Kenny Chesney plays catalog of hits, showcases tireless joy at Nashville's Nissan Stadium
As Kenny Chesney neared the end of a two-hour set and appropriately performed his 2016 hit "Setting the World on Fire," a teeming mass of party-ready humanity energized Nissan Stadium on the first Saturday night of August 2024.
Headlining after opening sets by Uncle Kracker, Megan Moroney and the Zac Brown Band, Knoxville native Chesney, both a four-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year, showcased an unflagging excitement and capacity crowd-rocking vocal fervor for a confirmed "Sun Goes Down" tour crowd of 57,523 at the home of the National Football League's Tennessee Titans.
Media outlets were not permitted to photograph the show, so the pictures in this article are from earlier tour stops. and Chesney's 2022 Nissan Stadium appearance.
Chesney's artistry (and aerobics) shine
After performing 10 high-energy songs, Chesney finally slowed for a second and checked in with his fans.
He's not one for stage banter.
Instead, he, alongside his touring band, arrived prepared to deliver a plethora of hits.
Doing this for two decades has allowed him to learn that placing the reggae-tinged vocal key and styling shift "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" where it sits in the set allows him the ability to focus on saving his upper register for later on in his set.
Notable too, soulful tracks like 2007's grooving (and Chris Stapleton co-written) "Never Wanted Nothing More" and the 2003 fatherhood power ballad "There Goes My Life" benefit from the durability and flexibility of Chesney's voice.
When Chesney sings that he's a "hillbilly rockstar out of control" on the 2005-released set opener "Living in Fast Forward," his level of intellect and talent reflects that he's not talking about himself in the present tense, for certain.
Why has 'No Shoes Nation' endured?
From the crowd arriving to tailgate to minutes before Chesney's headlining set, the event simmered — for the better part of six hours — in a familiar metaphorical seasoning of arena rock, classic country, a multitude of Caribbean genres and funk music.
It's primarily country music being played, so it's apropos to believe the crowd when Chesney finally took to the stage to the strains of 2006's "Living in Fast Forward," was being served something akin to a delicious barbecue beef brisket of a musical experience.
However, there are many other elements involved. Thus, it could be best to call it one of music's heartiest stew of vibes, given that it has been consumed heartily and has earned billions in revenue at sold-out, capacity-filled stadiums for over two decades.
More significantly than anything else, Chesney's "No Shoes Nation" fans appreciate what elements of openers Uncle Kracker, Megan Moroney and Zac Brown's more rock-ready, country and pop radio-friendly music contribute to the previously-mentioned stew. The reason? Chesney's achieved a No. 1 country music hit roughly every nine months for a quarter-century (his latest, "Take Her Home," topped the chart in June 2024).
Consider as well that if you're a 40-something-year-old Chesney fan — as were many in attendance at Nissan Stadium — your formative legal-age drinking experiences occurred during an era where three out of every four songs the performer released were country radio or sales chart-toppers.
Being encouraged to embrace your most reckless, wildest years — as soundtracked by timelessly youthful songs embodying a romantic, problem-free and country-traditional lifestyle — may be the pinnacle definition of unadulterated fun.
Megan Moroney, superstar in the making
By the end of summer 2024, Megan Moroney — 2023's Academy of Country New Female Artist of the Year — will have played three weekly shows for four months. Half of those shows will be as an opener for Kenny Chesney.
Opening for Chesney has evolved Moroney, a hopeful multi-time country chart-topper with a hit country song and two top-10 albums, into an artist learning the art of being country's next mainstream superstar.
Contemplate that in years past, artists including Kacey Musgraves and Kelsea Ballerini (and yes, in 2007, Taylor Swift, then 17, had she not been removed from the concerts due to her age after a beer company became the sponsor) have served the same apprenticeship.
Listen to Moroney as a streaming-first catalog artist; her talent at delivering ear-warming and hook-driven messages rescuing empowerment from heartbreak's throes is obvious.
However, as a live performer, it's her newfound desire to dive into more classic, '90s-style country rock energy via her latest album, "Am I Okay"'s title song, plus "Man On The Moon," "Miss Universe" and "Indifferent" where her most extraordinary artistic growth to date emerges.
Add in a savvy cover of Bryan Adams' raspy electric rocker "Summer of '69" and the scope of her growing catalog of stylings becomes apparent.
Also note that emotive, sing-along-ready ballads in Moroney's body of work like "No Caller ID," Hope You're Happy," "Girl In The Mirror" and 2023 No. 1 hit "Tennessee Orange" were also sung in unison by many in the early-arriving Nissan Stadium crowd.
Marcus King, among many, makes a guest appearance
Amid the Zac Brown Band octet delivering a set of hits like "Chicken Fried" and "Same Boat," they called bluegrass performer Will Jones and emerging rock superstar Marcus King to the stage. King's presence onstage for a take on Chicago's soulfully incendiary "25 and 6 to 4" surged far past the evening's laid-back vibes.
King's performance turned a stage of peerless musicians into, for 90 seconds of him singing through the first chorus, not the Zac Brown Band, but rather the Chicago Transit Authority being self-described as a "rock and roll band with horns."
The artist, whose latest album, "Mood Swings," was released in April 2024, has a way of meeting, but not exceeding, the awe and power in the guitar riffs of the songs he chooses to cover. Taking Nissan Stadium back to "25 and 6 to 4"'s release in the summer of 1969, though about five years before the era when crowd favorite Jimmy Buffett achieved breakout stardom, was an unexpected classic moment.
Alongside other guests, including Irish vocalist Dermot Kennedy, who appeared for a cover of The Eagles' "Take It To The Limit," the level of star power taking in a night of Kenny Chesney in Music City was impressive.
Chesney's guests highlight legacy
Old Dominion, Uncle Kracker and Megan Moroney appeared during Chesney's set. Each of the trio of acts reflected something different about how intentional the performer is as a professional.
For the former, Old Dominion's Brad Tursi is a co-writer on Chesney's 2014 hit "Save It For A Rainy Day." Thus, for Tursi and the band with which he is a member, to appear in their Nashville home base was a deft tip of the hat, for sure.
Insofar as Uncle Kracker, his duet with Chesney on his cover of Dobie Gray's 1970s-era classic was one of the evening's most engaging moments of crowd participation.
Given that the song set the record for the longest-reigning No. 1 single on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart — beating the previous 21-week record set by Celine Dion — the response was understandable. However, Chesney, again digging deep into his most soulful vocal register, benefitted the performance overall.
Regarding Moroney, she was roughly 18 months old when Kenny Chesney released "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" in 1999. Seeing one full circle close while another is beginning is incredibly poignant. Both artists' joy singing a song that likely introduced Moroney to country music was palpable and resonated infectiously with the nearly 60,000 in attendance in downtown Nashville.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Kenny Chesney plays catalog of hits, showcases tireless joy at Nashville's Nissan Stadium
