CoJo Nation descended onto Mandalay Bay for an unforgettable experience
Cody Johnson is taking his meteoric rise to country superstardom very seriously. The cowboy crooner didn’t disappoint in his last show of the year at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas on Friday (Dec 9th) night.
The future Country Music Hall of Famer gave fans everything he “had to give” after falling ill earlier in the day. Johnson had been in town all week team roping in the World Series at South Point and couldn’t sing Friday morning after getting sick. However, he “had a doctor put a bunch of needles in my butt because I knew you all were waiting on me.”
He continued, “There was no way in hell I was gonna my family here tonight. You’re gonna get all i have to give tonight, Las Vegas! Let’s have a party!”
Had Johnson not mentioned he felt like “absolute crap” while on stage, CoJo Nation wouldn’t have known any different. Fans sang along to every song as Johnson commanded the stage with his trademark presence. Early in the night, he asked for forgiveness if his voice cracked or he landed on a wrong note. None ever seemed present as he played the show as it was any other.
“Real, authentic, true country music” was heard all night as the sold out crowd sang and danced to his vast catalog. Fans were hooked from the first note of the two-stepping “Honky Tonk Hardwood Floors” through the end of his inspirational, “Til You Can’t,” which is also his first-ever multi-week No. 1 at country radio.
“If you let failure define you, failure will always find you,” he said before launching into the autobiographical “Dear Rodeo” midway through the set. It’s a song he said was a big moment after cutting a duet version with one of his heroes, Reba McEntire.
The minimal production and high energy show saw the consummate professional entertain all evening, despite wondering if the show would’ve happened earlier in the day.
“After laying in bed sicker than a dog, wondering if I was gonna make this show tonight, I’ve never been more grateful to be behind a mic singing country music,” he shared.
Cody Johnson is a force to be reckon with. His on stage swagger, passion for his fanbase and love of traditional country music is why his shows are the hottest ticket in any town.
There are plenty of times next year fans can catch CoJo on tour. In the meantime, fans can stream Cody Johnson & The Rockin’ CJB Live. Johnson also teased that he’ll be working on new music in the new year and changing the set list.
Randy Houser and Ashland Craft opened the show, both leaving fans wanting more.
