I’ve been waiting a few years for this one!
Ever since discovering Cody Johnson during the whole COVID palaver, I’ve wanted to see him live. Unfortunately, I missed him when he came to Glasgow for C2C, something I’ve been kicking myself about ever since, so when this show was announced, there was absolutely no chance I was missing him again.
Walking into the OVO Hydro, the first thing that caught my attention was the setup. I’ve been to countless shows here over the years, but I genuinely can’t remember seeing the arena laid out quite like this. Most of the floor was filled with seats, leaving only a relatively small standing area directly in front of the stage.
Now, being in that standing area was absolutely brilliant because we were incredibly close to the action, but turning around and seeing rows upon rows of people sitting down was a strange sight. Especially at a country show! I wasn’t entirely sure how that was going to work once things got going, but as it turned out, those seats wouldn’t be getting much use by the time our headliner appeared.
Before Cody Johnson, however, we had two support acts in the shape of Emily Ann Roberts and Parker McCollum.
I’ll be the first to admit that going into tonight, I wasn’t entirely sure how familiar I was with either artist. I recognised both names, but couldn’t have confidently told you many of their songs.
Well, as it turns out, I was talking absolute rubbish.
First up was Emily Ann Roberts, and the moment she walked onto the stage carrying that unmistakable painted guitar, I knew exactly who she was. Then, as the songs started coming, I realised I knew most of them too. Clearly, I’ve been listening to a lot more Emily Ann Roberts than I thought!
And what a performance she gave us.
From the moment she appeared, Roberts was full of energy and personality. She’s got a cracking voice, a fantastic stage presence and a way of interacting with the audience that makes you feel like she’s been doing this in arenas for years.
With that strong Southern accent, her larger-than-life personality and the way she carried herself on stage, I couldn’t help but think of a young Dolly Parton. Not just because of the music, but because of how naturally she entertained the crowd. She was funny, confident and clearly enjoying every minute of being up there.
She even treated us to a cover of Dolly’s ‘9 to 5’, which was an added bonus and, unsurprisingly, went down a storm with the Glasgow crowd.
What I particularly liked about Roberts was that she didn’t perform like someone who was simply there to warm up the audience for the bigger names. She took full advantage of her time on stage, had the crowd involved throughout and looked completely at home in a venue of this size.
By the end of her set, Glasgow had well and truly taken to her, and I genuinely think we’re going to be seeing a lot more of Emily Ann Roberts over the next few years.
In fact, I’ll go one further. I wouldn’t be surprised if the next time we see her at the Hydro, she’s playing her own sold-out headline show.
That’s how highly I rated this performance.
With Roberts having done a fantastic job getting the evening underway, it was time for Parker McCollum.
And judging by the reaction when he appeared, there were plenty of people in the building who had been waiting for this moment.
McCollum walked onto the stage with some serious main-character swagger, and I swear half the women in the Hydro completely lost their minds. Hahaha!
He hadn’t even properly got going and the place was already going mental.
It was obvious Parker had a substantial following in Glasgow, which was great to see. The crowd knew the songs, they knew the words, and they certainly weren’t shy about letting him know it.
And once again, I found myself recognising far more of his music than I’d expected. Apparently, I really need to start paying more attention to who I’m listening to!
Where Roberts had brought a huge personality and a playful energy to the stage, McCollum was a completely different character. He had that laid-back confidence about him, the sort of performer who doesn’t need to do an awful lot to command attention.
He sounded excellent, his band were tight, and he had the audience with him from the moment he walked out.
What impressed me was how comfortably he handled the room. There’s a big difference between playing to a crowd who are there specifically to see you and winning over an arena full of people waiting for someone else, but McCollum didn’t seem to have any trouble doing either.
There were clearly plenty of dedicated Parker McCollum fans in attendance, and by the time he finished, I reckon he’d added a fair few more.
Two support acts down, two excellent performances, and we still had the main event to come.
Now, this was the moment I’d been waiting years for.
I can’t remember exactly when I first discovered Cody Johnson, but I’m fairly certain it was through the CMT Campfire Sessions during the pandemic. I remember watching him and being absolutely blown away by his voice and the way he delivered a song.
