George Strait breaks concert attendance record

Kyle Field in College Station is known as the mecca of college football, regularly hosting nearly 100,000 fans per game during football season. It is not known as a concert hall, having hosted only two since its opening almost 100 years ago. The last concerts held there were ZZ Top in 2008 and a shared project by Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell in 2013.

Saturday night, George Strait, the undisputed king of country music, hosted and hosted “The King at Kyle Field” concert, which broke the all-time record for the largest single-ticket concert in country history. United States, with a total of 110,905 fans in the audience. Everything is definitely bigger in Texas.

After passing through heavy traffic around the stadium, I arrived at my seat just as opener Parker McCollum began singing “Handle On You.” It was the Conroe native’s birthday, and he was all smiles as he played his guitar while wearing a bright red polo shirt, Ray Ban aviators and a Lucchese trucker cap. The revolving stage was on the 50-yard line, right in the center of the stadium.

“This is probably the best night of my life,” he confessed, looking out at the massive crowd. “It’s been quite a year!” » he continued before ending his set with “Burn It Down”.

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George Strait, the undisputed king of country music, set the record for the largest paid concert in U.S. history with a total audience of 110,905 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.

Photo by @alivecoverage / Courtesy of Messina Touring Group

It was a hot summer day with the temperature approaching 100 degrees, but as the sun set over the stadium stands, a gentle cool breeze hovered over the audience just in time for the King’s set. As the house lights dimmed, it was time for the band Ace In The Hole to head to the stage, followed by Mr. Strait.

“What’s going on everyone? We have Aggies there?!” asked Strait after singing “Stars On The Water” and “I Got A Car.” Dressed in his traditional black cowboy hat, blue button-down shirt, Wrangler jeans and boots, he commanded everyone’s attention with his golden voice and wide smile. He ended his first set with “Here For A Good Time” and “Check Yes Or No.”

It can be difficult to explain to a non-Texan how important and special George Sound is to us Texans. Even those who aren’t big fans of country music hear his songs and immediately sing them along. Seeing his show live takes that reverence to another level. It’s almost like being in the presence of real royalty or a president. A George Strait concert is more than a musical event, it becomes a spiritual experience.

As the crowd sang “I Can Still Make Cheyenne,” I felt my emotions rise in my chest. A song about losing love and moving forward in life, the track strikes a chord with anyone who has suffered heartbreak. “There’s someone new and it’s definitely not a rodeo man.”

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After requesting a 10-minute encore, George Strait and his band Ace In The Hole returned for a tribute-filled set.

Photo by @alivecoverage / Courtesy of Messina Touring Group

At the end of the evening, the group took a break and passed the microphone to retired Lt. Gen. Leroy Sisco, who handed over the keys to a brand new house to Sgt. Tiffany Baker, who was injured while serving in combat. This is the 118th home George Strait and the Military Warriors Support Foundation have provided to injured veterans. Chants of “USA! USA!” » rang out, and everyone stood up to applaud this moment.

The evening continued with fan favorites “The Chair,” “Amarillo By Morning,” and “Troubadour.” Strait also offered up tracks from the new album titled Cowboys and dreamers which will be released in September. “Maybe I’ll retire one day,” Strait said with a smile.

As Strait and the band left, the crowd continued to call for an encore for over 10 minutes. Once Strait and his team returned to the stage. the audience roared in appreciation. The encore set included a series of tributes: one to his tequila (Código 1530), one to Tom Petty (You Wreck Me) and one to his old loves (All My Exes Live In Texas).

“When I leave the stage for the last time, I will always remember you!”

And we will always love you, sir. Thank you for the memories and the soundtrack to our lives.

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George Strait Cowboys and dreamersscheduled for release on September 6, 2024.

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