Tim McGraw Returns To Nashville, Lives Up To His Promise To Deliver His ‘Best’ Show Yet On Standing Room Only Tour
“Hi, it’s been a while. It’s good to play at home,” McGraw said with a smile.
Tim McGraw performs at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on his Standing Room Only Tour; Photo by Tyler Conrad
Tim McGraw made his long-awaited return to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, April 25, taking fans on a journey through his extensive catalog with a 20-song set spanning 90 minutes.
At approximately 8:40, the country superstar arose from the stage as fog filled the air. With “Truck Yeah” blasting through the speakers, McGraw was welcomed with a roar of applause from the sold-out arena. With the sex appeal turned up to 10, he made his way around the stage performing “Southern Voice” “All I Want Is A Life,” and “Tiny Dancer” before finally addressing the hometown crowd.
“Hi, it’s been a while. It’s good to play at home,” he said with a smile before adding, “My name is Tim…Well, Faith’s husband.”
As laughter filled the arena, McGraw set the tone for the evening, letting fans in on what to expect from the night ahead, “Well, if you’ve been to our shows, you know that I don’t talk a lot. I just like to play music. There’s a couple of reasons. First, I don’t have much to say. Secondly, I have a wife and three daughters, so nobody pays attention to what I say anyway, but our job is to leave the outside world behind for you guys to come in here let loose, have a great time, and we’re going to take you on a ride, and I hope you enjoy it because we will.”
The show continued with hit after hit, and McGraw and his band powered through like a well-oiled machine. Fans were transported back to 1997 with the nostalgic “Just To See You Smile,” were invited to relive McGraw’s collaboration with Nelly with a brief rendition of “Over and Over,” and had the chance to hop in the front seat with “Shotgun Rider.”
McGraw also added a few new songs into the mix, including his current single, “One Bad Habit.” This was certainly a highlight of the evening as he dedicated the song to his wife, Faith Hill, who was watching the show from the soundboard. Personal photos and home videos from throughout their life together flashed on the giant screens behind the country star, adding an intimate touch to the performance.
The energy in the room skyrocketed when McGraw powered through the iconic “Something Like That” and “Where The Green Grass Grows.”
Given that his show took place amid the Nashville Predators’ NHL Stanley Cup Playoff run, McGraw surprised the audience by bringing the Stanley Cup on stage during his performance of “I Like It, I Love It,” which happens to be the official Predators goal song.
“Let’s bring that home to Nashville,” McGraw shouted as he admired the cup from the stage.
Keeping the momentum going, McGraw delivered performances of “Felt Good On My Lips” and “Real Good Man” before closing out the night with a powerful three-song finale of “The Cowboy In Me, “Humble and Kind,” and “Live Like You Were Dying.”
When McGraw initially announced the Standing Room Only Tour last year, he vowed to deliver the “biggest” and “best” tour he’s ever done, and he certainly lived up to that promise. Each song was brought to life through state-of-the-art production, including massive, high-res screens, lasers, moving elements, and more.
This show truly reminded fans why Tim McGraw is one of the best to ever do it. He may be 56 years old and 30 years into his career but he continues to keep up with the ever-evolving country music landscape with unparalleled passion, energy, and timeless talent.
It’s safe to say that Nashville didn’t just like Thursday’s Tim McGraw show, they loved it.
Carly Pearce, providing direct support to McGraw, marked her first-ever full set performance at Bridgestone, after 15 years in Nashville. All smiles, the songstress delivered a solid set, complete with performances of her chart-toppers like “I Hope You’re Happy Now” and “Never Wanted To Be That Girl.” She delivered a healthy dose of sass when previewing “truck on fire” from her forthcoming hummingbird album and invited fans to experience the magic of Nashville songwriting with a performance of “my place” featuring her co-writers Lauren Hungate and Jordan Reynolds.
Rising star Abby Anderson was also on hand to open the show with an acoustic set.
Tim McGraw’s Standing Room Only Tour runs through June 29.
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.
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