On Friday, September 29th, the Summer On The Outskirts tour stopped at Harrah’s Stir Cove in Council Bluffs, for the venue’s second-to-last show for their summer concert series. Sam Hunt brought his unique blend of country and storytelling to a sold-out crowd. Although sold-out, the band kept things intimate with a lot of crowd interaction and knew exactly what they wanted song after song to keep them on their feet dancing and singing all night long.
Sam Hunt kicked off the night with “Raised On It”. This song became famous from his 2014 debut album “Montevallo”. One of the most memorable parts of the concert was Hunt’s willingness to share the backstories of his songs. This added a personal touch to the performance and gave the audience a deeper understanding of the music.
Many of Hunt’s songs revolved around his experiences growing up in Georgia, including hits like “Kinfolks” and “Outskirts.” One of the best moments of the night was when Sam Hunt came down from the stage, making his way to the center, facing the back half of the crowd, all while still singing to us with his band. Surrounded by intimate lighting, he treated the audience to acoustic versions of “Make You Miss Me” and “Cop Car,” the latter famously recorded by Keith Urban. Both came with a bit of story telling and had the crowd in awe and cheering along to his love story. Sam also announced that in just four short weeks, he and his wife are expecting their second child.
Lily Rose, the opening act, set the stage for the night with her own brand of country music and was well received by the audience. She managed to build anticipation for Sam Hunt’s appearance and set the tone for the night.
Concert report and photos by Danielle Skorniak