MANSFIELD, MA | Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show made its way to the Xfinity Center on Saturday, October 2, bringing his adored outlaw country sound to a sold out amphitheater.
A golden glow illuminated Stapleton and his band, creating a wild west, dusted haze on stage, as they kicked off the night with “Nobody to Blame” followed by “Parachute”—both of his debut Traveler album. Morgane Stapleton joined her husband on stage, sweetly harmonizing to each song, with a particularly stunning showcase of their vocals, together, on “Millionaire.”
Chris Stapleton was recently named a 2021 CMT Artist of the Year, and in August, released his cover of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” from The Black Album as part of The Metallica Blacklist, a project celebrating the album’s 30th anniversary.
The crowd had been eagerly waiting to hear the Grammy Award winner since Covid-19 pandemic postponed the performance a year before. Even in the show’s first few moments, hearing Stapleton’s charmed vocals made it obvious that it was worth the wait. “This is our fifth time seeing him,” said Tracy Dickson of Deep River, CT. “We’re super excited to be here. He sounds amazing and always does. We’re so excited.”
Dickson shared that it did feel a little overwhelming to see the great number of people in attendance, but added that she has really missed experiencing live music and it was good to see the seats full again. “It’s feels normal. And it’s really fun to do something normal. We love to go to concerts. We used to do it all the time. We’re just happy to be back hearing live music again—live music is our thing.”
Stapleton is probably the biggest reason concert-goer and musician Rob Davis started to write his own music. The Cranston, RI, native watched the show with his girlfriend, just steps from Stapleton. “His voice and writing are just on another level and I look to him for a lot of inspiration,” he said.
Davis has been performing in and around New England since he was 15, including every summer weekend on Block Island for the last 8 years, playing “a little bit of everything,” but mostly the classics, country and rock ‘n roll.
“I haven’t had a chance to get to a show all summer because of playing so much, so it was great to recharge the soul and see some great music. I was pretty amazing to be that close to two of my idols [Stapleton and show opener Marcus King.] I can’t remember the last time I was so close to a band that wasn’t at a smaller venue and didn’t watch the screen all night. You can really see a lot of little things up close you can’t see on a screen. Being back at a show this size was wonderful.”
The concert was long anticipated for Mikaela Wilson of Halifax, MA who purchased tickets to this show in early 2020 to celebrate her 21st birthday with Stapleton. With a smile so contagious, Wilson, who stood front and center, sang along to each song. “It means a lot to be here,” she told The Vinyl District. “I’m trying not to cry, but I honestly might cry.”
The 2021 All-American Road Show tour has featured special guests Caylee Hammack, Dwight Yoakam, Elle King, Jamey Johnson, Kendell Marvel, Margo Price, Mavis Staples, Nikki Lane, Sheryl Crow, The Dirty Knobs with Mike Campbell, The Highwomen, The Marcus King Band, Willie Nelson, and Yola.
