Morgan Wallen closed out his first-ever Sand In My Boots Festival, formerly Hangout Fest, with a high-energy performance for a sold-out crowd of over 40,000 fans. The three-day event ran from May 16 to May 18 on the picturesque white sand beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The evening began with the 32-year-old East Tennessee native’s signature walk out to his genre-bending track, “Broadway Girls,” which immediately sent the sold out sold-out crowd into a frenzy once the opening notes of the tune echoed through the speakers.
He then exploded onto the stage from behind the drum kit to “Ain’t That Some,” and from that moment until the final lyrics of “The Way I Talk,” Wallen had the crowd completely captivated and enthralled by his every move.
Joined by his stellar touring band, comprised of Mark Taco Annino, Luke Cowboy Rice, Tyler Tomlinson, Dominic Frost, Chris Gladden and Tony Aichele, the country crooner dominated the stage with an unforgettable headlining performance that capped off the three-day multi-genre festival.
Wearing an all white beachwear ensemble (shorts and a t-shirt), Morgan Wallen showcased why he is the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year with a show-stopping performance on the beach that will be remembered for its explosive energy and effortless star power that had fans singing along to every word.
The 23-song set was full of chart-topping radio hits like “You Proof,” “I Had Some Help (sans Post Malone),” “Last Night,” and more as well as beloved tracks such as “Ain’t That Some,” “One Thing At A Time,” “Chasin’ You,” “Heartless,” and more.
“I appreciate you choosing to spend your Sunday night here with me,” Wallen told the capacity crowd. “Thank you guys for making this [festival] possible. As you all know, I just put out a new album… I’m going to try to play as much new stuff as I can while mixing it in with some of the old hits, trying to make sure y’all have a good time. Play some of my favorites from my new album.”
Not only did the country superstar offer an extensive set list of fan-favorite hits, but he also delivered the live debut of seven tracks from his latest album, I’m The Problem, which arrived on May 16, including the project’s title track, “Kick Myself,” “Don’t We,” “I’m A Little Crazy,” “I Got Better,” “Superman” and “Just In Case.” Additionally, Morgan Wallen performed “Love Somebody” from his fourth studio album.
Though the songs had only been out for two days, fans sang along to every word as if they’d known them for years, further proving that the project is packed with radio-ready anthems destined to become chart-topping hits.
During his 90-minute set, he welcomed Bailey Zimmerman and ERNEST back to the stage to perform “Up Down” and “Cowgirls,” respectively. Zimmerman and ERNEST served as support for Wallen earlier in the day.
He even paid homage to his Music City bar, Morgan Wallen’s This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen, by bringing “a little bit of Nashville to Gulf Shores” with a performance of the song where the bar takes its namesake, “This Bar.”
Morgan Wallen brought a one-of-a-kind production for his headlining set, one that likely promises to be even more impressive on his upcoming I’m The Problem Stadium Tour. The massive setup featured a 1980s-inspired stage measuring 160 feet wide by 70 feet tall, custom-built by Clio Award-winning studio Raw Cereal in their largest festival build to date. The show also included pyrotechnics, CO2 blasts, lasers, fireworks, stunning lighting, and jaw-dropping visuals that perfectly complemented each song on the setlist.
Midway through the set, Morgan Wallen made his way through the crowd, stopping to shake hands, take selfies, and interact with fans along the barricade, as he headed to a smaller B-stage in the back, where he and guitarist Dominic Frost performed “Cover Me Up” and “I’m A Little Crazy,” before Wallen took to the piano for a powerful rendition of the song that inspired the festival’s name, “Sand In My Boots.”
He closed out the show by graciously thanking his fans for their endless support and loyalty, telling them, “thank each and every one of you guys for making this possible. I know you traveled from all around the world, all around the Country… thank you so much for supporting all of these artists, for supporting me, for supporting my new album. I truly could not do it without you guys [and] I love every single one of y’all, appreciate you,” with a big smile plastered on his face as a grand finale-worthy fireworks display erupted overhead.
Wallen then made sure to give back to the fans after the show by jumping down into the pit to sign autographs, take selfies and interact with those on the barricade.
Produced by AEG Presents and curated by Morgan Wallen, the Sand In My Boots Festival featured an eclectic lineup of 30 of Wallen’s favorite artists and biggest inspirations, including Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn, HARDY, ERNEST, The War On Drugs, T-Pain, Three 6 Mafia, BigXthaPlug, Diplo, Moneybagg Yo, Riley Green, and more. The lineup was personally handpicked by Wallen and his team.
“Me and a couple of my closest friends and teammates, we’ve been throwing the idea of doing our festival around for a long time now, and we just happened to run into the right partner and the right people to work with and with a lot of hard work, and a lot of really great artists to come out here, we’ve got to make that happen. I’ve heard nothing but great reports of how this weekend went. I mean, you guys tell me, have you had a good time this weekend?” he asked the crowd, which was met with thunderous screams.
“Okay, cool, we’ll try to do it again sometime,” he teased.
New Album, I’m The Problem
The festival followed the release of Wallen’s fourth studio album, I’m The Problem, which became the most-streamed country album of the year so far on platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music, just hours after its debut.
The 37-track project, produced by Joey Moi and Charlie Handsome, includes tracks like “Love Somebody,” “Smile,” “Lies Lies Lies” “Just In Case,” “I’m A Little Crazy,” “I Ain’t Comin’ Back (feat. Post Malone), “I’m The Problem” as well as “Superman” and “Come Back As A Redneck (feat. HARDY)” and more. Wallen co-wrote 22 of the 37 songs.
I’m The Problem also features collaborations with the chart-topping hitmakers musical hero Eric Church, Post Malone, Tate McRae, as well as his longtime friends and frequent collaborators HARDY and ERNEST.
Additionally, Morgan Wallen will soon return to the road for his I’m The Problem Stadium Tour, which kicks off in Houston, Texas with back-to-back shows at NRG Stadium on June 20 and June 21. The 20-date stadium tour features rotating direct support from Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Koe Wetzel, with additional support from Gavin Adcock, Corey Kent, Ella Langley and Anne Wilson on select dates.
Morgan Wallen’s Sand In My Boots Festival Set List
- Ain’t That Some
- One Thing At A Time
- I’m The Problem*
- Kick Myself*
- You Proof
- Love Somebody
- This Bar
- Don’t We*
- Cover Me Up
- I’m A Little Crazy*
- Sand In My Boots
- Up Down (feat. Bailey Zimmerman)
- Cowgirls (feat. ERNEST)
- I Got Better*
- Superman*
- Chasin’ You
- I Had Some Help
- Heartless
- Just In Case*
- More Than My Hometown
- Whiskey Glasses
- Last Night
- The Way I Talk
