Turnpike Troubadours
NRG Stadium
March 11, 2023

They entered with little fanfare, but Oklahoma's Turnpike Troubadours showed a near-capacity RodeoHouston crowd (74,657) what all the fuss is about.

The Troubadours returned to the scene last year, following a hiatus so the band could deal with lead singer/songwriter Evan Felker's well-documented issues. This was their second Houston appearance after a swing theough White Oak Music Hall last May, and if it couldn't quite reach the exultant heights of that show, they thrilled the crowd nonetheless.

As with most HLSR gigs, it was something of an abbreviated appearance. Luckily for the Troubadours, their material is strong enough that there wasn't one so-called "bathroom break" number in the entire set. This makeshift greatest hits collection included songs from nearly every one of their previous releases (2011's Bossier City was once again absent).

This included a banging version of "7&7" (Kyle Nix's fiddle got a hell of a workout last night), "A Tornado Warning," and "Good Lord Lorrie" and many others. Bass player R.C. Edwards also got into the act with "Morgan Street," his ode to an old bar from 2012's Goodbye Normal Street.

Felker, for his part, mostly let the music do the talking. NRG doesn't exactly provide artists with an intimate setting to relate to the crowd, but other than band intros and a "How we doin', ladies and gentlemen?", the lead singer wasn't too blabby. He did throw us a bone by shouting out H-Town in "Before the Devil Knows We're Dead" ("Tell everyone in Houston I love y'all to death").
Turnpike Troubadours are one of those acts powerful enough, through presence or material, to overcome NRG's tendency to swallow them up. The band may not be much for schmoozing with the audience, but when you've got songs like "Pay No Rent" and "Gin, Smoke, Lies," who cares?

And unlike some acts (*cough* Chainsmokers *cough*), there was no need for a massive light show or pyrotechnics beyond the customary introductory fireworks. The rotating stage did feature some green lighting to offset the primarily red motif. Because everyone knows the Troubadours are proud green dirt country artists.

Not to bang on about Felker's sobriety, but holy hell are they a tight band when his head's right. People I've talked to who attended their previous HLSR appearance (2019) noted how uneven they sounded and how out of sorts the lead singer was. Last night, in contrast, they were as dialed in as they were at WOMH last year.

That jam on "Shreveport?" I mean goddamn.

I've always found it ironic that the weekend Rodeo concerts start around 6:00 and only last for an hour or so, especially with bands that could easily go for twice that long (or more). The Turnpike Troubadours gave their all to a condensed appearance, but could left so much out of their catalog that last night was mostly an appetizer for the next time they swing through Houston.

SET LIST
Every Girl
7 & 7
Before the Devil Knows We're Dead
The Bird Hunters
Good Lord Lorrie
Morgan Street
Shreveport
Pay No Rent
A Tornado Warning
Gin, Smoke, Lies
Kansas City Southern
Long Hot Summer Day