Niall Horan And Thomas Rhett’s Hershey Show Proves Friendship And Music Can Weather Any Storm
“This is the craziest crowd I’ve ever seen in my entire existence…Thank y’all so much for sticking out the rain yesterday and coming back tonight,” Rhett told the crowd.
Niall Horan, Thomas Rhett; Photo by Corey Miller
Some late-night storms may have forced Niall Horan and Thomas Rhett to postpone their co-headlining stadium show in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but the weather wasn’t enough to keep fans from coming together the following day to celebrate a milestone moment in the artists’ 10-year friendship.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, July 18, the highly anticipated performance was moved to Sunday, July 19, due to heavy rainfall and sporadic lightening that was forecasted in the area. Many fans had already been waiting outside the venue for hours in hopes of securing a spot in the front row of the pit, while others had traveled from across state lines to attend the show by the time the disheartening news dropped on Saturday afternoon.
The venue made the initial announcement about an hour before doors were set to open, apologizing for the inconvenience and letting ticketholders know that refunds would be available if they could not attend the new date. The pair of artists also wanted to give an explanation and issue their own sorrow for the unfortunate decision that had to be made in order to keep everyone safe.
Horan spoke up first with disappointment in his voice, stating, “We’ve been kind of forced into a corner and we have to reschedule the show to tomorrow night. Obviously, something that we didn’t want to do but we want to stay in town and do the show for you guys…we’re obviously sad to have to do this but this is what we’re gonna have to do.”
Rhett then jumped in to say that the safety of their fans was their biggest priority. Additionally, they were proud of the show they had worked so hard to prepare and wanted to make sure that those in attendance received their best performance possible, which wouldn’t have been guaranteed if they had proceeded with the show as planned.
“It’s a miracle that the venue is available tomorrow, that me and Niall are both here tomorrow and so we will see you guys tomorrow night ready to freaking rock. We love ya’ll so much,” he added.
The longtime friends brought their stadium run to Hershey following their first-ever joint stadium show in Nashville. With clear skies overhead on Sunday night, Horan and Rhett delivered a memorable evening filled with high-energy performances, special moments with fans and a celebration of the bond they’ve built over the past decade.
Throughout the night, both artists made sure to acknowledge how much it meant to them to see so many fans still show up, despite the unexpected change of plans.
“I’ve been doing this for 16 years and I feel like as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gained more appreciation and become more grateful to every single individual that comes. It’s very easy just to look out at a crowd and just see it as a crowd. But I feel like the older I’ve gotten, the more I pick up on the individual stories of how people made their way here by car, plane, train, automobile, and the money it costs to get to do this, staying the extra night last night and things like that. That is not an easy task with the way the world is spinning right now,” Horan acknowledged. “I really, really appreciate it.”
Rhett echoed Horan’s statement and added, “This is the craziest crowd I’ve ever seen in my entire existence…Thank y’all so much for sticking out the rain yesterday and coming back tonight. I heard Niall say it tonight, but to have this many people show back up on a reschedule is absolutely unheard of. So thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
The venue was packed with a mix of Thomas Rhett fans and Niall Horan fans, including those who have followed him since his One Direction days all the way through his successful solo career. The combination created an electric atmosphere that started with openers Emily Ann Roberts and Kashus Culpepper, continued through Rhett and Horan’s individual sets, and reached its peak during their five-song performance together.
This wasn’t the first time either of these artists have played Hersheypark Stadium but it was surely one of the most memorable ones. Rhett noted that the first time he performed inside the venue was in 2012 with Jason Aldean. He has returned several times since to share the stage with acts like Miranda Lambert and Florida Georgia Line, and after Sunday night, he was proud to add Niall Horan to that list.
Meanwhile, this show marked the first time that the former One Direction member has taken the stage in Hershey in nearly 13 years.
“Can you believe it? It even makes me feel old, the fact that I’m 33 and there’s people in this building that weren’t even born the last time I was here,” he joked.
Regardless of how much time has passed, they both made it an unforgettable show on their touring resume.
Thomas Rhett kicked things off with a 17-song, career spanning setlist. He opened with early fan-favorites like “Make Me Wanna,” “Look What God Gave Her,” “T-Shirt” and “Sixteen” before introducing a new unreleased song titled “Sky Falls.” A special moment in his performance came when he revealed that he would dedicate his performance of “Life Changes” to his sister-in-law. Normally, he sings this song in honor of his wife and children, but this time, he wanted to celebrate the strength of his family member who has been battling cancer and recently got to ring the bell for finishing chemotherapy.
The powerful statement earned a roar of cheers from the crowd, followed by a massive singalong that felt a bit more meaningful than usual after his announcement. Rhett’s set came to a close with upbeat deliveries of “After All The Bars Are Closed” and “Crash and Burn.”
After a brief intermission, it was Niall Horan’s turn to take the stage, where brought a mix of nostalgia, new music and some country-inspired moments to the Hershey crowd. He performed everything from “Heartbreak Weather” to “Nice To Meet Ya,” “Meltdown” and more. He even leaned into his growing appreciation for the country genre with songs like “Seeing Blind” and “She Gets It From Her Mother,” where he encouraged fans to take part in a little two-stepping around the stadium.
Horan also highlighted his newest era by performing songs from his latest album, including the title track “Dinner Party,” alongside “Little More Time,” “Monochromatic,” “Tastes So Good,” “Flowers” and more. The Ireland-born singer then took fans back to 2017 with “This Town.”
He ended with his highly anticipated tune, “Slow Hands,” as confetti filled the air. But the night wasn’t over yet. Shortly after, the celebration continued as the pair reunited for a special joint performance, giving fans the chance to see the two longtime friends share the spotlight.
They came together to deliver a memorable mix of songs from their respective catalogs, including Horan’s “Heaven” and Rhett’s “Die A Happy Man,” as well as the first song they ever recorded together, “Old Tricks.” They also put their spin on what Horan called, “one of the biggest songs in the world,” ‘Choosin’ Texas’ by Ella Langley” before singing what was likely the most anticipated song of the night, a rendition of One Direction’s “Steal My Girl.”
While the setlist featured plenty of memorable moments, the biggest takeaway from the night was the genuine friendship between Horan and Rhett. After 10 years of knowing each other, their co-headlining stadium shows represented more than just a night of fun. It also showcased the power of two artists bringing their audiences together through a shared love of music, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for fans.
“Me and Niall met 10 years ago, which nuts. Never in a million years would I have dreamed we’d be doing these shows together. This is one of the highlights of my career,” Rhett admitted.
Horan reflected on the idea to come together for two nights of shows. He said, “We’ve known each other a long time and we just said, ‘Let’s do this. Let’s try and see if we can do some shows together.’ Little did we know that we would be doing two stadium shows. This is absolutely insane.”
As of now, the pair of artists have not announced any other plans for future co-headlining dates, but when Horan asked the crowd if they would be open to more one day, the answer was loud and clear.
Rhett’s The Soundtrack to Life Tour continues through the summer and fall.
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.
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