Morgan Wallen takes over MSG

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Paul to my Linda | Wikimedia Commons

Dani Heba, Sports Editor

After a quiet but successful 2021 following controversy, Morgan Wallen kicked off his Dangerous Tour with Larry Fleet and HARDY by selling out Madison Square Garden two nights in a row on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10.

Though this article specifically covers the night of Feb. 10, both nights were very similar with respect to the songs performed.

“Dangerous: The Double Album” was the best selling album of 2021, selling over three million units despite mainstream radio not playing his music and Spotify and Apple Music removing his songs from their playlists and promotions.

Fleet opened  the concert, getting the crowd warmed up with some of his songs.

HARDY came on next and had the fans riled up and singing along to songs from his latest album “A ROCK.”

Some of his notable performances from the album included “TRUCK,” “BOOTS,” “BOYFRIEND,” “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL,” and “ONE BEER,” which he brought out Lindsay Ell for.

Then, the crowd began to get political, chanting phrases like conservative code, “Let’s go Brandon,” an expression that originated due to an inaccurate report from NBC in 2021.

HARDY acknowledged their rants, mentioning that while he and others may disagree with affairs in the country right now, “we do live in the greatest fucking country on this planet.”

Following this proclamation, he sang Blake Shelton’s number one platinum hit, “God’s Country,” which he helped write, in one of the night’s best performances.

He ended his set by singing some of his classic songs, including “REDNECKER” and “4×4.” and “UNAPOLOGETICALLY COUNTRY AS HELL.”

The crowd then waited patiently for Wallen to take the stage. When “Broadway Girls,” blasted on the speakers, Wallen’s hit single with rapper Lil Durk, fans knew his arrival was imminent.

Wallen took the stage in style, coming up from underground playing the piano intro for his hit song “Sand in My Boots.” He was received by an excited crowd, with fans screaming and singing along.

Wallen walked around the stage looking at the crowd, punched the air in excitement and received a roaring round of applause from fans anticipating an incredible performance. He then thanked everyone for coming and shouted out military service members’ names, thanking them for their service.

Wallen started off by playing hits from his “Dangerous: The Double Album,” including “Cover Me Up,” “Dangerous” and “Silverado for Sale.” He also threw in some classics, such as “Up Down” which featured Florida Georgia Line.

The on-stage theatrics were a spectacle, with fire blasting at intense moments in certain songs such as “Warning,” to which the heat was felt all the way up to the top floor. An “MW” stage lit up in different colors for each song performed by Wallen.

Fans’ excitement was persistent the whole night. When an American flag was thrown on stage, he draped it on himself to the applause of the crowd.

To close off the performance, he brought HARDY back to perform their song “He Went to Jared,” while singing some of his biggest hits, including “Heartless,” “Wasted on You” and “Whiskey Glasses.”

Following nearly two hours of nonstop performing, his drummers ripped into it while Wallen stood confidently soaking up the atmosphere of the Garden. He then thanked the crowd and the night ended.

Not too bad for a country boy in the Big Apple.