Weekends were made for beers and country music. So says Jason Aldean. Aldean returned to Wells Fargo Arena on his “We Back Tour 2020” and found a crowd of over 10,400 more than ready to get the weekend started early (Aldean’s tour is playing primarily Thursday – Sunday shows).
There was more energy in this most recent visit from Aldean than shows past. Perhaps it was from a smaller selection of slow songs or maybe the crowd was feeding more back to the stage. Either way, everyone was firing on all cylinders.
Aldean was playful with the crowd during “Lights Come On” when he multitasked by performing and signing a few autographs for some lucky fans in the general admission pit. However, when another overzealous fan tosses their hat at Aldean, he caught it between his microphone and his face and proceeded to haphazardly toss it back into the crowd, sans signature.
Early in the set, Aldean took time to introduce his guitarist, Des Moines native Kurt Allison to the crowd by saying, “Tonight is a bit of a homecoming for one of our guys in the band.” Allison attended Lincoln High School.
The only clunky moment of the show was when Aldean stopped the music to give Des Moines a “surprise,” which turned out to be a veiled on-stage commercial for his new line of bourbon whiskey he has in stores along with the guys from Florida Georgia Line.
If he wasn’t heaping praise on the “Hometown Boy” Allison, Aldean was complimenting Iowa on its quality deer hunting.
“I know there’s some country boys up here,” Aldean said. “Y’all have the best deer hunting anywhere, so I know there’s some country boys.”
The tail end of the show really amped up the energy as the crowd began dancing in the aisles to songs like 2010’s “My Kinda Party” and one of his earliest hits, “Hicktown.”
Jason Aldean is about as consistent as today’s country music gets. It’s a whole lot of country and a little bit rock and roll. He checks all the boxes when it comes to what a country fan wants to see at a show and rarely disappoints.
Aldean also never fails to bring out top-notch acts with whom to share the stage. This time out, he had two standouts in up-and-comers Riley Green and Morgan Wallen, each with one album under their belts, but with plenty of hits already. Wallen was making his second visit to Des Moines in about six months as he was last seen touring with Luke Combs while Riley Green made his mark with a solid set and a bit of a tongue in cheek jab at country radio in his hit, “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” where he exclaims, “I wish country music still got played on country radio.”
JASON ALDEAN SETLIST
Take a Little Ride
Tattoos on This Town
Fly Over States
A Little More Summertime
Crazy Town
Amarillo Sky
Rearview Town
Burnin’ It Down
Big Green Tractor
Any Ol’ Barstool
We Back
Camouflage Hat
When She Says Baby
Dirt We Were Raised On
Drowns the Whiskey
Lights Come On
Girl Like You
My Kinda Party
Hicktown
Dirt Road Anthem
She’s Country
You Make It Easy
The Only Way I Know
