Miranda Lambert launched her long-awaited Velvet Rodeo: The Las Vegas Residency with a bang (literally) on Friday evening (Sept. 24) at Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The 4,600-capacity venue allowed Lambert to truly connect with her fans throughout the show as she brought the intimate feel of a Broadway honky-tonk to Sin City.
The 90-minute, sold-out show was a celebration of Lambert’s artistry with a 22-song, career-spanning set list that featured tunes from her debut album, Kerosene, to her current project, Palomino. Lambert put a big smile on fans faces when they saw that she included “Carousel” and “Geraldene,” two fan-favorite tracks from her ninth studio album.
Taking the stage around 8:30 pm, Lambert arose from below sporting a turquoise mini dress emblazoned with rhinestones and yellow fringe sleeves. She topped her look off with sparkly gold boots and a custom DanielxDiamond cowboy hat, putting her love for all things fringe and rhinestones on full display.
After opening the show with “Actin’ Up” (a perfect anthem for Vegas!), the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year welcomed fans to the Velvet Rodeo with a smile.
“We made it! We made it to night one of the Velvet Rodeo,” Lambert declared in the midst of her electrifying set before performing “All Kinds Of Kinds.” “Thank you so much for coming out and we’re so damn glad to be playing for people tonight. We’ve been rehearsing for a really long, long time. Thank you so much for spending your hard-earned money on Country music tonight! This song is your friendly reminder to be who you are always, all the time because you just might end up on stage in Vegas with bright lights. You never know.”
Prior to opening night, Lambert promised there would be fire and she more than delivered on that. Several moments, including performances of “Kerosene” and “Fastest Girl In Town,” featured fierce flames and popping fireworks. But, the most surprising pyro moment came later in the show. During “Gunpowder & Lead,” she shocked fans with a pink fringe jacket that had flames coming off the sleeves. The moment had jaws dropping as fans arose from their seats in awe.
@musicmayhemmagazine @Miranda Lambert took her #Idyllwind jacket to the next level with pyro fringe! #MirandaLambert #VelvetRodeo #LasVegas @idyllwind
When she wasn’t setting things on fire, Lambert tugged at the heartstrings with tender moments, like her performance of “The House That Built Me,” and a chilling rendition of “Tin Man” that had all eyes on Lambert as she was surrounded by striking beams of light in the center of the theater.
The show included stunning visuals with personal touches that had Lambert written all over them, like the downtown scene displayed during “Famous In A Small Town” that included a Pink Pistol storefront, the Red 55 Winery, Casa Rosa, and of course the “quick stop” referenced in the song lyrics.
The Velvet Rodeo’s visually stunning production included lasers, layers of vibrant lighting, pyro, and confetti took Lambert’s live concert to the next level.
Lambert’s set concluded with an all-out party as pink confetti rained down from above during a sing-along to “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).” The evening capped off with an explosive performance of “Little Red Wagon” before the hitmaker exited the stage beneath the glow of her name in lights.
Since first hitting the country music scene in 2005, Lambert has always done things her own way, on her own terms. She’s never once followed anyone’s path but her own and Velvet Rodeo was, in a sense, a true representation of that. There were no full costume changes, no giant props, no dancers. Aside from some pyro and confetti, the show was all about the music. Lambert came to Vegas to sing her heart out and that’s exactly what she did.
Lambert’s concert on Friday evening (Sept. 23) marked the first of a series of 24 shows in Sin City. The country superstar’s Velvet Rodeo residency runs through April 2023.
For tickets and more information on Miranda Lambert’s Velvet Rodeo Residency visit the official website HERE.
Miranda Lambert’s Velvet Rodeo Set List
1. Actin’ Up
2. Fastest Girl In Town
3. Kerosene
4. Strange
5. Famous In A Small Town
6. Heart Like Mine
7. If I Was A Cowboy
8. Bluebird
9. Vice
10. All Kinds Of Kinds
11. The House That Built Me
12. Automatic
13. Geraldene
14. Tequila Does
15. Only Prettier
16. White Liar
17. Carousel
18. Tin Man
19. Mama Tried – Mama’s Broken Heart
20. Gunpowder & Lead
21. Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)
22. Little Red Wagon
