Morgan Wallen and HARDY: The Dangerous Tour

Months of excitement and anticipation and the day was finally here! After a painstakingly long 6 hours at school, I rushed home to throw on a flannel and my cowgirl boots then I was off to Madison Square Garden! The Garden traded in Knick’s blue and orange for the night, instead becoming a sea of cowboy hats. Following a photo shoot

with my mom and cousin, the lights dimmed and HARDY’s last name shone on the big screen. “Take What You Want” by Post Malone played on the speakers, lights flickered, the band began their intro and I was ecstatic as the chords to HARDY’s “Sold Out” played. Alas, I saw the man himself, to which I had an admittedly tearful reaction. He cruised through a ten-piece set filled with country twang, patriotism, and insane energy!

A short while later, still in my HARDY honeymoon phase, the lights went dark and Morgan Wallen’s MW logo emerged on the big screen. A recording of Wallen’s “Broadway Girls” played, followed by a quick mashup of iconic lines from his most popular songs. The room went dark, then next thing you know, Wallen in his signature cutoff flannel emerged from under the stage. It was majestic; the roar of the crowd, then the beginning notes of “Sand in My Boots” (Wallen’s somber #1 hit at the time) truly made for an unforgettable moment. The vibe of the crowd the entire night was impeccable, his music-corresponding light show adding greatly to the ambiance. Just when the evening could not seem to get any better, Wallen brought in a special guest. Ernest, a Nashville singer and songwriter, not to mention one of my absolute favorites, had joined Wallen to sing their duet, “Flower Shops”. Building on the emotions of a now ballistic Sophia, HARDY made a reappearance to sing his hit duo with Wallen, “He Went to Jared”. While I could go on forever, night one of Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous Tour was a truly perfect experience, an evening I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Tidal Wave Music Festival
For as amazing of a night as February 9th was, the weekend of August 12th was truly the best weekend of my life. Naturally, Morgan Wallen and HARDY were too good to see just once so when I got the opportunity to surprise my mom with tickets to Tidal Wave for her birthday, I seized it! Located on the beach in Atlantic City, this festival was a dream.

Night One: Riley Green and Luke Bryan
To set the scene, we were around 75 feet away from the stage with our feet in the sand surrounded by plenty of “good ole boys”, if you will. The crowd began to pick up and Riley Green’s intro played when all of a sudden, the sound of a duck (hunting) call rang down the coast. Immediately I was sobbing, crying too many happy tears to see one of my favorite artists make his way onto the stage. The night continued with that theme, me basking in the glory of his understated yet excellent set. On the contrary, Luke Bryan packed a punch as only he can. My mom and I danced under the stars, singing along to her favorite artist the whole time. Needless to say, it set the tone for the weekend.

Night 2: HARDY and Morgan Wallen
The fact that we went back for a second viewing truly speaks for itself. This time, we were within 30 feet of the stage, close enough to see every move they made. The pair were impeccable, both individually and in their rendition of the hit, “He Went to Jared”. Nothing speaks to the atmosphere quite like the crowd, chants of “HARDY!!!” and “MORGAN WALLEN” opening both of their sets. The country takeover of the NJ coast was nothing short of perfection.

Night 3: Chase Rice and Dierks Bentley
It was Sunday night and we were exhausted but both performers truly brought the energy. Though I was unfamiliar with their sets, both men put on an excellent show, turning me into a big fan of both by the end of the night. Between the talent I was witnessing before my very eyes and the concert friends we made, Night 3 was truly one for the books, a great wrap-up to an even better weekend.