By Shepard Adamson

At 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, in Charlottesville, the doors to John Paul Jones Arena opened to hundreds of fans eager to see country singer Kane Brown on opening night of his “In The Air” tour. The venue was not sold out, but with the amount of energy and screaming fans in the arena, it felt full. At 7:00 p.m., the first opener, Parmalee, took to the stage.

Parmalee playing their set.

Parmalee is a family band composed of two brothers—Matt Thomas (guitar/lead vocals) and Scott Thomas (drums)—their cousin Barry Knox (bass), and longtime friend Josh McSwain (guitar). Best known for their three No. 1 hits, “Carolina,” “Just The Way,” and “Take My Name,” the group has rocked country radio and achieved more than one billion streams. Their newest single, “Girl in Mine,” is a climbing Top 10 hit.

Parmalee played like a headliner and soothed the crowd’s ears with their smooth southern sound. Live, the band sounded exactly like their records. I was dancing with Nora Wallace (‘25) to every song.

After Parmalee finished their set, consisting of all their most popular songs, Tyler Hubbard took to the stage. Hubbard got started as a member of the multi-platinum duo Florida Georgia Line. Since the duo split in ‘22, Hubbard has utilized his award-winning songwriting and singing savvy to bolster his solo career. So far in his solo career, he has had two singles hit No. 1, “5 Foot 9” and “Dancin’ In The Country,” bringing his career total of No. 1 country singles to a whopping 21.

Tyler Hubbard performing his set.

Hubbard’s performance was phenomenal. It was like seeing two acts in one show, as he sang both his own songs and those from Florida Georgia Line’s catalogue. Hubbard was jubilantly bouncing around the stage, singing out to a crowd who was singing his catchy lyrics right back to him. In the world of country music, Hubbard is distinct for his recognizable, twangy sound and ability to be a showman. His showmanship demonstrated how he could be a headliner.

Once Hubbard wrapped up his set with crowd-favorite “Dancin’ In The Country,” the stage went dark and quiet as the crew prepared for Brown’s set. A DJ came out to spin some music and keep the opening energy up. Reflecting on the headliners, Wallace said, “They both set the mood for when Kane Brown came out. They set the hype.” 

The crowd lifting their phone flashlights.

About half an hour later, the DJ left, and we were suddenly swallowed by the darkness of the arena. The curtain separating Brown from his fans flashed white, and the eerie sound of church bells, a deep harmony, and a slithering violin commanded the space.

In the flashes of white, we saw silhouettes, but no Brown. The curtain dropped. Still no Brown. Wallace said that she “felt the thrill of excitement” as we anticipated his appearance. Finally, we heard the low tone of his voice and a silhouette descending from a platform suspended from the ceiling. Brown made an epic entrance into opening night, pumping up the crowd and setting the bar for the rest of the show, quite literally. 

“Bury Me in Georgia,” the first song on Brown’s new album, Different Man, was the first song of the tour. Nora’s father, Chris Wallace (‘93) said, “Opening with ‘Bury Me in Georgia’ was genius. I thought that song brought a high energy vibe that stuck around for the entire show. That’s as good of an entrance as I’ve ever seen.”

Brown kept up the energy with an exciting setlist. Playing songs both new and old, he kept everyone singing along. He would frequently extend his mic for the crowd and in response, the crowd sang, swayed, bounced, and raised their drinks. My dad John Adamson said that “everyone was having a good time. This was on full display when the artist engaged the crowd to sing along or clap to the music.” The audience got especially electrified when Brown brought out his wife, Katelyn Brown, to sing their hit single, “Thank God.”

Brown singing a cover of “Georgia on My Mind.”

Punctual in their movements and melodies, the band also contributed to the quality, energy, and impeccable sound of the show. Particularly, I noticed the guitarist and the fiddle player shredding on their instruments. The guitarist brought the rock’n’roll to country music, maniacally tossing his head around and sending his long curls flying. The fiddle player moved his head with the notes he was playing. He was crisp in sound and showmanship; just like the guitarist, in sync with his melody. 

The guitarist.

The light design was dramatic and edgy, using bright, laser-like features and even eruptions of fire, which were so hot that I could feel them from where I was standing in the middle of the floor section. The lights extended into the crowd, so blindingly bright that I felt enveloped. At times, when the lights were too bright, I closed my eyes and focused on the sound, which was as loud as the lights were bright and as sharply clear as the lights were pointed. As for the set, it was simple but effective, with walkways extending the stage into the crowd and a platform to lift Brown up. Everything lit up, and the video screen often was a close-up of him singing.

Brown ended the concert with his hit song “Be Like That” and thanked the crowd for coming out. As his band carried the song instrumentally, Brown interacted with fans closest to the stage, taking selfies and signing autographs. Rather than pulling away from his fans towards the end, he connected with them. However, once the song struck its last chord, Brown ran out and never ran back. I presumed that the crew was in a hurry to break everything down, as Brown had a show the next night in Pittsburgh.

Brown signing autographs.

From the venue, to the sound, to the songs, to the singer himself, there ain’t “Nothin’ I’d Change” about the experience, and I highly recommend this show to anyone looking to hear some “Grand” country music and really feel a communal love for country music “In The Air.”

All photos by Shepard Adamson.