It Was Standing Room Only In Charlotte With Tim McGraw

Country Superstar Gives Dazzling Performance at Spectrum Center

It’s been over 30 years since country superstar Tim McGraw first started making a name for himself in the country music scene with his self-titled debut album and the singer-songwriter shows absolutely no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Last year, McGraw released his 16th studio album Standing Room Only, and just three months later a surprise six-track EP Poet’s Resume. Tim is out touring in support of his new music and recently stopped here in the Queen City for a fantastic night of country music at Spectrum Center.

The evening kicked off with singer-songwriter Landon Parker who originally hails from Yadkinville, NC, a small town just north of Charlotte right of I-77, making this tour stop a hometown show for Parker. Parker hit the stage with his bandmates and quickly won over the audience that have arrived to the venue early and definitely turned a few heads of those still streaming into the seating bowl.

Parker’s music is rooted in his past with a look to the future. He is developing his own unique sound but you can still hear a little of all the country greats he was raised on in each and every song. Dressed in jeans and a cowboy hat with an acoustic guitar in hand, Landon’s short set was a showcase for his modern twist on traditional country and a celebration of old friends, good times, and of course, a great beer. If you’re heading out to see the tour, make sure and get there in time to catch Parker’s set. I’m positive we will be seeing a lot more of him in the not-too-distant future. You can check out his latest single “Goodbye You” here.

Lighting up the stage next was special guest Carly Pearce. A vision in denim blue, Pearce was a dynamic presence on the stage. She came out a few minutes early as I was still making my way down to the soundboard area of the venue. By the middle of her first song, the audience was captivated by her. The stage lights were shining down upon her as her vocals soared over the arena and it was clear that Carly was something special.

Ever since the release of her 2017 debut album Every Little Thing, Pearce has been on tour with a wide array of country music stars including Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, and of course Tim McGraw. All the touring has done wonders for Carly’s confidence on stage.

With every move she made, whether pointing at the audience or jamming with her guitar player, Pearce looked like she was born to be on stage. Of course, presence isn’t anything without the music and skills to back it up. Fortunately for Carly, her musical talents are second to none as she sang her heart away while we danced, sang, and shed a tear.

Carly Pearce is a rising superstar and it won’t be long before she is headlining arenas of her own. You can listen to and stream her newest record hummingbird here!

After a short break, it was time for the one and only Tim McGraw to hit the stage and it definitely was Standing Room Only in the venue as the crowd was rife with anticipation. The venue lights dimmed as the band took their spots and images of McGraw were displayed on the huge LED screens at the rear of the stage. As the opening strains of “Truck Yeah” began to play, you could see a silhouette of Tim coming from behind the stage. The fans cheered with a frenzy as McGraw came out from behind the stage to take his spot at center stage.

He was a pure cowboy, dressed in blue jeans and a sleeveless shirt with a black cowboy hat perched atop his head. Everyone was on their feet as he strode down the catwalk getting up close and personal with the fans on the venue floor as they sang and danced along. The party was on in Charlotte and from that point on, McGraw had us eating out of the palm of his hand.

His backing band was on fire which is no surprise as they are all world-class musicians in their own right. Tim’s vocals were spot on as he led us through a set of all his hits, surprisingly only including one song from his latest album, the title track “Standing Room Only.” A standout for me was Tim’s cover of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer,” which is one of my all-time favorite songs as well as a poignant live version of “Watch the Wind Blow By.”

Throughout the night, the LED screen changed images with the crowd erupting to a giant Welcome to North Carolina road sign that flashed before us. Another special moment was a Taylor Swift hologram during the song “Highway Don’t Care” which delighted all the younger ladies in the crowd.

McGraw closed out the night with a three-song encore and the one song that always hits home with me “Live Like You Were Dying” because the sentiment is so true. So get out there and do what you love, buy those tickets and go see a show. Love like there’s no tomorrow and treat each day as if it were your last.

“Someday I hope you get the chance

To live like you were dying

Like tomorrow was a gift

And you’ve got eternity

To think about

What you’d do with it…”

See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!

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