Strait took Chicago by storm with an epic, 32-song performance.
No one puts on a show quite like George Strait. On Saturday, July 20, the King of Country Music received a warm welcome from Chicago, IL as he brought his 2024 stadium tour with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town to Soldier Field.
For nearly two and a half hours, fans enjoyed a night of traditional country music through the songs of a true icon. Strait joined his famed Ace in the Hole Band on the stage at 9:15 PM, strapped on his guitar, and delivered his first two songs of the evening – “Stars On The Water” and “I Got A Car.”
“Man, it’s good to be here tonight. Thank you for coming to the show, we appreciate it so much,” he said, promoting cheers to wash over the crowd.
Strait then made it clear that over the next few hours, they would play as many songs as they could. Plus, he teased that the crowd was in for a treat, as he had “something special” planned for later in the show. The impressive 32-song setlist featured the hits, some deep cuts and even a few brand-new releases off his new album,Cowboys & Dreamers,dropping September 6, 2024.
Fans executed the most enthusiastic sing-alongs throughout the entire show, but especially for classics like “Check Yes Or No,” “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar,” “Amarillo by Morning,” and the cheeky “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls.”Each song was accompanied by an elaborate production that perfectly matched the narratives. Images flashed across the screens behind Strait while bright lights captured the fans’ attention as they formed unique patterns throughout the stadium. These added touches made the entire show that much more memorable.
The excitement level in the venue also heightened when Chris Stapleton appeared on stage halfway through the set to help Strait sing a cover of Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard’s “Pancho & Lefty,” and stayed to play two more of his own writes that Strait has recorded – “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing” and “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame,” which is set to appear on the Texas native’s next record.
The 16x GRAMMY-nominee continued to preview the upcoming project with tracks such as “Three Drinks Behind,” “Waymore’s Blues,” “MIA Down In MIA,” and “The Little Things.”
Following Stapleton’s exit from the stage, Strait delivered his soulful “I Saw God Today” and then finally revealed what that “something special” moment was that he had mentioned earlier. He paused his performance briefly to welcome retired General Leroy Sisco to take over the mic as a representative of the Military Warriors Support Foundation and share a story about “a true American hero” and purple heart recipient, SargentDerek Goodridge.
Goodridge and his wife were present this evening to accept their brand-new,mortgage-free and gift-tax freehome on behalf ofthe foundationwith George Strait as a sponsor. According to Sisco, this is the 121sthome to be given away with the country music singer, adding to the total of one thousand homes that have been given away and that have saved over 150 lives, thanks to theMilitary Warriors Support Foundation.
“I told y’all you were going to like it,” Strait told the crowd as they loudly applauded the hero on stage and the incredible mission of the foundation.
The night continued with a slew of unforgettable performances, including one of the most sentimental moments brought on by 2011’s “I’ll Always Remember You.” This tune acts as a reflection of Strait’s journey as a country artist and illustrates all the times he almost wanted to give up, but instead kept on pushing forward because he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being called to the stage.
Toward the end of this song, Strait paused once again to speak to the packed-out stadium of fans in front of him. He explained that the song was written back when he was thinking about retiring, but clearly that didn’t happen because the joy he feels in front of thousands of screaming fans each night has never faded and that magic is what has kept his career going for all these years.
“It’s been over 40 years and I still love it” Strait shared. “Don’t know how many more years I got left doing this but I do want you to know that when I walk out this place…I still hear your screams and cheers and I will always remember you,” he added before finishing out the tune.
Strait sang a few more songs before walking off stage, only to return moments later for a four-song encore prompted by the crowd shining their flashlights and chanting his name. He closed out the night with “Codigo,” the iconic “All My Ex’s Live In Texas,” a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Take Me To Texas,” and finally, “The Cowboy Rides Away.”
With a tip of his hat, he said his thanks to the crowd and his band, took a bow and walked off stage with one final wave.
“Thank you, Chicago, we’ll see you next time. Adios, goodnight, everybody.”
As expected, there was never a dull moment in Strait’s show, however, there were plenty of opportunities to get to know the singer a bit better as he took the time to share stories behind his songs, introduce the unreleased, soon-to-be fan favorites, and overall created a night that will forever be remembered by all in attendance.
Fans have one more chance to catch George Strait in 2024 before he wraps up his successful year of touring. His final performance of 2024 will take place on December 7 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town will also be on hand as special guests of this highly anticipated show.
