Morgan Wallen Is Back: See Inside His Unforgettable Return To The Stage

Wallen performed for an at-capacity crowd of 41,538 at Chicago’s iconic Wrigley Field.

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Madeleine O’Connell

| Posted on

June 23, 2023

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2:53 pm

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Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert

Morgan Wallen made his triumphant return to the stage on Thursday (June 22) at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, following a six-week vocal rest that forced him off the road

The country superstar was all smiles as he stepped onto the stage in front of a near record-breaking crowd of 41,538 fans in Windy City, resuming his sold-out One Night At A Time World Tour. The show marked the first of two nights at the iconic stadium.

Following baseball-style introductions for his band, Morgan Wallen made his grand entrance to the MW-shaped stage and was welcomed by a sea of screaming fans, who were thrilled to see the East Tennessee native. 

Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert
Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert

Donning a camouflage hat, brown shirt and a pair of ripped blue jeans, Wallen burst into his first-ever No. 1 hit, “Up Down,” prompting an immediate sing-along from the sold-out crowd as fireworks erupted around him lighting up the massive stage.

Wallen was overcome with gratitude as he earned a roaring applause after performing “I Wrote The Book” and paused for a moment to take it all in before addressing the audience.

“Thank you for the kind welcome, that means a lot to me. ‘Bout six weeks ago, I wasn’t really sure when I was gonna be able to sing again, but WE BACK!’” Wallen exclaimed.

@countrynow.com After six weeks of vocal rest, @morganwallen is BACK! 👏 He made a triumphant return to his massive One Night At A Time Tour at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. #morganwallen ♬ original sound – CountryNow.com

He went on to graciously thank his fans for sticking by his side and for their dedication to his music.

“I see more of y’all’s support, so I could not make it through without everything y’all do for me, so thank you. I’m really, really happy to be here,” he continued. ”Thank you so much for showing up.”

Despite recently being faced with vocal cord trauma, Wallen’s voice sounded strong as ever as he delivered a 24-song set, not missing a single note. His set list spanned his entire catalog and featured songs from all three of his studio albums: If I Know Me, Dangerous: The Double Album, and One Thing At A Time.

Morgan Wallen; Photo by David Lehr via Instagram Stories
Morgan Wallen; Photo by David Lehr via Instagram Stories

The 30-year-old singer/songwriter performed four tracks from his debut project and was also sure to incorporate several fan favorites from his record-breaking sophomore release, Dangerous: The Double Album, including “Sand In My Boots,” “Cover Me Up (Jason Isbell Cover),” “This Bar,” “Wasted On You,” “More Than My Hometown,” “Heartless,” and “Still Goin Down.”

His set list predominantly consisted of songs from his latest album, One Thing At A Time, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has remained atop the chart for 13 nonconsecutive weeks. One Thing At A Time also made history on the Billboard 200 Albums chart as the country album with the most weeks at No. 1 in over 30 years. The country hitmaker’s set featured 11 songs from the project, including “I Wrote The Book,” “One Thing At A Time,” “You Proof,” “Ain’t That Some,” “Sunrise,” “‘98 Braves,” “Thought You Should Know,” “Thinkin’ Bout Me,” “Whiskey Friends,” “Last Night,” and his current single, “Everything I Love.”

Morgan Wallen’s high-energy performance was more than a concert, but a one-of-a-kind experience that allowed him to highlight his natural-born talents as an entertainer. 

Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert
Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert

The unbreakable bond Wallen shares with his fan base was showcased throughout his two-hour set and the singer/songwriter truly connected with them through his relatable song lyrics. 

There were several memorable moments during his set, not only on stage but in the crowd, including when fans rallied around a young woman holding a sign that read “GOALS: Beat cancer twice √, Picture with Morgan Wallen ▢,” collectively helping her get to the front of the audience to snap a selfie with Wallen.

Another moment was when one fan in the crowd popped the question to their significant other during “Sand In My Boots.” 

Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert
Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert

Wallen’s captivating set boasts a next-level production that included pyrotechnics, moving screens, massive video walls, cryo, fireworks, lasers and so much more. 

Meanwhile, Wallen orchestrated several on-stage surprises including the portion of the show where his opening act and longtime friend, ERNEST, graced the stage to perform their duet, “Flower Shops.” 

ERNEST, Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert
ERNEST, Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert

Prior to his three-song encore, he invited his friend and “Broadway Girls” collaborator, Lil Durk, to deliver their first-ever live performance of “Stand By Me” from Lil Durk’s 2023 album, Almost Healed.

“This is where I usually step off stage and take a little break, but I’ve got a good buddy in town… he is one of Chicago’s own. Y’all make some noise for my brother Lil Durk!” Wallen told the capacity crowd as Durk entered the stage. 

