In many ways, Eric Church was the absolute spot-on choice to close out the RodeoHouston 2024 concert season. After all, this year’s concert lineup featured icons like Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley and Luke Bryan, up-and-comers like Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Hardy and a mishmash of genres like hip-hop (50 Cent, Bun B), rock (Nickelback) and pop (Jonas Brothers).

It was easily one of the stronger concert lineups RodeoHouston ever assembled, so it was fitting that Church – one of the most appreciated, and still, somewhat underrated artists of the modern era – closed out such a stacked concert season before a jam-packed house at NRG Stadium on Sunday night.

The only problem, albeit a good one? We could have used about two more hours.

Church’s live shows are legendary, three-hour affairs that run the gamut of rock, melancholy, hits and, at time, an outright jam band. All of these features were on display Sunday night, though it felt somewhat abbreviated because, well, it was.

Again, a good problem to have.

Nevertheless, Church took the stage and blared through a 12-song, hourlong set that somehow managed to cover one of the greatest country catalogs of the modern era. That included the old – “How ‘Bout You,” Church’s first hit single – and the new – “Heart on Fire,” one of his more recent country hits.

The highlight of the show came toward the end when Church played the wistful “Record Year,” arguably one of the greatest country breakup songs of the past 20 years, followed by the more up-tempo and slightly comedic “Cold One,” also arguably one of the greatest country breakup songs of the past 20 years.

By the time Church followed that with the show-closing “These Boots,” “Smoke a Little Smoke” and the iconic “Springsteen,” those who said to hell with rodeo traffic and stuck around to see Church ride off in the customary Ford pickup truck serenaded him with a standing ovation.

“Let him know you want him back here at RodeoHouston,” the announcer beckoned.

It would be our pleasure.

SET LIST
How ‘Bout You
Heart on Fire
Country Music Jesus
Drink in My Hand
Pledge Allegiance to the Hag
Hell of a View
Desperate Man
Record Year
Cold One
These Boots
Smoke a Little Smoke
Springsteen