (Jan. 22), marking the first time in his career that he has launched a tour in Music City.
The 44-year-old country superstar and diamond-selling hitmaker opened the night with “Here Tonight,” instantly sparking a massive sing-along that echoed throughout The Ryman and set the tone for an evening filled with authentic country storytelling and a slew of anthemic hits. From the very first note, Young had the crowd fully locked in.
Dressed in blue jeans, a black tank top tucked in with a silver “B” belt buckle, and a black button-up emblazoned with his name, Young dominated the stage with confidence and ease. He moved effortlessly from song to song and had a huge smile that never left his face as he soaked in the energy of the crowd and delivered hit after hit.
“Nashville! How many of you guys went grocery shopping today? My wife’s gone grocery shopping three times in the last two days. The only thing we’re worse at then driving in Nashville is driving in the snow, and the only thing we’re worse at then that is preparing for the snow. I think we’re out of toilet paper county-wide,” Young joked, referencing the impending snowstorm and allowing his charming personality shine. “Thank you for spending your last safe night with us.” Young continued, “I have gotten to play this stage a lot of times. I love it here, it’s one of the most special places that I’ve ever gotten to perform at, but we never kicked off a tour at The Ryman. Thank you so much for coming out and spending night one of the 2.0 Tour with us at The Ryman. This one’s gonna be hard to top.”
Young delivered a 90-minute set featuring a 22-song set list that spanned his career, from his self-titled debut album to his latest project, 2.0. He held the audience in the palm of his hand from the infectious opening notes of “Here Tonight” through the emotional closer “In Case You Didn’t Know,” weaving in fan favorites like “You Still Got It,” “Catch,” “Ticket to L.A.,” “You Didn’t,” “Not Yet,” and “Say Less” along the way.
In addition to his own catalog, he performed his rendition of “Yukon” by Justin Bieber, putting his own signature swagger on the track, and a cover of “Just In Case” by Morgan Wallen. The latter has become a buzzed-about moment among fans thanks to Young’s viral shower time cover videos.
He also carved out a moment during the show to honor his wife, Taylor Mills Young, and their two daughters, Presley Elizabeth and Rowan Marie. He began with a heartfelt message that reflected on fatherhood and how it reshaped him as a person and singer/songwriter.
“Being that it is a hometown show, and I do have my family here tonight. I knew you liked them better than me anyway, that’s fine. I want to talk to you about my family a little bit before these next two songs,” Young began. “[Fatherhood] didn’t just affect who I was as a person. It affected who I was as a songwriter and a musician as well, to the point where if I was left to my own devices and did whatever I wanted, the last record would’ve probably been a lullabies record because it would’ve been all about my kiddos. We always get a few cheers for that. Maybe one of these days we’re going to have to do a kid’s record, but for now, I kept it to two songs on the record and one from my second record.”
“Here’s the thing that I noticed that I was writing songs for little ones. I thought the hardest thing I would ever do as a songwriter was when my wife… I thought that was the most pressure because obviously the first wifey song’s, not one you want to get wrong. But then these beautiful little girls came into my life and I went, ‘oh man, I don’t even know how to start writing this song.’ They both have one now. Presley’s came out of COVID and I kind of wrote it by accident because nobody was working, and she was all, we were doing all day every day, and so Presley’s song is the song about getting ready for her to come be with us. And Rowan’s song was a song I wrote after she was born, and we had got to know her a little bit. And it’s a little bit more about her personality. They both have their own thing. But we’re going to play ’em back to back.”
Brett Young then went on to deliver a two song performance in their honor: “Lady” and “Full House.” Later in his set, he also shared a sweet moment with his wife and daughters onstage when he welcomed them to the stage to dance during “Dance With You.”
The night came to a close with “Mercy,” “Sleep Without You,” Young’s debut single celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and “In Case You Didn’t Know.”
Ahead of the show, Brett Young reflected on his history at The Ryman Auditorium, from sneaking into a Keith Urban concert to appearing as a surprise guest during Darius Rucker’s show and paying tribute to Tim McGraw at ACM Honors.
“My first experience at the Ryman was sneaking into a Keith Urban performance there,” Young recalled during an interview with PEOPLE. “I remember just thinking, ‘What would it be like one day to play in this room?’ I mean, I’ve gotten to do some pretty cool things there. I’ve gotten to jump up [onstage] with Darius [Rucker] for one of his shows and I got to perform in front of Tim McGraw, but I’ve not gotten to kick off a tour at the Ryman until now, so that’s going to be really special.”
Young’s 18-date 2.0 Tour, featuring special guest Jenna Davis, continues through February 28, where it wraps up at Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. He will also take to the stage for a performance at the iconic Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California on April 26. The 2.0 Tour follows Young’s expansive Back To Basics World Tour 2025, which sold out venues across the United States, Australia, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The tour comes in support of his fifth studio album, 2.0, which arrived on June 20, 2025, via Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment. Produced by Jimmy Robbins and Dan Huff (with Jimmy Harnen serving as executive producer), the project features lead single “Drink With You,” “Goodnight Into Good Morning,” “Say Less,” “Taste Like You” and more, as well as collaborations with Lady A (“Who I Do It For”), George Birge (“You Don’t Know What You’re Missing”) and Hannah McFarland (“In Case You Didn’t Know 2.0”).
“‘2.0’ is a reflection of where I’m at right now as a husband, a dad, and someone who’s still learning and growing. These songs get into the highs and lows of love, the weight of heartbreak, and the responsibility and joy that come with family,” Young shared of the project in a statement. “It’s not just a follow-up to what I’ve done before. It’s a step forward. I hope people hear pieces of their own story in these songs, the way I see mine in them.”
“It’s always my goal to be real and transparent and connect with my audience, whether that means writing a song about what happened yesterday or revisiting past experiences,” Young added. “It should always be about a connection with the listeners. 2.0 feels really special to me, and I’m very proud of it. I hope it makes people want to come out and see the live show even more.”
For more information about Brett Young’s upcoming tour dates and new music, visit his official website.
Brett Young 2.0 Tour Dates
January
23 – Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center
24 – Greenville, SC – Peace Center
29 – Troy, OH – Hobart Arena
30 – Joliet, IL – Rialto Square Theatre
31 – Wabash, IN – Honeywell Center Ford Theater
February
5 – Lancaster, PA – American Music Theatre
6 – Boston, MA – MGM Hall at Fenway
7 – Mashantucket, CT – Foxwoods Resort Casino Premier Theater
12 – Bowling Green, KY – SkyPAC
13 – Nashville, IN – Brown County Music Center
14 – Warren, OH – Packard Music Hall
20 – Duluth, MN – DECC Symphony Hall
21 – Waukee, IA – Vibrant Music Hall (seated)
22 – Nixa, MO – Aetos Center for the Performing Arts
26 – Syracuse, NY – Landmark Theatre
27 – Albany, NY – The Palace Theatre
28 – Bensalem, PA – Parx Casino Xcite Center
