Treaty Oak entertained at the Toyota Center on New Year's Eve. Credit: Clint Hale

A Treaty Oak Revival concert is a little more than that. Sure, Sam Canty and his bandmates play many of the songs that have contributed to their star rise in short order, from West Texas cover band to an absolute supernova in the country-rock ranks. And, yeah, people sing along.

The show itself, however, is more akin to an experience than a garden variety live music show. New Yearโ€™s Eve at the Toyota Center on Wednesday night was no exception.

Treaty Oak blasted into 2026 with a 20-song, 90-minute set that spanned the quintetโ€™s three-album catalog, most notably, Novemberโ€™s West Texas Degenerate, which has helped elevate the band from honky-tonks and opening slots to arena headliners.

If New Yearโ€™s Eve was any indication, theyโ€™re up to the task.

Canty and crew jumped right in with a crowd favorite (โ€œHave a Nice Dayโ€) before moving into more popular (โ€œMissed Callโ€) and newer fare (โ€œWest Texas Degenerateโ€). Crafting a setlist on the heels of a new album is no easy feat; you have to mix the old with the new and keep the crowd engaged.

Fortunately, Treaty Oakโ€™s new album is as strong as their first two, so tracks like โ€œMisery,โ€ โ€œWithdrawalsโ€ and โ€œDosinโ€ fit right in alongside stalwarts such as โ€œIn Between,โ€ โ€œNo Vacancyโ€ and the show-closing (and riotous) โ€œSee You in Court.โ€

Treaty Oak has launched a 2026 nationwide tour in support of West Texas Degenerate, and while no Houston area dates are currently on the bill, hereโ€™s hoping that changes in short order. If New Yearโ€™s Even was any indication, its local fans want even more.

Overheard in the Crowd: Well, for starters, a ton of young people were singing along to Creedโ€™s โ€œOne Last Breath,โ€ which played between Green and Treaty Oakโ€™s sets. Who knew my high school years were back in such a big way? โ€ฆ Otherwise, nothing much heard, but seen. If youโ€™re gonna attend a Treaty Oak show, either wear a raincoat or something you donโ€™t mind getting messy, as the drinks are flying in the crowd all night long!

So, How was the Opener?: William Clark Green is a rising star unto himself. The Texas Tech grad was quite excited to prop up his Red Raiders, who play in todayโ€™s big Orange Bowl game against Oregon, and he even joined Treaty Oak on stage for its rendition of โ€œWest Texas Degenerate,โ€ which Green co-wrote.

Random Notebook Dump: The concert got off to the right start, as Miami upset Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl minutes before Treaty Oak took the stage. That didnโ€™t exactly upset those who ducked into the concourse to watch the fourth quarter โ€ฆ โ€œOde to Bourbonโ€ is the best and most poignant Treaty Oak song by a mile, but โ€œSunflowerโ€ certainly makes a run at it โ€ฆ Props to the parents in front of us, who definitely were NOT Treaty Oak fans, who braved the show to support their daughters, who definitely WERE Treaty Oak fans. Itโ€™s all about family at the holidays … Bumping the show back a little to play into the actual new year was a nice touch, and the countdown to 2026 was well done.

Setlist:
Have a Nice Day
Missed Call
West Texas Degenerate
Happy Face
Port A
No Vacancy
Iโ€™m the Worst
In Between
Boomtown
Withdrawals
Stop and Stare
Bad State of Mind
Dosin
Sunflower
Misery
Fishnets
Blue Star
Ode to Bourbon
See You in Court (Encore)

Clint Hale enjoys music and writing, so that kinda works out. He likes small dogs and the Dallas Cowboys, as you can probably tell. Clint has been writing for the Houston Press since April 2016.