A dramatic entrance is an understatement for what went down at Newark’s Prudential Center on Saturday, March 30.
Opening act Tyler Hubbard had just finished wooing the crowd with his stable of rootsy country hits — “5 Foot 9” jerked everyone out of their seats and kept us on our feet until the final note of his infectious closer “Dancin’ In The Country.”
“No twerking, just twanging,” my friend smiled, referencing the gals behind us whose southern drawls rang just as loud as their excited belts.
In all seriousness, this rabble of fans was a rather tame group.
There were handfuls of young sprogs spread throughout the stands, the expected besotten lovebirds, and older adults who stayed sober enough to sing along without butchering a single lyric.
But, Kane Brown’s theatrical entrance was what grabbed our attention.
Now on his sixth tour — this one dubbed ‘In the Air’ — the crossover country artist knows a thing or two about a grand opening.
The stage was reset within minutes. Sheer curtains drawn back, clouds of smoke escaping from the ground, and silhouettes of the band members flashing in each corner.
A few snare drums and firecrackers later, the drapes finally fell, and Brown descended from the sky sporting a laidback black Canadian tux, speckled in glistening rhinestones, and a pair of white sneakers. Whether intentional or not, even his style seems to defy conventional cowboy attire.
All eyes were on him, and everyone was likely wondering the same thing. What song would he open with?
“Bury Me in Georgia” was just the right pick for the Chattanooga Native. The 30-year-old’s ode to his hometown is grittier and moodier than some of his more pop-friendly hits, layered with distorted vocals, aggressive guitar, and hankering lyrics. It’s the perfect potion to placate his assemblage of fans.
Despite his final wishes, life down South wasn’t all sweet tea and charming hospitality. Throughout his childhood, Brown dealt with racism and class struggles and his father was incarcerated when he was just three years old. As a result, he was raised by his single mom, spending nights sleeping in their car to stay off the streets.
Music was (and still appears to be) his escape. The pivotal ’90s country artists he grew up on, like Shania Twain and Tim McGraw, had a strong impact on Brown’s early sound — as evidenced by hits like “What If’s” and “Used to Love You Sober.”
Something about that spirited pre-Millennium country revs up an audience, and it was just what we needed to get in the mood for “One Thing Right.” Brown’s trapped-up mashup with Marshmello delivers the best of pop and EDM: gutsy lyrics, punky guitar riffs, and a healthy dose of banjo for folk-lovers.
There was even a faint pause when he turned the mic back to the audience. Everyone seemed to be looking back at him like, you sing it better, though. And that, he did.
“Been the kind of guy girls’ mommas don’t like/ Running with the wrong crowd on the wrong nights/ ‘Cause I’ve been wrong about a million times/ But I got one thing right, you.”
One thing sure was right: our boots were stompin’. And they were stomping even more by the time Brown showed off the other thing he did right — his pregnant wife Katelyn, who bravely joined him onstage to duet “Thank God.”
The pair wandered down opposite sides of the stage to meet in the center — their chemistry undeniable — harmonizing between beaming smiles and interlocked hands. Brown’s lofty baritone is a sharp contrast from his wife’s airy high notes, but somehow the two sounds married for a marvelously tender ballad.
It was difficult to watch the couple break from their embrace, but Brown stops for nothing, rarely even taking the time to catch his breath, let alone take a second to sip water or speak to the audience. He likes to keep everyone on their toes, shuffling from set to set with little interruption.
“Lose It” was a brisk departure from the more intimate love songs; accompanied by flashing red strobes, heavy guitar jams, and flames so close we could feel the heat from the stands. It was a sexier diversion for the artist, something that warranted a few fist punches and head thrashes by his guitarists.
Maybe that was their cue. Tyler Hubbard and Parmalee returned to back up Brown’s popular small-town hymn, “Famous Friends.” He typically sings the uptempo anthem with Chris Young, but the duo stepped in just fine to holler “’Cause ’round here it’s all about the people that you know.”
Brown’s only pause came after “Memory,” in which he welcomed two fans onto the stage for a surprise proposal. After snapping a selfie, some gooing and gawing, and more than a few ladies in the crowd staring daggers at their naked ring fingers, he took the mic back.
The energy came down a notch as he dedicated “Homesick” to veterans in the crowd, followed by a pilot of “Haunted,” an unreleased single that candidly wrestles with the artist’s struggles with depression — a topic he’s been very open about on social media.
He capped off the night with the obvious crowd-pleasers, “Heaven” and “Like I Love Country Music.” While some may call that choice an easy out, I argue it’s pure genius — the ideal display of his total evolution as a crossover artist.
Brown’s rejection of the traditional country music machine has pushed the barriers of the genre, bringing in more experimental songs and casting a net on those lukewarm fans who may not be sold on Bluegrass or Americana.
Love him or not, the hitmaker has a rare ability to scrape the edges of so many styles — from 90’s county hymns to punchy pop, and smooth, singalong R&B radio hits — feeding the crowd tasty slivers of each and serving it up alongside epic staging and an uninterrupted performance.
For our money, ‘In The Air’ is a tour you don’t want to miss.
Kane Brown 2024 tour schedule
A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues and links to tickets for the ‘In The Air’ tour can be found below.
Summerfest 2024
Midway through the summer, Brown will drop into Milwaukee’s annual three-weekend Summerfest.
He’ll be joined by Mötley Crüe, Goo Goo Dolls, Tyler Childers, Keith Urban, Maroon 5 and many, many more.
To see who else is headed to Summerfest, check this link.
Boots In The Park 2024
Prior to Summerfest, the “One Mississippi” singer is fronting Tempe, AZ’s Boots In The Park on May 19.
He’ll be joined by Lee Brice, Tyler Hubbard and Parmalee for the one-day fest.
Kane Brown set list
Here’s what Brown performed on March 30 at Newark’s Prudential Center, courtesy of Set List FM:
01.) “Bury Me in Georgia”
02.) “One Thing Right” (Marshmello & Kane Brown song)
03.) “What Ifs”
04.) “Grand”
05.) “I Can Feel It”
06.) “Used to Love You Sober”
07.) “Fiddle in the Band”
08.) “One Mississippi”
09.) “Whiskey Sour”
10.) “Good as You”
11.) “Thank God” (with Katelyn Brown)
12.) “Lose It”
13.) “Famous Friends” (Chris Young cover) (with Tyler Hubbard) (also with Parmalee)
14.) “Memory” (Kane Brown & blackbear cover)
15.) “Georgia (on My Mind)” (Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra cover)
16.) “Homesick”
17.) “Haunted” (Unreleased)
18.) “Heaven”
19.) “Like I Love Country Music”
Kane Brown opening acts
Not fully up to date on all of Kane’s special guests?
You’re in the right place.
Our team rounded up the most streamed songs on Spotify for each of his many opening acts on the ‘In The Air Tour’ below.
Tyler Hubbard: “5 Foot 9”
Jon Pardi: “Night Shift”
Chris Young: “I’m Comin’ Over”
Bailey Zimmerman: “Rock and a Hard Place”
Cole Swindell: “She Had Me At Heads Carolina”
Parmalee: “Just The Way”
Locash: “I Love This Life”
RaeLynn: “Love Triangle”
Note: The artists listed above will be joining Brown on select dates.
Country stars on tour in 2024
There’s never been a better time to be a country fan.
Many of the biggest names around are touring all over North America at stadiums, arenas and amphitheaters this summer, fall and winter.
Here are just five of our favorite icons you won’t want to miss these next few months.
• George Strait with Chris Stapleton
Who else is on tour? Check out our list of the 50 biggest concert tours in 2024 here to find out.
