MORGAN WALLEN - BRITISH SUMMER TIME 2024 // HYDE PARK, LONDON
Morgan Wallen shows why the country is cool again
★★★★★ (5/5)
MORGAN WALLEN PERFORMING AT BRITISH SUMMER TIME AT HYDE PARK, LONDON
PHOTOCREDIT: DAVE HOGAN MEDIA
Given the sea of cowboy hats and boots on Thursday night, you’d be forgiven for mistaking Hyde Park with Broadway in Nashville. The 4th of July proved to be the perfect day for the American takeover of the BST festival as Morgan Wallen took to the stage, accompanied by a star-studded lineup of support.
It was only in December that Wallen played his first-ever UK show at a sold-out O2 arena. On Thursday night, his stratospheric rise was further evident as the audience at Hyde Park was over double that capacity only 7 months later, with over 50,000 attendance.
Alongside Wallen, the lineup today is denim-studded with country superstars. Displaying the modern talent that has reignited the popularity of the genre.
Songwriter extraordinaire Ernest played an excellent set on the Great Oak Stage. Warming up the jubilant crowd in the summer sun. Many of his songwriting hits would feature in the headliner set, with cuts such as “More than my Hometown” enrapturing the audience throughout. He additionally joined Wallen onstage for the track “Cowgirls”, which aptly displayed the chemistry between the two and their ability to write songs that straddle genres.
Riley Green brought his own brand of authentic ruggedness to the proceedings. The anthemic “Different ‘Round Here” started his set, setting the tone for powerful heartland rockers. Ella Langley joined Green for a performance of the hit “You Look Like You Love Me, the chemistry and vocal prowess shown made for an attention-grabbing rendition. Tearjerking “I wish grandpas never died” saw one of the loudest sing-alongs of his performance as family photos played on the huge stage screens. Closing with a cover of Alabama's “Dixieland Delight” Green bid the crowd farewell, having no doubt gained a solid foothold of fans in the UK music scene.
With the crowd in the highest of spirits, the stage lights dipped before emblazoning the screens with the tour logo to the cheers of those in attendance.
Emerging via his infamous walkout, Morgan took to the stage to a mix of “Broadway Girls” and “Whiskey Whiskey” which then faded into a cacophony of cheers as fan excitement reached fever pitch. The following 2 hours served to show why Wallen is among the biggest names in the country music scene.
With a set list which showed why he is at the forefront of the country music revival, tracks like “I Had Some Help” have topped the charts in the U.K. showing the renewed interest in the genre.
As the set progressed Morgan’s catalogue brought together influences from R&B, rock and rap which ensured that each song felt distinct, but while still ensuring that they flowed into each other.
Complimenting the music was impeccable staging which provided an immersive experience throughout. This was aided by a brief set on a b-stage which allowed Wallen to ensure that as many fans as possible could see him up close.
Bombastic to the end, Wallen closed with “The Way I Talk” leaving the stage to a volley of fireworks which signalled the end of the stellar concert.
Tonight cemented Wallen’s place as a country superstar in the U.K., placing the performance as one of the largest country concerts ever in the country.
With a tour of Europe in the autumn and his parting words of “See you next year” fans will no doubt be eager to find the next time they can attend a Morgan Wallen concert. From the joy on the crowd's faces tonight, they’d be ecstatic if that was tomorrow.