As Morgan Wallen gears up to launch his own SiriusXM channel, Morgan Wallen Radio, on April 7, the stadium headliner celebrated by bringing his slate of hits to an intimate performance at Nashville venue The Pinnacle on Thursday night (April 2) for “SiriusXM Presents Morgan Wallen Live at The Pinnacle in Nashville,” where he did an underplay for a crowd of 4,000 SiriusXM subscribers.
The audience was packed and primed for a night of fun and music, as Wallen launched the show by playing his current single “Don’t We,” kicking off a 16-song setlist that mixed brand-new hits with classic Wallen songs. Commanding the stage and greeting fans both in the main standing-room-only level and in the balconies, Wallen, backed by his ace band, performed songs including “I Got Better,” “I’m the Problem,” “20 Cigarettes” and “Chasin’ You” (“I haven’t played this one in a couple of years,” Wallen said. “We gotta bring it back — this is one of the first songs I wrote.”). In the process, he proved that his stadium-filling hits are just as powerful in a smaller venue. Throughout the evening, he continuously made his way to the edges of the stage, smiling and waving at fans, sometimes kneeling and shaking hands, and making the most of the opportunity to be close to his fans.
“I haven’t played a show in a few months,” he told crowd at one point. “I’ve been hanging out with my family, hanging out in the woods a little bit, making some new music. Every time I get on stage after a few months off, I think to myself, ‘Man, why did I take so much time off?’ because I always enjoy being up here. I appreciate you guys showing up everywhere I play.”
He also thanked SiriusXM for their work in launching the new channel, saying, “I remember the first time I ever heard my song on the radio was on SiriusXM. I didn’t even know that artists had their own radio stations at that point when I was listening to it. So, to fast forward 10 years from that to be able to say that they’re letting me have a radio station that’s going to be on 24 hours, 7 days a week. It’s an honor and a privilege for me, for my team. It wouldn’t be possible without every single one of you here tonight. I just want to say thank you for all the milestones that you’ve given me during my career so far.”
He also welcomed a very special guest at one point in the evening, sending the crowd into a frenzy, and ended the evening with his 2018 hit “Whiskey Glasses” — and then stayed to give fans one more memorable moment.
The performance is just a taste of what fans can expect when Wallen launches his 23-date Still the Problem Tour on April 10.
Below, Billboard highlights five of the evening’s top moments:
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A Throwback Hit
After sailing through a blend of recent releases and earlier hits, Wallen ended his show with his breakthrough hit “Whiskey Glasses.” Fans clearly remembered and appreciated the 2018 hit, as they waved their hands in the air and grooved along to one of his signature hits.
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A Jason Isbell Classic
Morgan Wallen has often covered Jason Isbell’s “Cover Me Up” in his concerts, and he included his version of the song on 2020’s Dangerous: The Double Album. During his show at The Pinnacle, his performance of the moody, contemplative ballad was among the show’s many high points, as fans immediately began singing along.
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“Help” Becomes a Concert Highlight
Though he performed the hit collab “I Had Some Help” solo that night, sans Post Malone, the catchy song was still among the show’s highlights, getting fans enthusiastically singing along to the song’s story arc of a scorned ex noting that that “it takes two to break a heart in two.”
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A Personal Moment for Fans
One of the most endearing moments happened just after Wallen’s show wrapped. Instead of quickly exiting the stage, he stayed behind to sign autographs and hats and throw guitar picks to audience members. He took his time making his way through the part of the audience closest to the stage, engaging with fans and signing autographs — even signing for fans who threw items down from the balcony at one point. It was a moment fans were sure to remember, as the stadium-level artist took the time to interact with fans and give them even more personal moments.
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Ella Langley Joins for “Sand in My Boots”
Morgan Wallen already had fans in the palm of his hand with his hit-filled set, but when a piano was rolled onstage, he sat down behind the keys and welcomed Ella Langley to the stage — and the crowd went into a frenzy.
Instead of singing one of her own hits, such as her four-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Choosin’ Texas,” Langley instead joined Wallen for a version of “Sand in My Boots,” with Langley offering up sweet harmonies on the song.
