Kenny Chesney Promises Setlist ‘Surprises’ On I Go Back Tour
The trek kicks off on Thursday in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Kenny Chesney; Photo by Catherine Powell
In just over 48 hours, Kenny Chesney will launch his much-anticipated I Go Back Tour and the superstar says fans are in for a few surprises when the kabuki falls in Charlottesville, Virginia on Thursday evening (March 23).
Chesney and his touring band have been hard at work at the Steel Mill just north of Nashville, Tenn. where they spent a week putting the finishing touches on the show.
Reunites With Band And Crew
“It always feels good when we have our road family back together,” Chesney shared of reuniting with his band and crew for the week of rehearsals. “A lot happens over the winter, so we’re catching up. But we’re also figuring out how to put all the pieces together, trying to make it something that’s really special. Obviously, last year’s tour rocked harder than anything we’ve done, which is crazy to me, but I wanted to bring that passion and energy to all these special cities where we don’t get to go very often.”
This year, the eight-time Entertainer of the Year will return to his roots by visiting the cities and venues where he played on his way up. While the venues may be smaller than the massive NFL stadiums he played last summer, Chesney plans to bring the same energy to the stage each night.
“Getting inside those arenas that we never forgot, playing in some of those cities that were just wild when this started, bringing all the energy we had last year, I can’t imagine how alive it’s gonna be, but I fully intend to find out. The thing about No Shoes Nation I know: they bring us every bit of their heart – so we try to give even more than they do, which is saying something.”
Teases Setlist
Kelsea Ballerini will appear as direct support on all dates of the I Go Back Tour. With his duet partner in tow, and four decades of songs to build a setlist from, this tour promises to be a special one.
“And there are going to be some real surprises in the setlist,” he teased of his nearly 30-song setlist in a press release. “A couple songs we’ve not played in a long time… the opportunity to sing our Vocal Event ‘half of my hometown’ with Kelsea makes me happy. And a few songs are being left behind. I spent the months off thinking about how we can change things up. I think we’ve got a lot of the songs people want to hear, but we’re adding a couple that nobody sees coming. I can’t wait to see the response.”
The I Go Back Tour kicks off on Thursday, March 23 at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. The trek runs through May 27.
Kenny Chesney I Go Back 2023 Tour:
March 23 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
March 25 University Park, PA Bryce Jordan Center
March 30 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena
April 1 Oklahoma City, OK Paycom Center
April 6 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
April 8 Wilkes-Barre Township, PA Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
April 12 Birmingham, AL Legacy Arena at the BJCC
April 14 Jacksonville, FL Daily’s Place Amphitheater
April 16 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Tortuga Music Festival*
April 22 North Little Rock, AR Simmons Bank Arena
April 25 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena
April 27 Greenville, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena
April 29 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
May 4 Moline, IL Vibrant Arena at The Mark
May 6 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
May 9 Grand Forks, ND Alerus Center
May 11 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford Premier Center
May 13 Lincoln, NE Pinnacle Bank Arena
May 18 Fort Wayne, IN Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
May 20 Evansville, IN Ford Center
May 25 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium
May 27 Orange Beach, AL The Wharf
June 23 Endicott, NY En-Joie Golf Course*
July 22 Des Moines, IA Hy-Vee Indy Race*
*festival / one-off show dates
Kenny Chesney’s 2022 Here And Now Tour closed out last year as one of the biggest tours of any genre, landing behind only Bad Bunny, Elton John, Motley Crue/Def Leppard and Harry Styles. He’s the only country artist to land a slot on Billboard’s Top 10 Touring Acts of the Past 25 years for the last 14 and ended 2022 by playing to a whopping 1.3 million people.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
