Morgan Wallen likes to go big.
The 32-year-old Sneedville, Tenn., native, who is currently ruling the country music roost, has proven himself to be a prolific provider in the 12 years since he was eliminated in the Season 6 playoffs of “The Voice.”
Since signing a deal with Big Loud Records at the turn of the decade, Wallen broke the typical 10-song Nashville album mould with 2021’s 30-track “Dangerous: The Double Album” and followed up with 2023’s “One Thing at a Time” and this year’s “I’m the Problem” by creating an additional 73 songs, easily becoming the most productive modern country artist in recent memory.
So, when the estimated 40,000 fans walked into the Rogers Centre on Thursday night for the first of two appearances and saw what seemed to be an unassuming setup for a stadium show — a short catwalk and a just-adequate screen over the stage — they may have drawn the conclusion that Wallen’s team had seriously misjudged the site’s concert presentation requirements.
All that conjecture disappeared the moment Wallen appeared on stage, fireworks a-blazing and fireballs ascending, to the opening strains of the defiant “Ain’t That Some,” a rousing country rocker propelled by his crackerjack backing sextet.
After sailing through a punchy “Kick Myself” — an anthem about pulling one’s life together and excising the riff-raff from it — Wallen, headlining a bill that also included three-time Grammy winner Miranda Lambert and newcomers Gavin Adcock and Zach John King, paused to address the crowd and give props to the Boots and Hearts Music Festival that he played in 2019.
“The fans over there were so giving that I cried on stage for the first time in my career,” Wallen said. “That was one thing I’ll never forget, so, I’ll always look forward to playing music in this area. So I’m excited for tonight, man — I appreciate you guys!”
The crowd’s reciprocation was palpable: they serenaded him during “Love Somebody,” “Cowgirls,” “More Than My Hometown” and other Wallen favourites, including “What I Want,” the duet he co-wrote and recorded with Calgary hitmaker Tate McRae.
Despite the massive, constantly mutating stage — as well as the constant pyrotechnics — the aura Wallen successfully seduced his audience with was not that of a superstar, but of an earthy, everyday guy who you wouldn’t mind hanging with for a couple of hours.
He wasn’t as charismatic as he was athletic, constantly working the catwalk and the sides of the stage when he wasn’t harnessed to a guitar and strumming in front of a microphone. As a bonus to those sitting furthest away, Wallen and guitarist Dominic Frost relocated to a smaller stage at the back for three numbers, including a cover of Jason Isbell’s “Cover Me Up” and “I’m a Little Crazy,” which featured the star on piano.
The two collaborations Wallen recorded with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help” and “I Ain’t Comin’ Back,” brought back the larger-than-life stack of effects and hydraulics, but the real highlight occurred during the title song from “I’m the Problem.”
Wallen has had his share of critics and controversies, from his near cancellation some years back due to his use of the N-word, his flagrant snub of COVID protocols, his abrupt exit from “Saturday Night Live.” Even fellow superstar Reba McEntire has complained that he puts too many songs on his albums.
He addressed it all in dramatic fashion, attempting to turn the mirror on his adversaries. At the close of the 23-song main set, he took a giant gasoline can and emptied its contents (water as a substitute for fuel) on the stage and the catwalk; took out a lighter and set the whole backdrop ablaze — his metaphor for burning down the societal system that should be more concerned with the skeletons in its own closet.
The embers eventually gave way to an upbeat three-song encore, which saw Wallen sporting a Raptors jersey and then sticking around on stage for more than 20 minutes after performing to sign autographs and hand out swag.
As for opener Miranda Lambert, who placed third when “Nashville Star” debuted back in 2003, she got the short end of the stick last night but did the best she could under the circumstances. Unlike during Wallen’s set, the domed roof of the Rogers Centre was closed for hers, resulting in muddy sound that improved the deeper as she progressed.
Wearing a black cowboy hat, an El Mocambo T-shirt customized with pink fringes, jean shorts and magenta cowboy boots, Lambert seemed almost too comfortable with her surroundings: backed by an excellent seven-piece band, she displayed little of the trademark sass that characterizes her nine solo albums.
Thankfully, that situation was rectified as the Texan got feistier with the final third of her 15-song set, during the “Jolene” doppelganger “Geraldene,” the lighthearted “Tequila Does” and the big, fiery twin finale of “Little Red Wagon” and “Gunpowder & Lead.”
Surprisingly — especially since Lambert was last here three years ago as a Budweiser Stage headliner — the audience reaction was somewhat muted, as if Wallen’s fans didn’t know who she was or just felt indifferent. Lambert’s performance deserved a more enthusiastic response.
Waller does it again tonight with Brooks & Dunn slotted into the Lambert spot. Here’s hoping the veteran duo gets to play with the roof open.
