Tim McGraw keeps it breezy, with a touch of soul-searching, at Milwaukee concert

Tim McGraw may be the country music A-list’s most devoted gym rat.

Strolling out on stage in Milwaukee Friday night sporting quite possibly the tightest shirt and jeans ever worn (seriously, his belt buckle must have been holding on for dear life), the 56-year-old McGraw put his impressive fitness regimen to full effect with a high-energy, hour-and-37-minute set.

But by the time he performed his 20th and final number of the night at Fiserv Forum, another distinctive, and even more engaging, attribute emerged: among country music superstars, McGraw may be the chief philosopher.

Not that McGraw’s “Standing Room Only” tour stop ever felt that heavy. He was light on his feet Friday — literally and figuratively — bouncing off the stage, tongue dropping out like Michael Jordan, as he cruised the runway for "Felt Good On My Lips." Screaming at one point “I love my job” with the giddiness of a lottery ticket winner that just quit his 9 to 5, McGraw’s elation heightened the joy of songs like "Something Like That," which sweetly reminisced about a first love, and "Where The Green Grass Grows," where he vividly imagines an idyllic future.

The night was light, but McGraw's stage presence kept it from feeling forgettable. The same goes for the stage production — one of the slickest setups coming out of Music Row — with lasers, crisp animations and effects, and dramatic video walls. McGraw's eight-piece band also made a memorable impression, from Dean Brown's grinning fiddle on "Just to See You Smile," to Billy Nobel's beautiful piano runs for a cover of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer."

But what stood out most at the "Standing Room Only" tour stop were three songs that gently preached, without pretentious self-righteousness, the value of being good to others, of making this world a better place — simple messages, but messages that have become more important as our country seemingly continues to be more divided.

Set closer "Live Like You Were Dying" felt more potent than it did when McGraw made it a hit 20 years ago, as he sang about loving deeper, speaking sweeter, offering forgiveness, and becoming a better husband and friend, in front of footage of heavenly clouds awash in sunset orange.

The tour title track (and title track of his 16th studio album released last year) saw McGraw, over Nobel's gorgeous piano work, poignantly singing about letting go of old regrets, of not letting macho arrogance get in the way of a good laugh or shedding tears. "Stop judging life by my possessions," McGraw sang softly Friday. "Start thinking 'bout how many headlights will be at my procession."

Then there was the song that may go down as the signature in McGraw's highly decorated catalogue, the Lori McKenna-penned "Humble and Kind," with McGraw's be grateful and good message spreading through the arena as fans loudly sang the outro.

"Don't take for granted the love this life gives you/When you get where you're going, don't forget turn back around/And help the next one in line."

And as the music paused, and a beaming McGraw took in the applause with appreciative nods and a tap of his chest, he was as humble as a country superstar impressively rocking an ultra-tight shirt could possibly be.

5 takeaways from Tim McGraw's Milwaukee concert, including openers Carly Pearce and Randall King

• Anyone who thought Milwaukee had its fill of big country shows for a while clearly don’t know Milwaukee country music fans. It's been less than a week since Luke Combs performed for more than 80,000 people across two nights at American Family Field for his "Growin' Up and Gettin' Old" tour kickoff, but Fiserv Forum was still filled to capacity for McGraw Friday.

• If you have a Taylor Swift card, you play it. McGraw certainly played his, incorporating his 2013 Swift collaboration "Highway Don't Care" into the setlist, complete with her piped-in vocals and appearance from the music video on the stage's giant screens. After it ended, McGraw smartly encouraged the crowd to cheer for our pop culture overlord.

• "Yellowstone" spinoff "1883," which stars McGraw, also got a special shout-out via a 90-second sizzle reel on the show's screens that preceded encore kickoff "The Cowboy in Me." Pretty much every McGraw appearance in the clip drew a cheer — especially a scene of him kissing his real-life wife, fellow country star and "1883" co-star Faith Hill in a bathtub. (Hill and McGraw's romance was also documented on the screens as he sang "One Bad Habit" Friday.)

• Primary opener Carly Pearce's voice was a hair shaky as she belted out "Diamondback" at the start of her set. But she had a whole lot going for her to make up for the initial shortcoming, from smart and strong been-done-wrong songs like "Next Girl" to a polished band and slick lighting that were arena-headline ready — like Pearce herself, eventually. Compensating for some initial struggles with larger-than-life sass, Pearce's voice found its bearings by third song "Easy Going" when she peppered her delivery of "Prince Charming" with a delicious, drawn-out growl.

• Randall King had an ultra-sparse set-up for his 15-minute night-opening set — no drums, although he made sure there was lap steel. His set started earlier than scheduled, too. Despite these possible setbacks, however, King made a strong impression, especially for twangy and tender original "I Could Be That Rain."

Tim McGraw's Fiserv Forum setlist

1. "Truck Yeah"

2. "Southern Voice"

3. "All I Want is a Life"

4. "Tiny Dancer" (Elton John cover)

5. "Just To See You Smile"

6. "Over and Over"

7. "Shotgun Rider"

8. "One Bad Habit"

9. "Watch The Wind Blow By"

10. "Something Like That"

11. "Where The Green Grass Grows"

12. "Standing Room Only"

13. "Red Ragtop"

14. "Highway Don't Care"

15. "I Like It, I Love It"

16. "Felt Good on My Lips"

17. "Real Good Man"

18. "The Cowboy in Me"

19. "Humble and Kind"

20. "Live Like You Were Dying"

Contact Piet at (414) 223-5162 or [email protected]. Follow him on X at @pietlevy or Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tim McGraw is breezy, with some soul-searching, at Milwaukee concert