If there’s one way to get cowboys into a big city, it’s a sold out country show. The crowd for Parker McCollum’s show donned their best Kimes Ranch hat and cleanest cowboy boots for the Minneapolis Armory, which tonight, was a rare – but welcome – seated show in the venue.
Catie Offerman took the stage first with a small trio. Performing exclusively acoustic, her act was a fantastic start to the evening. She took to the stage with a confidence that immediately captivated the crowd. She spoke with the crowd before “Don’t do it in Texas”, and one of the highlights of her performance was “Get a Dog” which has the makings of the next big country hit.
Next up was Corey Kent, who immediately had the crowd on their feet with his high-energy performance. His band made full use of the stage, walking up and down the platforms, and lining up next to each other for guitar solos. He played a number of his original songs, including “Wild As Her” and “Highways”. A swampy cover of The Beatles “Come Together” had the crowd dancing and singing along. “Man of The House”, while a drastically slower song than the rest of his high energy set, showed more of the tender songwriter side of Corey than the rocking country side, proving to the audience that he could do both very well. Corey’s connection with the audience was palpable, and his stage presence made for an unforgettable performance.
Finally, Parker McCollum took to the stage, and it was clear from the slow rising door and blinding backlight that he was the main event. He kicked things off with his hit song “To Be Loved by You,” which had the entire crowd singing along. His incredible stage presence and magnetic personality had the crowd entranced, and he delivered a show-stopping performance. Throughout the night, Parker played a number of his popular songs, including “Hell of a Year” and “Like a Cowboy.” Each song was met with thunderous applause, and it was evident that the crowd was in love with his music.
“I caught a 36 inch Northern Pike on Lake Minnetonka today” He said, of which the sportsmen in the crowd cheered for “12 Hours ago i didn’t even know that fish existed. It was my first time Ice Fishing!” Parker, who hails from Texas, seemed legitimately excited about the Minnesota delicacy. Mixed in with the setlist tonight was a series of new songs Parker said will be on an album released later this year, including “Speed” and “Hurricane” “Someone tweeted at me asking if Im going to play old shit” he said in the middle of his set “But I like playing new shit too!” The newer songs, some of which have yet to even be released, were still received well with the sold out crowd.
Parker’s set didn’t include an encore, however with a 19 song setlist and the clock nearing 11, It was plenty for the crowd that was there, and still early enough in the night to send them off to the bars before closing time.
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