There were two country artists who really stuck with me coming out of that whole period: Cody Johnson and Craig Morgan.
Both went straight onto my list of artists I needed to see live, and tonight I was finally getting to tick one of them off. Craig Morgan is still on there, although I have a feeling I’ll need to travel across the Atlantic to make that one happen!
Anyway, enough about my country music bucket list.
The lights went down, and suddenly, blasting through the Hydro, came that unmistakable shout of “COWBOY!” from the beginning of Kid Rock’s classic.
That was followed by a medley of tracks referencing Texas, building the anticipation before Cody Johnson and his band finally made their way onto the stage and launched straight into ‘That’s Texas’.
And Glasgow absolutely erupted.
Remember all those seats I mentioned earlier? Well, forget them. From the standing area on the floor to the very highest rows in the gods, there wasn’t a single bum on a seat.
The entire Hydro was on its feet.
It was an incredible sight, especially considering how unusual the arena had looked when we’d first arrived. Whatever concerns I’d had about a seated country crowd had disappeared in seconds.
And Cody Johnson hadn’t even finished his first song.
Watching him work the stage was brilliant. The wee two-step dancing, the way he moved between the musicians and the confidence he had in front of thousands of people. Nothing looked forced or over-rehearsed. He just seemed completely at home doing what he does best.
And my God, can that man sing.
‘Me and My Kind’, ‘Dance Her Home’ and ‘With You I Am’ followed, with Glasgow singing along at every opportunity. The band sounded fantastic, Johnson was clearly enjoying himself, and the atmosphere was everything I’d hoped it would be.
But as the show progressed, I started noticing something that I genuinely hadn’t expected.
I was getting the same feeling I get watching Garth Brooks.
Now, anyone who knows me will understand just how big a compliment that is.
I’ve been fortunate enough to see Garth live, and I’ve always maintained that nothing I’ve experienced at a concert has ever quite matched it. I’ve seen some phenomenal performances over the years, but Garth has this ability to make you feel absolutely everything he’s singing about.
It doesn’t matter whether he’s performing something upbeat or telling a heartbreaking story. Every word feels like it matters, and somehow, he manages to make an arena full of people feel like they’re all part of that story.
And here I was, standing in the Hydro, experiencing that exact same feeling with Cody Johnson.
It wasn’t that Johnson reminded me of Garth in terms of how he looked, moved or performed. It was the connection he had with the music and the audience. The way he could go from having thousands of people singing at the top of their lungs to standing quietly, listening to every word.
That’s something I’ve always admired about Garth Brooks, and until tonight, I’d never experienced it quite the same way with another artist.
Cody Johnson has changed that.
‘Dear Rodeo’ was one of the first songs that really brought that feeling home. It’s a fantastic track, and hearing Johnson perform it live was even better than I’d imagined. There’s so much emotion in his delivery, and you can tell the song means an awful lot to him.
‘Nothin’ on You’ followed before the band launched into the Charlie Daniels classic ‘Long Haired Country Boy’, which went down brilliantly. Johnson was clearly having a great time, and the audience were right there with him.
‘Human’ was another highlight for me. It’s one of those songs that doesn’t try to make life sound perfect. It’s about getting things wrong, learning as you go and accepting that none of us really have it all figured out. Johnson delivers it with such conviction that it’s difficult not to get caught up in it.
The pace picked up again with ‘Time Bomb’, while ‘Banks of the Trinity’, ‘Take Me Back (Leave Me There)’ and ‘Horseback’ showed just how much variety there is in his catalogue. There were plenty of opportunities for the audience to sing along, and Johnson seemed more than happy to let Glasgow take over whenever the opportunity presented itself.
‘The Fall’ and ‘People in the Back’ kept things moving, and I particularly enjoyed how Johnson made a point of acknowledging the fans further away from the stage. From where we were standing, we had an incredible view, but there were thousands of people sitting and standing much further back, and he made sure they were part of the show too.
‘I’m Gonna Love You’ and ‘By Your Grace’ brought us towards the latter part of the set, and by this point, I was already thinking about how quickly the evening seemed to be passing.
