Morgan Wallen played a free concert at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday night (Mar. 3).
The country music superstar took to the venue in celebration of his brand-new third studio album, One Thing At A Time, which dropped that morning via Big Loud / Mercury / Republic Records.
Doors opened at 4:30 pm. CT, and the anticipated event was scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. But, fans, who stood in line on Lower Broadway the day before to secure a pair of Box Office tickets, must’ve known Wallen would arrive fashionably late to the stage, as a good number of them approached the concert area a little before 8:00 p.m. and mere seconds before the 29-year-old hitmaker made it from backstage onto the circle-shaped platform.
“I know how much my fans mean to me, but I just want to say it out loud. You guys are truly remarkable. Thank you for coming out for this free show on such short notice. I hope you’re having as much fun as I am,” Wallen said.
The Bridgestone Arena has a 20,000 center-stage capacity, and 19,292 fans attended Wallen’s album-release show – a record-setting all-time attendance for the arena, according to EVP of Entertainment and Venues David Kells, per a press release.
Fans could be seen screaming and holding up their cell phones as the “Thought You Should Know” singer/songwriter appeared on the jumbo tron – a scene that folks, who weren’t able to score a ticket to the show, could catch from their homes while tuning into a live stream on their devices.
Wallen, wearing a long-sleeved white henley paired with jeans, cowboy boots, and a ball cap, made a few quick stops to hug family members while being escorted into the arena by security guards. Once on stage, he launched into the infectious album opener “Born With A Beer In My Hand.”
Wallen was joined by his six-piece band, who provided an in-the-round visual experience as he paced the floor and used hand gestures to express the lyrics of the song, which finds him singing the words, “I’m just sayin’ I’m doin’ thе best I can / But what do you expect from a redneck? / Hell, I was born with a beer in my hand.”
Throughout the 95-minute spectacular, Wallen delivered new and old hits, using the first 12 songs of his set to showcase the songs on One Thing At A Time. One highlight from the first hour included his performance of “I Wrote The Book,” which had fans mouthing out the words they had memorized earlier in the week as blazing-orange, honeycomb-shaped stage lights scanned the arena. “Everything I Love” was also a crowd pleaser with its familiarity featuring interpolations of the Allman Brothers Band. “Midnight Rider.” The same can be said for “180 (Lifestyle),” which features interpolations of Young Thug’s “Lifestyle” on the track.
Wallen also kept the room silent at poignant moments with ballads like “Keith Whitley” and “Dying Man,” which had him opening the tune with a touching story of how he considers his son Indigo (Indie) Wilder to be the person who changed his life.
“In ‘Dying Man,’ I’m singing to a woman. In real life, this song is dedicated to my son. He has changed everything for me and has been a real blessing. He’s here tonight, so I’m sending this song out to him,” Wallen informed the crowd.
The energy in the room was unlike any other show, which was truly a one-of-a-kind experience for Wallen’s fans. Throughout the concert, emotions ran high and Wallen truly connected with his fans, who sang along as they watched the East Tennessee native in admiration.
The biggest and most memorable moments perhaps came toward the end of Wallen’s 22-song-set, particularly when he took the piano, admitting that he couldn’t finish the concert without singing “Sand In My Boots.”
Fans used their phones as flashlights to add a dreamy scene to the atmosphere as Wallen belted out the lyrics to the hit. “More Than My Hometown” and “Whiskey Glasses” then received the most deafening cheers, proving that even though Wallen’s One Thing At A Time album will live for a long time, his Dangerous: The Double Album, has some serious staying power.
Wallen announced his free show in a video on social media on Thursday (March 2), telling fans, “What’s going on? It’s Morgan Wallen. I just wanted to let my fans know I am doing a free show [at] Bridgestone Arena tomorrow night. If you want tickets… The box office opens at 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning. It’ll be open from 10-5, and then on Friday, it’ll be open at the same time. So go down there and get your tickets. I’m going to play a free show…. I’m going to do it acoustically. Everybody’s asking me why I ain’t doing a Tennessee show, I’m doing one now. Come see me tomorrow, Friday 3/3. See you there!”
Wallen’s Nashville concert, which also drew over 1 million fans for its live stream, followed his performance at his alma mater, Gibbs High School, where he delivered a surprise pop-up concert for members of the senior class, faculty, and baseball team.
One Thing At A Time, produced by Joey Moi, has already broken a record, despite having been out for less than two days. Upon release, the 36-track offering has become Spotify’s most-streamed country album in a single day by a male artist and the largest-streaming debut of any genre in 2023.
Wallen’s Nashville show provided him with some rehearsal time as he prepares to take the new songs on the road for his upcoming massive One Night At A Time World Tour, which begins on Wednesday, March 15, at the Spark Arena in Auckland, NZ.
The trek marks one of the largest tours of 2023 and makes stops at 30 stadiums, plus arenas, amphitheaters, and festivals to fans across four countries and two continents. The U.S. leg of the tour begins on April 14 with back-to-back nights at Milwaukee’s American Family Field. Wallen’s 63-show trek will feature support from ERNEST and Bailey Zimmerman on all dates. HARDY and Parker McCollum will also appear on select dates.
Check out Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time Album Release Set List below.
1. “Born With a Beer in My Hand”
2. “One Thing at a Time”
3. “I Wrote the Book”
4. “Keith Whitley”
5. Me + All You Reasons
6. “Dying Man”
7. “Whiskey Friends”
8. “Tennessee Fan”
9. “Everything I Love”
10. “Thinkin’ About Me”
11. “Sunrise”
12. “180 (Lifestyle)”
13. “Thought You Should Know”
14. “Devil Don’t Know”
15. “Sand in My Boots”
16. “Chasing You”
17. “More Than My Hometown”
18. “The Way I Talk”
19. “Whiskey Glasses”
20. “Wasted on You”
21. “Last Night”
22. “You Proof”
