Kameron Marlowe Captivates Chicago Crowd With A Night Of Hits And Heartfelt Stories

When Kameron Marlowe comes to town for a show, you know that it’s not going to be just another country concert because with every stage he steps foot on, he creates an unforgettable experience that always leaves fans wanting more. That’s exactly what happened this weekend when he returned to Illinois to perform his first headlining show in the Chicago area in nearly two years. 

On Saturday, September 15, the country music singer/songwriter packed out Joe’s Live in Rosemont, located just outside the Windy City. Fans lined up outside of the venue, hoping to score the closet spot to the stage possible, knowing full well that they weren’t going to want to miss a single second of the show. 

Marlowe more than exceeded all expectations as he delivered a 22-song setlist over the course of 90 minutes, featuring the fan-favorite songs that have got him to this point, as well as a few incredibly meaningful tracks off his latest album, Keepin’ The Lights On, which is also the name of his current tour. 

“Chicago, how you feelin’?” the North Carolina native asked the crowd as he joined his bandmates on stage for the first time of the night and started things up with his barn-burner, “911.”

“It feels good to be back. I think it’s been like two years since I’ve played here. Thank you so much for showing up here tonight,” Marlowe said with excitement in his voice. 

He kept the romantic, heart-racing tunes going with “Over Now” and “Nothin’ Slowin’ Us Down” before switching gears to show a more somber side to love with “Sober As A Drunk” and “Ain’t Enough Whiskey.”  

Fans chimed in for every song, no matter if it was new or from his early career, however, the room got especially loud for the portion of the show that featured the RIAA Gold-certified, “Steady Heart,” and his first RIAA Platinum-certified track, “Giving You Up.”

“That has been the biggest coolest thing in the world. I would never expect that from just small-town Kameron Marlowe…So, I’m blessed,” Marlowe told Country Now while reflecting on the milestone plaque he earned for “Steady Heart” just one month ago.  

Whether he was taking shots with fans during “Tequila Talkin’,” or sharing the real-life stories that inspired some of his most vulnerable tracks, Kameron Marlowe never strayed from showcasing his most authentic self. For those reasons alone, the show would have made a lasting impression on fans, but Marlowe took things a step further with an epic production that featured a smoke-filled stage, a massive disco ball that lit up the entire venue, and a dynamic light show that perfectly matched the mood of each song.

The highlight of his epic production was during a cover of Toby Keith’s signature anthem, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)” when the stage illuminated with patriotic colors, causing fans to erupt in a “USA” chant. 

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Marlowe made it a point to give concertgoers a bit of insight into the songs that evolved from his courage to wear his heart on his sleeve. He first showcased this level of vulnerability with a mental health-focused song from his latest album, “Never Really Know,” which he shared “means a lot to me.”

“These past couple years have been kind of a tough one for me. I’ve struggled with a lot things, I’ve struggled with comparison, I’ve struggled with even just getting out of bed to come do a show for people,” he admitted honestly. “This song right here means the world to me. I don’t know if anybody out there is having the same kind of issues and struggles that I have, but just know I wrote this song for you.”

This authenticity continued when slowed things down for a few minutes as his band exited the stage midway through the set, leaving the singer in the center spotlight with just his guitar and the mic. This intimate moment featured a stripped-down rendition of another classic that raised him, but this time he leaned on his rock and roll roots with Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer.” 

He also used this opportunity to detail the raw and personal stories behind “Quit You” and “Keepin’ The Lights On,” a powerful display of the fear and uncertainty that Marlowe felt when his father lost his job last year.  

“I didn’t grow up with much, y’all. I grew up really poor and I’m kind of thankful that I grew up poor, but last year my pops lost this job after working for the same factory for 24 years, and that really put hurt on the family. So I went home to kind of talked to him and he looked at me and said, ‘son, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep the lights on at home.’ And that struck me and that broke me down because I’ve never seen that man not be Superman. So I went home and I wrote a song about him and I wanted to base this whole record about it.”

As a result of this experience, Marlowe admitted to knowing that concerts are not cheap and he expressed true gratitude toward everyone who spent their hard-earned money to be there and show him support. 

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This portion of the show gave fans a small preview of what’s to come with his new music. The People’s Choice Country Awards New Artist Song of 2024 nominee revealed that his next set of releases will be different than anything he’s put out before.

“It’s going to be more stripped. I’ve gotten so many people ask me for an acoustic kind of record, but it’s not full acoustic. It’s going to be very interesting. We’ll see how it’s perceived. I don’t know.”

The energy of the crowd made it seem that fans were willing to listen to Marlowe play all night long, but all good things must come to an end. So to round things out, he played two songs from 2022’s We Were Cowboys project – “Girl On Fire” and “Burn ‘Em All” – and two tracks from his most recent album – “Broke Down In A Truck,” and the powerful duet recorded with Ella Langley, “Strangers.” 

Kameron Marlowe’s very first world tour includes 22 stops nationwide, plus six international dates across Europe. On December 11, he will kickstart his trek abroad with shows spanning the Netherlands, the UK, Scotland and Ireland. 

“I am stoked. I cannot freaking wait to see what that side of the world is. The shows are already almost sold out over there. It’s amazing,” he shared of the tour.