Lainey Wilson • Jackson Dean • September 13, 2024 • Utah First Amphitheatre
Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe
Lainey Wilson performed a captivating live show at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre. She brought her Country’s Cool Again Tour to Utah with Jackson Dean on September 13. Wilson left the audience in awe with her mix of traditional country charm and modern flair. Known for her distinct voice, engaging storytelling, and powerful stage presence, Lainey brought a high-energy performance that resonated with fans of all ages.
Jackson Dean
Jackson Dean started the night off for me. He’s a Country Music singer/ songwriter who has released two albums over the last couple of years along with a live album, Live at the Ryman. I will admit that I was unfamiliar with Dean’s music. But I quickly realized that I was in he minority. Utah First Amphitheatre was already pretty full for Jackson’s set. The majority of the audience was cheering and into Jackson’s performance.
Dean split his ten-song set between his two albums, Greenbroke and On The Back of My Dreams. Some highlights were “Duct Tape Heart” and Train. A personal favorite of mine was “Sweet Appalachia”. The set concluded with “Don’t Come Lookin’. I have a feeling Jackson Dean back will be back on his own. This crowd seemed to enjoy the entire set.
Lainey Wilson
As the house lights went down, and the band took their positions, the stage lights focused on a red pickup truck at center stage. The audience roared at its appearance. They roared even louder when the lights revealed the silhouette of Lainey Wilson. It was a reveal that totally fit Wilson’s personality. I heard people around me say things like, “That was so cool!’ or “That’s so Lainey!”.
The set began with “Hang Tight Honey”. Lainey stayed on top of the red pickup as it rotated from right to left. Images of Monument Valley were displayed on the huge screens. The tone was set and we were off and running. Lainey was grateful for the opportunity to perform in front of such a large audience. She shared that it didn’t feel like it was too long ago that she and her band packed into a truck similar to the one on stage. “Now I’m sitting on top of a truck on a stage looking out to a bunch of my wild horses tonight. Where you at wild horses?!” The audience of course cheered.
I thought Lainey was gracious the entire evening. She signed cowboy hats, posters, and signs throughout her entire set. I was impressed with how well she could multitask. She could sign her autograph and tell a story without breaking stride. Lainey recently released her album Whirlwind. Wilson told us that that was pretty much what her life felt like right now. She told us that her album Bell Bottom Country changed her life. Lainey pointed out that her life has changed but she still felt exactly the same.
Lainey Wilson then mentioned that her next song was written with a couple of friends of hers who wrote the song with her were in attendance. She talked about how just when things were getting going with her career her life was difficult due to the impending passing of her father. Wilson acknowledged that there were others who were in attendance that were “Smack dab in the middle of it”. She comforted those but telling them that they’re not alone. “I’ve got ya, we got ya, he’s got ya. It’s good y’all. It’s good”.
With hits like “Heart Like a Truck” (where she actually sat inside the red pickup and sang), and “Things a Man Oughta Know,” she struck a balance between heartfelt ballads and lively, crowd-pumping anthems. Her blend of country, Southern rock, and a touch of pop kept the crowd engaged throughout the night. Lainey’s authenticity shone through her interaction with the audience. She made us feel like we were her friends. I found myself being so happy for her success even though i don’t know her at all. She seems so genuine.
I enjoyed Lainey Wilson’s cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary”. The cover more resembled Tina Turner’s version but with a country flair. People were dancing and singing “Rollin” back at Wilson as she moved about the stage. I didn’t see the cover coming, but it was a perfect cover. She followed up the cover with a huge crowd favorite, “Atta Girl”.
Wilson had a black “cowgirl” hat that she was giving away to the “Cowgirl of the Night”. Lainey plucked a cowgirl out of the audience who had a sign that said, “Help me win a bet. Get me on stage”. “Girl you’re going to win that bet. I want to tell you right now!” Lainey then had the winner repeat after her. “I am beautiful! I am smart! I’m talented! I can do anything! And I’m Cowgirl of the Night!”. It was such a fun moment and another indicator of how positive Lainey Wilson is.
As Lainey Wilson’s main set drew to a close, she performed an audience favorite, “Watermelon Moonshine”. A song that had the entire crowd singing along to. Lainey was joined on stage by Zach Top. The musician who started off the entire night. I was excited to see him back on stage because we unfortunately missed his set to start the show. The two of them performed a duet of “Keeping Up With Jones”. They had great interaction and also sounded great together.
Lainey returned after an encore break. The truck had turned all the way around so Lainey could sit on the bed of the truck with her acoustic guitar. She shared with us that tailgating is one of her favorite things to do. She told us that Nashville has kicked her butt over the years. But she feels like she’s starting to kick its butt right back lately. She then played a medley of songs on the back of that truck with her acoustic guitar. It was one of my favorite moments of the night.
Lainey’s band joined her on stage to close out the show. And did they ever close out the show! The night ended with “Wildflowers and Wild Horses”. The crowd sang and pumped their fists to the anthemic song. It was a fitting closer to a great evening of Country Music. Lainey Wilson is currently in the midst of her biggest tour ever. And yet, I think the biggest and best is yet to come.