That’s always the problem with a show you’ve been looking forward to for years. You spend so long waiting for it, and then when you’re finally there, it feels like it’s over in five minutes!
Before the final run of songs, Johnson took time to introduce his band, giving each musician an opportunity to show off what they could do.
And what a talented bunch they are.
The solos were fantastic, with a mixture of musical styles and references that went well beyond traditional country. There were nods to ZZ Top, AC/DC, Metallica and even Eminem thrown into the mix, which was certainly entertaining.
As someone who spends a lot of time at rock and metal shows, I absolutely loved this part. It was great fun, the musicians were clearly enjoying themselves, and it gave the audience a chance to appreciate just how good the band behind Cody Johnson really are.
Then came ‘Dirt Cheap’.
Now, this is the sort of song that makes country music so special to me. It’s a story about family, memories and the things that matter more than money, and it’s written in a way that makes you think about your own life.
I’ve listened to this song countless times, but hearing it live was something else.
Johnson didn’t need to do anything particularly elaborate with it. He simply sang the song, and the lyrics did the rest. That’s something I really admire about him. He knows when to put on a show, but he also knows when to let a song speak for itself.
‘The Painter’ was another beautiful moment, with the crowd singing along and Johnson sounding absolutely phenomenal.
And then came ”Til You Can’t’.
What a song!
This was one I’d been particularly looking forward to, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
There’s a message in that song that I think everyone can relate to. We all have things we keep putting off, whether it’s telling someone how much they mean to us, going somewhere we’ve always wanted to visit or doing something we’ve been talking about for years.
The whole point is to stop waiting and do it while you still can.
It’s a powerful message, and hearing thousands of people singing it together in the Hydro was absolutely incredible.
I don’t think there was anyone in that building who wasn’t singing along, and watching Johnson deliver it with so much passion was easily one of my favourite moments of the night.
After that, we were treated to an encore which included ‘Travelin’ Soldier’, originally written by Bruce Robison and made famous by The Chicks.
Another fantastic song, and another example of Johnson’s ability to tell a story. It’s a heartbreaking track, and he performed it brilliantly.
Parker McCollum then made his way back onto the stage to join Johnson for ‘Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues’, which was a lovely surprise and a great way to bring the two performers together.
Finally, ‘Diamond in My Pocket’ brought the evening to a close.
And just like that, after years of waiting, my first Cody Johnson concert was over.
I genuinely don’t know where to start when it comes to summing up this show.
I’ve been attending concerts for years, covering everything from small local bands to some of the biggest names in the world, and I’ve been fortunate enough to witness some incredible performances.
But there are certain shows that stay with you, not necessarily because of how big the production was or how many people were there, but because of how they made you feel.
For me, Garth Brooks has always been the benchmark for that.
I’ve never been able to properly explain what it is about a Garth Brooks concert that makes it so special. It’s the songs, the stories, the emotion and the way he manages to connect with an audience. You can go from laughing and singing your heart out to standing there with a lump in your throat, all within the space of a few songs.
I’ve never experienced that same feeling with another artist.
Until now.
Cody Johnson gave me everything I hoped for and so much more. His voice was outstanding, the band were incredible, and his ability to take an arena full of people on that kind of emotional journey was something I honestly wasn’t expecting.
And I don’t think I could give him a bigger compliment than comparing the experience to seeing Garth Brooks.
Emily Ann Roberts and Parker McCollum were both fantastic additions to the evening too. I went in thinking I barely knew either of them and came away realising I’d been listening to their music for ages. Both were excellent performers in their own right, and I’d happily go and see either of them again.
As for Cody Johnson, I waited years to finally see him live, and I can safely say it was worth every minute.
Glasgow was treated to one hell of a country show, and I’m already hoping it won’t be too long before he makes his way back to Scotland.
Now, if I could just get Craig Morgan to announce a Glasgow date, that would save me a fortune in flights!
Cody Johnson: official | facebook | twitter/X | instagram | spotify | youtube | tiktok
Parker McCollum: official | facebook | twitter/X | instagram | youtube
Emily Ann Roberts: official | facebook | twitter/X | instagram | spotify | youtube
