Kelsea Ballerini Solidifies Her Status As An Arena Headliner With Unforgettable Hometown Concert

23 years ago, Kelsea Ballerini attended her first concert at Knoxville, Tennessee’s Thompson-Boling Arena, and on Thursday evening (Nov. 2), she returned to that same arena for her first-ever headlining arena concert. The sold-out show was a testament to her star power, natural-born ability to entertain, and the unwavering connection she shares with her fans.  

With her hometown crowd cheering her on, the songstress took the stage at approximately 8:40 pm, treating her fans to an enchanting two-hour musical experience that spanned her nearly 10-year career. 

An Epic Homecoming

Opening the show with the powerful “Mountain With A View,” Ballerini set the stage for what was to come as she arose from under a platform and was met with a chorus of applause. Instantly captivating the audience, the two-time GRAMMY nominee confidently paraded around the stage performing hit after hit for a sea of adoring fans. 

“I’ve gotten to play a lot of shows in the last decade, in a lot of places that I love. But if there is one show that I’m glad you came to, it’s this one,” she said, beaming. “This is my first big girl show.”

As the audience went wild for the superstar, she added, “To be able to come back and feel so held and so welcomed and so loved by the place that let me go is something I’ll never be able to say thank you enough for.” 

Next-Level Production

A hometown arena concert was a bucket list moment for the 30-year-old singer/songwriter so she pulled out all the stops in honor of the occasion. Taking her production to new heights for the special, one-night-only show, her road crew increased from 33 to 79 and from three buses to eight. With all hands on deck, the show featured next-level visuals, including pyrotechnics, lasers, confetti, and more as well as several outfit changes. 

Without missing a beat, Ballerini flawlessly transitioned from hit to hit allowing each song to have its own moment in the show. She reflected on the start of her career with “Love Me Like You Mean It,” gave a nod to her fans with “Legends,” and brought the honky tonk party with performances of “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too) and “Hole In The Bottle.”  

Surprise Guest Kenny Chesney

A particularly special moment came during Ballerini’s performance of “half of my hometown.” Halfway through the first verse and chorus, she paused and said, “Can we stop? I can’t be in Knoxville and sing this song without Kenny Chesney!”

A roar of applause filled the arena as Chesney joined Ballerini on stage. “Before we sing this song, Kelsea told me backstage she goes, ‘Don’t make me cry up here.’ I’m not gonna make her cry, but I do wanna say just how proud I am of Kelsea and her band,” he shared from the stage. “Tonight is very special and I’m thrilled to be back in East Tennessee to celebrate Kelsea Ballerini.” 

Those who were in attendance to witness this heartwarming moment between the pair of East Tennessee natives should consider themselves quite lucky. Re-live the moment HERE.

B-Stage Set

After Chesney exited the stage, Ballerini gave fans in the back of the area a front-row seat with a quick set from the b-stage, which included a “girl squad” performance of “Homecoming Queen” with opening acts Georgia Webster and Ingrid Andress. 

Flying High

Shaking hands and hugging necks along the way, she made her way back to the main stage for a quick costume change. Following an energetic performance of “Weather,” Ballerini surprised the crowd by flying above the stage on a giant illuminated star adorned with sparkers while singing “Peter Pan.” When her feet were planted safely back on stage, she said, “Guys, did that look cool? ‘Cause it was scary as s**t!” 

One of Rolling Up The Welcome Mat’s most buzzed-about tracks, “Blindsided,” was a crowd favorite (fans shouted “yeah, sure, okay” at a high volume), and her fiery rendition of “Miss Me More” once again proved her was born to entertain.  

It was clear that fans were anxiously awaiting Ballerini’s performance of “Penthouse” and she didn’t let them down. Recreating her viral MTV VMA performance, Ballerini did a quick change mid-song to reveal a black mini dress under a long white silk gown. With the audience clinging to every word, she went on to sing “How Do I Do This,” offering fans a glimpse into the beginnings of her budding romance with Outer Banks star, Chase Stokes, who was sweetly cheering her on from the soundboard all night.

An Emotional Ending To A Remarkable Evening

In a vulnerable moment, Ballerini closed the show the same way she began her career: just her and her guitar. Making her way to the end of the catwalk, she acknowledged her mom, dad, her high school chorus teacher, and her boyfriend, who were all in attendance for the special night. She then expressed immense gratitude to her fans.   

“If there’s one thing you hear from me tonight, it’s ‘thank you,’” Ballerini, visibly filled with emotions, shared. “I’ve never, ever truly, in my life – in my life – been more grateful for what I have.” 

Following a tear-filled acoustic performance of “What I Have,” Kelsea Ballerini bid farewell to fans, closing the curtain on what was, without a doubt, the best show of her career thus far. 

Kelsea Ballerini – The Homecoming Show Set List 

Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tenn. 

Mountain With A View 

Heartfirst 

Love Me Like You Mean It 

Yeah Boy 

Legends 

If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too) 

Love is a Cowboy 

Cowboy Take Me Away (The Chicks cover) 

Hole In The Bottle 

Half Of My Hometown (with Kenny Chesney) 

You’re Drunk, Go Home

Leave Me Again 

I Hate Love Songs 

Needy 

The Way I Used To 

Homecoming Queen (w/ Ingrid Andress and Georgia Webster) 

This Feeling 

Interlude (Full Length) 

I Quit Drinking 

Weather 

Peter Pan 

Blindsided 

Miss Me More 

Penthouse 

How I Do This 

Doin’ My Best 

What I Have