With a shiny new album dropping next month, Jon Pardi and his eight-piece band came back to Houston (his third rodeo main stage) with something to say. Honkytonk Hollywood promises a new twist on the classic Pardi sound, and on Thursday, March 13 RodeoHouston got a taste of just what to expect.
No black escalade delivered the California country star to the stage. The standard firework show ensued, but Pardi was already on stage, butterscotch blackguard telecaster strapped over his shoulder, ready to play the first chord of his new album’s title track as the last few flares popped from the concert’s fiery intro. The audience seemed intrigued, though, a new song for an opener left some fans visibly disappointed, having been ready to belt out the lines to one of his many hits.
“It may be Thursday. But it’s thirsty Thursday, if you know what I’m saying,” Pardi introduced the second song of the night, “but when we play, it’s alway’s Saturday night!” “Mr. Saturday Night,” another title song, this time from the songwriter’s 2022 album, was performed as fireworks shot from the star-shaped stage’s five points.
The stage lights turned teal and purple as Jon Pardi and his band began their next song. “Shout out to all my single people out there,” the cowboy crooner remarked, “It’s going to be a party tonight! The only reason I’m saying that is because,” he paused for emphasis, “I hope it’s your last night lonely.” And with a tip of his curled brim he began strumming. Another favorite from his 2022 record Mr. Saturday Night, “Last Night Lonely” came with some mean fiddling solos, the first of many throughout the night. The song came to a close with Jon and his fiddle player back-to-back, dueling for the melody.
Pardi’s latest single, “Friday Night Heartbreaker” from the soon-to-be released Honkytonk Hollywood brought fans a new, less traditional, side of the songwriter. The crowd didn’t need to know the words to get into this one with its incredible guitar solo and plenty of pyrotechnics. .
Jon Pardi’s greatest hits closed out the night. “Dirt On My Boots” from the singer’s 2016 sophomore album California Sunrise was met with roars from the crowd, a crowd which, at this point, had darn near filled the nosebleeds. Double heartache followed, with 2019’s “Heartache Medication” and “Heartache on the Dance Floor” (2016, California Sunrise). Here a band member broke out the steel guitar, treating the audience to some sliding riffs and a dulcet, but impressive solo. Pardi finished with “Night Shift” and the ever popular “Head Over Boots”, but not before he related to the audience its relevance in their home state. “Thank you. What a night,” Pardi noted, “this song… the idea came from dance halls in Texas. I sat down and wrote these three lines and it changed my life forever.”
The singer didn’t enter the rodeo stage the traditional way, emerging from the stadium’s inner bowels in a black SUV, to be dropped off at the stage, no. And to follow suit he opted not to exit in the bed of a glossy Ford pickup truck. Instead, the western warbler climbed atop a horse and, to the tune of “Deep in the Heart of Texas” rode victory laps around the dirt field, waving goodbye, for now, to his Texas fans.
Setlist:
Honkytonk Hollywood
Mr. Saturday night
Last Night Lonely
Fill ‘Er Up
Your heart or mine
Friday Night Heartbreaker
What I Can’t Put Down
Cowboy Hat
Love the Lights Out
She Ain’t In It
Beer Can’t Fix
Dirt On My Boots
Heartache Medication
Heartache on the Dance Floor
Night Shift
Head Over Boots
Deep in the Heart of Texas (Instrumental)
