Bryan is criss-crossing the country on a summer trek
As part of his Country Song Came On Tour, country mega-hitmaker Luke Bryan hit the stage at Merriweather Post Pavilion outside DC on Thursday (Aug 7th).
Clad in a plain white tee and his trademark black ball cap, Bryan kicked things off with “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye” and “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” which set the party atmosphere. He followed that with banjo-and-steam heavy “Kick the Dust Up.”
The crowd went nuts over anything the “American Idol” judge did on stage. Whether he moved his hat from back to front or gyrated in his hillbilly Magic Mike style, the sold-out 18,000 strong were in the palm of his hand.
New song—and at that point in the show, the slowest played yet—“Country Song Came On” was treated by his fans like it had been a staple in his set for years. The sentiment that a country song has the power to trigger memories of heartbreak is backed by wailing steel and a memorable hook. It’s perhaps one of the most “country” songs in a career marked by infectious party-boy anthems and lyrical paintings of picturesque rural life.
And there were plenty of the latter, too. “Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day” featured an extended jam session. I’ve never heard an amphitheater cheer for a banjo the way the audience cheered when Bryan’s player tore into a solo at 100 miles per hour. The screens, too, pulled us all into the backwoods world where the song takes place.
Those screens were sparingly used, stacking on top of each other in ever-narrowing V-shapes until they reached the rafters. Bryan spent most of his time on the stage extension. He jumped from monitor to monitor and got as high in the pit as he could. He spent at least a couple of song breaks scribbling his signature on merch held out by fans who could reach the stage’s edge. He’s long been known as one of the most approachable guys in music, once securing an Idol contestant a spot on the Grand Ole Opry the very same night as his audition. And that proved true, even from the stage.
Seeing Bryan’s music paired with the Norman Rockwell-esque videos of American life behind him, it becomes obvious that he is a master at creating an image in the mind. “Roller Coaster,” comparing a fast-paced relationship to the exhilarating twists of a thrill ride, packs a punch when played live. You can just see the guy abandon his cares after a breakup in “But I Got a Beer in my Hand.” And 18,000 sat on a pier with the grieving central character in “Drink a Beer.” (And the ability to use a beer as a musical MacGuffin to evoke two entirely different emotions should also be noted as more clever than Bryan gets credit for.)
Bryan dedicated the latter song to Brandon Blackstock, who died on Thursday at age 48 after battling cancer for three years. Blackstock was a stepson to Reba McEntire through her former, two-decade marriage to Narvel Blackstock. He was also the ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson and father to her children. Clarkson canceled the remainder of her 2025 Vegas residency dates earlier in the week, likely in anticipation of Blackstock’s passing.
Mae Estes, Cole Goodwin, and George Birge opened the five-hour night of country music with 30-minute sets. Mae brought a twangy, fiery performance and had the most powerful vocals of all three. Goodwin is new to your ace reporter, but will be one to watch for his country-fried electric guitar set. George Birge had the most fans among the three, which put him in the last pre-Luke set. He knew how to work the crowd, taking a picture with a “Day one fan” at the barricade as his band played him off.
Luke Bryan stripped it down to just a grand piano, haloed in lasers, for “Strip It Down.” He continued on the keys for the sentimental “Buy Dirt.” The crowd nearly drowned him out while belting every word.
“That’s My Kinda Night,” “Country Man,” and “Country Girl (Shake it For Me)” left the crowd on a high note that will carry them through till the next time Bryan’s boots hit the Merriweather stage. It’s on to the next city, while the DMV says, “Love You, Miss You, Mean It.”
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