Before Luke Combs took the stage at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on his World Tour on Saturday night (April 15), he was introduced by a video chronicling his journey from his youth growing up in Asheville, North Carolina, including his days on the football team and performing in school plays, to the country superstar he is today.
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People from all stages of his life and career appeared whether it was a woman from his hometown who was left gobsmacked each time she heard him sing, to frequent songwriting collaborator Jonathan Singleton commenting on his sharp writing abilities. They represent the range of people who’ve believed in Combs along the way, despite the naysayers of the Nashville music industry who doubted he had the marketing appeal to be an artist.
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Combs proved those who doubted him wrong when he took the stage to a capacity crowd of 50,000 people with a calm, cool, and collected demeanor, opening with “Lovin’ on You” as fans roared at the sight of his presence. Since moving to Nashville in 2014, Combs has certainly accomplished a rare feat, as he’s managed to amass 15 consecutive No. 1 hits on country radio and quickly elevated from opening act to stadium headliner.
He’s a rock star at this point, as evidenced by the waves of people singing along to every word. Yet Combs maintained his down-to-earth spirit throughout the two-hour set packed with chart-topping hits including “When It Rains It Pours,” “Cold as You,” “One Number Away” and the most recent of his mounting collection of No. 1s, “Going, Going, Gone.” In between the hits, Combs showcased his sentimental side with love songs “Forever After All” and “Beautiful Crazy,” both of which he wrote for his wife Nicole, that had everyone in the crowd from teens to grown men swaying and shouting along.
Combs took a moment to praise his wife, who was in the crowd, marking her first time seeing a show on the tour, as she’s been busy at home taking care of their 10-month-old son, Tex Lawrence, and pregnant with their second child.
“This song’s real special to me,” he said introducing “Beautiful Crazy” that he wrote days after they met, hailing his wife as “so amazing.”
Combs tapped into a contemplative state as he looked back on the journey that got him to this massive stage, admitting that at the age of 33, he feels “old.”
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“Most of you probably think it’s not old, but it sure feels that way to me,” he said, reflecting on how he was 25 years old when he flew on an airplane for the first time and how he’s since been as far as Europe and Australia multiple times, crediting music for taking him all around the world. This led to a performance of “Houston, We Got a Problem,” one of the many fan-favorite songs that will likely be a hit one day.
Throughout the show, Combs also gave fans a window into his songwriting process, revealing that growing up his parents taught him, “No matter what you do in life, if you worked hard for it and you earned it, then you should be proud of it,” a sentiment he brought into the writing room with Ray Fulcher and Tyler Reeve for his 2020 single, featuring Eric Church, “Does to Me.”
But one of the most humbling moments came when Combs looked back on how he wrote one of his signature hits, “She Got the Best of Me.” He was 24 and living above the popular Nashville bar, Tin Roof, where he used to work and perform.
“I never imagined anyone would hear this—from the bar I worked at to 50,000 people—I know 24-year-old me would really love to hear you sing this,” Combs professed, the crowd obliging with one of the most spirited sing-a-longs of the night.
Combs later called on storming drums to build up momentum to the song that “changed my life.” He launched into his breakthrough hit “Hurricane,” which took him from a burgeoning artist to superstar status. The sound likely carried beyond the stadium walls with how loud the crowd was singing on the closing number, “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” bringing the show to a spirited close.
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Combs didn’t leave them hanging, as he returned for a three-song encore consisting of “Better Together,” a cover of Brooks & Dunn’s “Brand New Man” and “The Kind of Love We Make,” the show proving that Combs’ dedication to staying the course will only continue to take him to new heights.
Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for SiriusXM
