SUNDAY 20TH AUGUST 2024
Written by Suzy Giles
Country Music Association Award for Entertainer of the Year 2021 and 2022, Luke Combs hit our shores this month. All his New Zealand and Australian shows were performed to sellout crowds at every venue. Many many fans felt the pain of not getting tickets, but to be honest he could’ve played for a week at every venue and still sold out!! Anyway. Let’s begin!!
Lane first hit our television screens when he performed (ironically a Luke Combs hit) ‘Even Though I’m Leaving’ on The Voice in May 2022 when he was 15 years old. This young man (and yes, he’s earned that title!) has felt heartache and loss after losing his dad in a car accident in March 2018. Lane left school to help his mum, Eliana and his younger brother which led him to The Voice. Guy Sebastian said he ‘sings with honesty’ and Keith (Lane’s coach) said Lane has a ‘strength, vulnerability and authenticity’ that many older artists do not have. Lane began his set at Rod Lava with ‘Holler if Your With Me’ then the Brooks & Dunn hit ‘Play Something Country’. Lane then sang his song called ‘Jack’ and ‘Ain’t To Much To Ask’ and almost everyone had their phone lights out for that one! He closed his set with ‘Lost’ and finally ‘Love In A Country Town’. This young man is definitely one to watch. While he didn’t make the Finale in The Voice, he has talent and isn’t afraid to show his vulnerability in his music. He wears his dad’s belt buckle every time he performs, and, I suspect, Lane has a long, successful career ahead of him. And that MULLET!!!
I’m not gunna lie, COJO was the reason, for me anyway, I was excited to get tickets. Living in Sebastopol, Texas and with 10 albums under his belt, he was the one I was most excited to see perform live. He is the real deal! He gave up rodeo’s and competing as a bull rider to pursue his music career. He began his set at Rod Laver with his ‘Dance Her Home’ of his 2014 album ‘Cowboy Like Me’. We were then treated to his hit song and a duet released with Reba McEntire, ‘Dear Rodeo’. Make sure you go check out his ‘Dear Rodeo: The Cody Johnson Story’ documentary!! Cody then performed his new song ‘The Painter’ from his upcoming album ‘Leather’ which will be released later this year (CAN NOT WAIT!!) He belted out ‘Red Dirt Road’, a song made famous from Brooks & Dunn, then he sung ‘Long Haired Country Boy’ a song made famous by Charlie Daniels. After introducing his band, Cody was joined on stage with Wade Forster, and together they sung ‘Mamma, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys’ a song from Waylon & Willie. Cody finished his set with his hit song, ‘Human’ of his 2021 album with the same name and his Grammy, CMA and CMT award winning song ‘Till You Can’t’.
We were fortunate to have tickets for both COJO’s Melbourne shows, and it was great to see them mix their sets up a bit. Cody is a talented song writer and an amazing performer. Whilst we had seen Luke live before, this was our first-time seeing Cody and needless to say, WE ARE HOOKED!!! Cody has an incredible stage presents and is happy to engage with the crowd. There were jumps of the sound boxes and that little two step dance he did while his band members are showing off was just way too cute!! He is also incredibly humble and grateful for his fans. He also recently came out supporting Jason Aldean by saying ‘If being patriotic makes you an outlaw, then by God I’ll be an outlaw’. Cody, PLEASE come back for a full show!! Your set just wasn’t enough (for me anyways!), I just needed more!!! Cody has a Garth Brooks energy with a cheeky, playful side that the crowd (AND ME) loved!! I know a lot of people were there for the main act but seriously, go check out his other songs. You will NOT be disappointed you did!!
Luke Combs (NOT Coombs – Shakes my head!)
During the short break between COJO and Luke, there were many shoey’s and the wave started! Us Aussie’s sure know how to entertain ourselves!
Luke’s intro included Australian hits from AC/DC and Cold Chisel. Luke opened his set with his 2019 hit song ‘Lovin On You’ followed by his song ‘Hannah Ford Road’ from his new 2023 album ‘Getting Old’. What followed was more than 1 hour of his hits ‘Cold As You’, ‘Houston, We Have a Problem’, and ‘Love You Anyway’ to which there were numerous proposals in the crowd. Luke performed ‘Going, Going Gone’ and then a crowd favourite ‘1, 2 Many’. Of course, Luke shot gunned a can!! ‘Must’ve Never Meet You’ and his 2017 hit song that sold over 10 million copies and was Luke & Nicole’s wedding song ‘Beautiful Crazy’ was next. There were again many proposals in the crowd! I hope they were all yeses! Luke sung ‘Even Though I’m Leaving’ next which he dedicated to a little girl in the audience who had recently lost her dad! The band showed off with each playing their instruments and sung hits like ‘Dust on the Bottle’ and ‘When I was Your Man’. Luke then sung ‘Forever After All ’, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’, followed by the hit ‘Fast Car’ made famous in 1988 by singer/song writer Tracy Chapman. Luke then sung ‘When it Rains it Pours’ and ‘She Got the Best of Me’ both from his 2018 Album ‘This One’s For You Too’. Luke ended his set with ‘Hurricane’ a song co-written by mates Thomas Archer and Taylor Phillips. Luke told the story that the song was written in December 2014 and by May 2015 it was number one on Billboard Country Airplay Chart where it stayed for two weeks!!
Luke’s encore (to a screaming crowd) was ‘Kinda Love We Make’ and lastly his 2019 hit ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’.
Luke’s music impacts and reaches so many ages. I saw young kids belting out his songs, and I saw more mature punters (diplomatic yeah?) singing every word too. I saw SO many boots (and yes, a few buckle bunnies) but I also saw loads of people that probably don’t listen to ‘country music’ regularly yelling out word for word his songs. My point is, music is contagious, music is a religious experience, music is therapy, it doesn’t matter if you know one, two or all of Luke’s songs. Artists like Luke Combs has a way of bringing people from all walks of life together to enjoy his craft. One that he has perfected and worked hard on to provide one hell of a show.
A huge thank you to Chugg Music and Frontier Touring for the bloody amazing seats and access to witness 3 amazing but different artists, all that totally blew me away. Now, excuse me while I go lie down!!
Till next time!!
Article published with permission from Country Rock Shotz. Click Here to see the original post
