HARDY’s the mockingbird & THE CROW Fall Tour spent three consecutive nights at Nashville Municipal Auditorium last week. Mid-set on Saturday (October 28), the singer shared with the audience that “the only person to sell this place out more than me is Elvis Presley.”
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After he revealed the historical news with the sold-out crowd, HARDY gave a health update. In addition to letting fans know he is “better” following the postponement of several shows due to anxiety from his 2022 bus accident, the singer/songwriter thanked fans for their patience.
“I’m sure you guys have seen my speech on the internet by this point, but it is true,” he began. “Obviously a month ago, I canceled shows because of some mental shit that I had going on and I want to talk about that for a second. … First and foremost, I want to say I’m better and I’m getting better every single day. I also want to say thank you all so much for showing me some love, showing me all the love in the world, and being patient with me.
“I’ve been dealing with this crazy wave of anxiety,” he continued. “At first, I didn’t know where it came from and then I figured it out. My point is, and I think my purpose in dealing with a lot of this stuff is, that I want to be vocal about it. Because it’s real, man, it’s 100% real. And I guarantee you, at least 30% of people in this room deal with it on a daily basis just like I do.”
He then stressed to those in the audience with anxiety that they are not alone. He also advised those who have never dealt with mental health struggles to be open-minded.
“It’s an emotion just like everything else and that’s something I’m learning about myself every day,” he added. “You just got to learn how to deal with it, but you are not alone. More importantly, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I’m not embarrassed about it. You should not be ashamed. For the ones that don’t experience it, first of all, congratulations. Second of all, just because you don’t experience it doesn’t mean it does not exist so have some grace for people that go through it on a daily basis.”
[RELATED: Lainey Wilson Sells Tickets, Greets Fans at Tour On-Sale]
HARDY stressed again that he is doing better. He then urged the audience to live in the moment for a performance of his song “screen” from the 2023 album the mockingbird & THE CROW.
“I feel better,” he said. “In the spirit of mental health, and all of that stuff and under that entire umbrella, I’m gonna do something a little bit different tonight. I want to see if I can turn our screens off. For the next song, this is such a rare thing, but I want to politely ask you guys to do the same thing, and let’s just enjoy this next four minutes, this next moment together. … Take one memory on our minds and not on our phones. The rest of the night, you can film, you can do whatever you want, but let’s enjoy this moment together. Let’s love on each other. Let’s lean on each other and be happy to be in this place.”
For the powerful performance, the lights at the venue were turned up and fans took HARDY’s request to heart as they put their phones away for “screen.”
Take a good look out the window
Keep it in your pocket at the rock show
Just give it a try
Every battery does but your memory will never die
The singer/songwriter’s 90-minute set featured more than 20 songs that spanned his career as both an artist and a songwriter. He and opener Dylan Marlowe transformed the auditorium into a writer’s round when they appeared seated onstage to perform their No. 1 hits for other artists. Marlowe performed his first-ever chart-topper–Jon Pardi’s “Last Night Lonely”–while HARDY performed a song he referred to as he and his wife’s favorite No. 1 song that he’s written, Morgan Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown.”
HARDY also brought out opener Lainey Wilson for a standout performance of their No. 1 duet “wait in the truck.” His sister Madison Hardy Dennis also joined him onstage for his previous hit “one beer.”
Wilson took the stage before HARDY for a 40-minute set that exemplified why she’s a nominee for Entertainer of the Year at the upcoming CMA Awards. Her engaging and powerhouse set featured four of her five chart-toppers–“Things a Man Oughta Know,” “Heart Like a Truck,” “Watermelon Moonshine” and “Never Say Never.” The female anthem “Atta Girl” and the soaring “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” from the 2022 project Bell Bottom Country were additional highlights in her set.
Wilson has nine nominations at the 2023 CMA Awards while HARDY has four. Both are recognized with their collaboration “wait in the truck” for Single, Song, Musical Event, and Music Video of the Year.
Reserve your spot! Hardy’s 2024 Tour tickets are selling fast—grab yours for an incredible country music experience.
(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
