It’s not every day that you see cowboy hats in midtown Manhattan. But on Thursday, October 2nd, the streets around Radio City Music Hall hosted a sea of country attire as crowds dressed up and went out for Jordan Davis ’s debut performance at New York’s most iconic venue.
Radio City is a bucket list stage for any artist, and Davis is no exception. The Louisiana-born singer-songwriter behind a shocking number of 2010s radio bangers brought a laid-back, country boy energy to the iconic art deco grandeur of Radio City, and in doing so he proved that it really is New York or Nowhere: this city will welcome anyone who is strong enough to survive it, including a country boy singing about slow dancing in a parking lot after a Yankees win.
From the very first song, Davis struck a tone that was both deeply nostalgic and joyfully present, and he never let up. For those who grew up listening to his music during the 2010s, this show was an unexpected opportunity to hear the tracks they used to sing in their cars brought to life on the world’s most famous stage. It was a delightfully unserious show for such a historic venue, the kind of performance where every band member onstage is not only at the top of their game, but visibly having the time of their lives. That excitement was contagious, and it set the tone for a raucously enjoyable evening. Turns out, country music at Radio City is incredibly fun.
One of the highlights early in the evening was the performance of “Turn This Truck Around,” set against a visual backdrop of back roads and neon gas stations. It brought a strong sense of nostalgia, particularly for those who remember the particular thrill of blasting country music on teenage joyrides.
Davis played the hits and more as the set went on. In one of the most heartfelt moments of the night, he introduced his wife and children before performing the heartfelt Next Thing You Know, and brought out Carly Pearce for a duet of Mess With Missing You, a surprise that had the crowd buzzing.
In one particularly charming segment, Davis took the concept of covering a song several steps further and, after explaining the concept of a burnt CD to those in the crowd too young to have ever made them, played a whole medley of covers pulled from the burnt CD’s of his younger years. The crowd roared for Matchbox Twenty’s “3AM” and Brooks & Dunn’s “Red Dirt Road”, but what was most tantalizing about this segment was how clear it was that Davis was living out a teenage dream of playing his favorite songs onstage at Radio City Music Hall. It was incredible to witness; a powerful reminder that even the most personal dreams can become real, especially when shared through music.
Overall, Jordan Davis ’s Ain’t Enough Road Tour at Radio City was a celebration of something much bigger than Davis himself, or even of country music as a genre. It was a testament to how great music is able to transcend genre and geographical boundaries, and proof that when an artist performs with honesty and heart, the music finds its audience – whether that audience is teenage drivers blasting radios on back roads or a packed crowd under the lights of Radio City Music Hall.
To check out future shows of the Ain’t Enough Road Tour, go to https://www.jordandavisofficial.com/tour.
