Last night, the honky-tonking Texas trio Midland kicked off the first show of their Let It Roll Tour to a packed house at Terminal 5 in New York City. The group has been on a roll themselves as of late, with their critically-acclaimed sophomore album scoring No. 1 on the Billboard charts in the first week of release, a headlining tour, and two CMA Award nominations for Vocal Group of the Year as well as New Artist of the Year.
The soulful, straight-shooter Desure took the stage prior to Midland to get the crowd ready for some toe-tapping, two-stepping country music. Through honest storytelling and an outlaw vibe, Desure proved why Rolling Stone has named him one of country’s “Top 10 Artists You Need to Know.”
The energy level was especially high when the boys of Midland lead vocalist Mark Wystrach, lead guitarist Jess Carson, and bass player Cameron Duddy walked on stage. Their opening song “Playboys,” was exactly what the crowd anticipated, a fun-filled song with an eclectic play on words showcasing what Midland is known for. Their smooth vocals shined during their second song as they sang “Let It Roll,” the title track off of their latest album. Everyone’s hands were in the air clapping along to the catchy “21st Century Honky Tonk American Band.”
Midland slowed things down a bit with their groovy track “Cheatin’ Songs” before singing the fan-favorite, and latest single “Mr. Lonely.” The crowd was loving every minute of the toe-tapping song about the “guy who all the girls are talking about.” They followed up their current hit with the sentimental “I Love You, Goodbye” displaying their soft yet strong vocals.
As Wystrach introduced the next song, he spoke about young love and big dreams growing up, and said “This song encompasses what it felt like in those days when life was a little bit more simple, and chasing those simple times,” and they sang the nostalgic “Fast Hearts and Slow Towns” displaying the trio’s incredible harmonies.
It is evident Midland’s music is as personal as you can get. After singing “Cheatin’ By the Rules,” and “Every Song’s A Drinkin’ Song,” they paused and took a moment to survey the crowd and explain the feeling in the room. Upon reflecting, Wystrach said, “I see it all around, it’s that L, it’s that O, it’s that V, it’s that E. It is the greatest thing in the world, it is the one thing that this country is poor on right now.” They urged us all to “bring a little bit more love into your world, to “take a breath, have some patience, and spread it, because I promise you we are all better when there is more L.O.V.E. baby! “That is the only reason we do this, y’all feel the love tonight New York City?” The roar of agreement from the crowd set the stage for their hit song “Make A Little.” Following a lesson on love, the band sang “Put the Hurt on Me”, “Roll Away,” and “Somewhere On The Wind.”
At one point in the night, Midland requested the house lights to be turned on for a special toast to the New York City crowd for setting the bar high. In celebration of the first night of the tour, Wystrach graciously said, “Cheers, you guys. Thank you, this is beautiful. I love looking out at this crowd, I see people from every corner of this world and that’s what Midland is all about. We’re about the love, we’re about the music and bringing people together, thank you guys for coming to our show.”
The trio’s encore began with the song that put the band on the map, the classic hit, “Drinkin’ Problem,” and continued with “Lost in the Night,” and “Gator Boys,” before closing the show out with “Gettin’ the Feel” and “Fourteen Gears.” By the roar of the crowd, no one wanted the night to end. There is no doubt Midland is invigorating and unique yet sticking to their own traditional country roots and are destined for continued success and accolades. Midland’s Let It Roll tour is scheduled throughout the remainder of the year and is making stops in their home state of Texas, Colorado, and even Hawaii. For more information and tour dates visit www.midland.com.
To keep up with Midland, follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Midland Let It Roll Setlist
Playboys
Let It Roll
21st Century Honky Tonk American Band
Cheatin’ Songs
Mr. Lonely
I Love You, Goodbye
Fast Hearts and Slow Towns
Cheatin’ By the Rules
Every Song’s A Drinkin’ Song
Make A Little
Put the Hurt on Me
Roll Away
Somewhere On The Wind
Encore:
Drinkin’ Problem
Lost in the Night
Gator Boys
Gettin’ the Feel
Fourteen Gears
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