Morgan Wallen, Lil Durk; Photo by Matthew Paskert
Morgan Wallen, Lil Durk; Photo by Matthew Paskert

To cap off the night, Wallen sported a No. 7 custom Chicago Cubs jersey during his encore, sending fans into a frenzy with hometown pride.

Wallen closed out night one with his 11-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1, “Last Night,” as well as his three-week No. 1 “Whiskey Glasses” and “Heartless” before a grand-finale fireworks display erupted from above.

Morgan Wallen; Photo by David Lehr
Morgan Wallen; Photo by David Lehr

“Thank you so much, Chicago! Make some noise for Bailey Zimmerman, ERNEST, HARDY… One more time, make some noise for my band!” he concluded. ”I truly appreciate every single one of y’all, thank you, thank you and God Bless y’all!”

Between his unforgettable performance, fiery production and star-studded guests, Morgan Wallen’s show made for one of the most memorable nights in Chicago so far this summer. 

@countrynow.com @morganwallen representing the @Cubs ♬ original sound – CountryNow.com

HARDY served as direct support and truly shined a light on his impressive songwriting abilities while also displaying his confidence as a singer. 

Throughout his set, the Mississippi native demanded the crowd’s attention with songs from his latest project, the mockingbird & THE CROW. He also performed several fan-favorites such as “One Beer,” “Wait In The Truck,” “Give Heaven Some Hell,” and more. The Big Loud artist also offered his rendition of Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country,” a song he co-wrote alongside Devin Dawson and Jordan Schmidt.

ERNEST also supported his longtime friend and collaborator, Wallen, with an unforgettable set that showcased his songwriting expertise as well as his latest project, FLOWER SHOPS (THE ALBUM): Two Dozen Roses.

One of country music’s most buzzed-about newcomers, Bailey Zimmerman, opened the show with a lively performance that included his chart-topping hits, “Fall In Love” and “Rock In A Hard Place.”

Morgan Wallen will return to Wrigley Field on Friday, June 23 to complete his back-to-back shows in Chicago.  Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour continues through June of 2024. 

The trek marks one of the largest tours of 2023 and will visit stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters, and festivals across four countries and two continents. 

The U.S. leg of the tour began on April 14 with back-to-back nights at Milwaukee’s American Family Field. Wallen’s 63-show trek will feature support from ERNEST and Bailey Zimmerman on all dates. HARDY and Parker McCollum will also appear on select dates.

The One Night At A Time World Tour comes in support of Wallen’s latest album, One Thing At A Time.

See below for a complete list of Morgan Wallen’s upcoming tour dates.

June 

27 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena

29 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field*#  

30 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field*#

July 

6 – St. Louis, MO – Busch Stadium*$  

7 – St. Louis, MO – Busch Stadium*$

14 – San Diego, CA – Petco Park*#  

15 – San Diego, CA – Petco Park*#

19 – Phoenix, AZ – Chase Field*#  

20 – Phoenix, AZ – Chase Field*#

22 – Los Angeles, CA – SoFi Stadium*#

August 

3 – Detroit Lakes, MN – WE Fest^

11 – Columbus, OH – Ohio Stadium*%

12 – Columbus, OH – Ohio Stadium*#

16 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park*#

17 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park*#

18 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park*$

30 – Pittsburgh, PA – PNC Park*

31 – Pittsburgh, PA – PNC Park*

September

2 – Washington, DC – FedEx Field*$

8 – Moline, IL – Vibrant Arena

9 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena

October

7 – Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome

November

10 – Atlanta, GA – Truist Park*

11 – Atlanta, GA – Truist Park*

16 – Austin, TX – Moody Center

18 – Houston, TX – Minute Maid Park*

Morgan Wallen 2023 International Tour Dates

August 

5 – Camrose, AB – Big Valley Jamboree^

24 – Dieppe, NB – YQM Country Fest^

September

14 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage  

15 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage  

16 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

18 – London, ON – Budweiser Gardens

21 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre

22 – Quebec City, QC – Videotron Centre

23 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

28 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre

29 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centre

30 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome

October

3 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

4 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

December

3 – London, UK – The O2

Morgan Wallen 2024 U.S. Tour Dates

May 2024 

9 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium*

17 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium*

18 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium*

June 2024

6- Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach

7 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach

TBD – Philadelphia, PA – Citizens Bank Park*

* Stadium Dates

^ Festival Dates

# HARDY, ERNEST, Bailey Zimmerman

$ Parker McCollum, ERNEST, Bailey Zimmerman

& HARDY, Bailey Zimmerman

% Riley Green, ERNEST

+ HARDY, ERNEST

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Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.