Three decades ago, East Tennessee native Kenny Chesney was playing tiny dive bars that dotted Nashville’s downtown, such as the Music City dive bar The Turf, playing his songs for anyone who would listen.
He’s long since ascended to being one of country music’s steadiest hitmakers and stadium headliners, as well as a Country Music Hall of Fame member. But Friday night (Sept. 25), to celebrate the release of his 21st studio album, Silver Sands Marina, Chesney traded stadiums and massive screens for a pop-up show at the intimate, 4,500-capacity venue The Pinnacle, not far from those Broadway bars where he got his start.
Over the course of 22 songs, Chesney sailed through a mix of new songs such “Talkin’ Dirt” and the album’s title track, “Silver Sands Marina,” and drew from his deep well of hits on songs like “Reality,” “I Go Back” and “Living in Fast Forward.” He also offered up “something we haven’t done in years,” playing a hit from 2009 “Ain’t Back Yet,” which he last performed back in 2015.
Outside the venue, fans were already getting into the vibe of the album, thanks to the album-themed outdoor area of The Pinnacle. The area included the pink building featured on the album’s cover, as well as pier carnival games, food trucks, a limited-edition vinyl store and more. Fans who didn’t score tickets to the show also had the opportunity to hear the concert, as it was broadcast live on Chesney’s No Shoes Radio, on SiriusXM’s Channel 59.
Inside the venue, Chesney reflected on his early years in the music industry, telling the crowd, “When I first started in this business, I just wanted like one song on the radio so everybody back home would think I was cool where I could prove ‘em wrong or whatever it was..I thought, ‘If I could just get one song on the radio so me and my buddies could go around the country and play the places that our heroes played, just one time… this past summer was our 34th trip, so it’s pretty cool.”
Energetic fans were packed into the upper balcony, as well as the floor in front of the main stage and surrounding a thrust stage. Ever mindful of his entire audience in the room, Chesney regularly made the rounds to every side of the room throughout the set, waving and smiling at the crowd.
He closed out the evening with “Just Don’t Happen Twice,” before waving to the crowd and signing shirts, hats and vinyl albums. Returning to center stage, he waved to the crowd and said “Thank you for celebrating with us. We’ll see you next summer!”
And indeed he will — Chesney’s 2027 tour will kick off his Original Vibe Room Tour, featuring Eric Church, Sheryl Crow and Greylan James, in April 2027.
Below, Billboard highlights five top moments from Chesney’s spirited and intimate show at The Pinnacle.
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Chesney’s New Single Resonates
Though Chesney has been known for massive, summery uptempo hits, but one of his performances of a song, “Remember Me That Way,” his newest single off his new album Silver Sands Marina, was a potent reminder that he’s a unyielding seeker of impactful songs in all their forms, not just breezy anthems.
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Welcomes “East Tennessee Brother” Greylan James
Beyond continually adding new layers to his own career, with his recent book Heart Life Music, and being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Chesney has also focused on championing the next generation of artists, supporting artists including Old Dominion, Megan Moroney and Kelsea Ballerini early in their careers. During his Pinnacle show, he called singer-songwriter Greylan James “my East Tennessee brother,” welcoming him to the stage to join Chesney on a song James co-wrote, “Born,” the title track of Chesney’s 2024 album.
“He grew up in Knoxville like I did,” Chesney said. “But just to show you how connected we are, not just through music — he wrote this next song and he wrote ‘Happy Does’ for me and he’s a fantastic singer-songwriter and I’m proud to have you out [on the tour] next summer. My mother cut hair for a living for a very long time and she cut that child’s hair when he was a kid. And now we’re on the road together and onstage together.”
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Three-Song Deep Dive Into “Silver Sands Marina”
Of course, the night’s purpose was highlighting many of the songs from his new album and he did so early on in the show, performing a mini-set of songs from the album, including “Burn My Boat,” the quirky heartbreak track “Goldfish” and the small-town swaggering “Talkin’ Dirt.”
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The Enduring Nostalgia of “American Kids”
Of course, it’s not a Kenny Chesney show if there are not some summery songs soaked in nostalgia embedded into the setlist. Chesney thrilled the crowd with songs such as the timeless and grooving “American Kids.” The crowd danced and sang along, nodding approval of lyrics about making out on living room couches, and growing up around trailer parks and truck stops, before semi-shouting their unifying approval on lines such as “We’re a little messed up/ But we’re all alright!”
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A Sultry Groove With “Somewhere With You”
Back in 2010, Chesney gave fans a bit of a musical detour when he released “Somewhere With You,” a song that leaned more heavily into the folds of sultry pop polish. The musical risk was successful, becoming one of Chesney’s most memorable songs, and fans at The Pinnacle roared their approval for the R&B-tinged, midnight romance-fueled hit.
