Stephen Wilson Jr. + Eric Church Brought Us Back To Red Rocks

It had been eight years since Wookie and I made the voyage to Red Rocks. With I-70 becoming the Colorado gauntlet, ticket prices soaring, and life being busy in general, seeing a show at arguably one of the best venues in the country has become a luxury – even though we only live two hours away. But when we found out that Stephen Wilson Jr. and Eric Church were playing, it was time to go back.

When I bought tickets in April, it was announced that Church was playing three nights with each night being a different vibe: 1) A full-scale production with his whole band joined by an ensemble of horns and strings. 2) A high-energy set with his original band and longtime collaborator Joanna Cotten. 3) A stripped-down acoustic show featuring Church alone on stage with only his guitar. We chose night three. I am an Erich Church fan for sure, but the big draw was seeing Stephen Wilson Jr. – the new “kid” on the block who, similar to Chris Stapleton and Hardy, has been writing songs for artists for years but didn’t have a record of his own until 2023’s Son Of Dad.

For the country fans who haven’t heard Wilson’s music yet, start with “Year To Be Young 1994.” His singing and songwriting are equally gritty and elegant – something about his voice (he barely opens his mouth when he sings) and the way he plays his beat up guitar is beautifully menacing. Also, his glasses make him look way older than he is which is comical. Son Of Dad is about his father, a former boxer who passed way six years ago, and at the show last night he told the audience about how hard it was to say goodbye. Wilson then talked about how his mother has been fighting for her life for three months following an ATV accident and that his sister, who was seated ten rows ahead of us, has been taking care of her. It was an emotional hour and I imagine that his three-night run opening for Church introduced his music to a whole new collection of enthusiasts. I hope so. He even played a Nirvana cover for crying out loud.

As we waited for Church to begin his set, the rain started. We stayed in our seats and put on our rain jackets – anyone who has been there knows that the show goes on at Red Rocks, rain or shine. About 30 minutes later, an announcement was made about seeking shelter which was hilarious because there really is not anywhere to go at that venue. The rain let up a bit and then, around 10 p.m., Church took the stage. I don’t know what I was expecting from him but he was phenomenal – charismatic, soulful, funny, and very much engaged with the audience. He kicked off his set with Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and it felt like we were in someone’s beautiful backyard with 10,000 fans. For Church to perform an intimate set like that was a big deal. He is a huge act who has won multiple Grammys, CMAs, Billboard awards, etc. and was the 2023 Country Music Hall of Fame Artist in Residence. He has this enormous following of devoted fans but last night he made us feel like he was talking directly to us. Maybe he was.

Church’s repertoire of songs is monumental – seven studio albums, two live albums, and three EPs – but he played a song he wrote the night before called “New Old Me.” He said he was probably going to get in a lot of trouble for playing it but Church doesn’t strike me as someone who follows the rules. I mean, he wears sunglasses at night. Haha! I don’t blame him – those stage lights are bright! Anyway, fifteen minutes into his set, the sky opened up and it began to pour. Like drenching, monsooning, Miami in the summer rain. But people weren’t going anywhere. He played a medley of covers that started with his song “Record Year” and then seamlessly rolled into “Tiny Dancer,” “I Love Rock & Roll,” “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” “Neon Moon,” “Piano Man” and more. Over the next hour he also played “Jack Daniels,” “On the Road,” “Mixed Drinks About Feelings,” “These Boots,” and “Atlantic City,” among other gems before Wookie and I called it at around 11:10 p.m. As we ran back to the car, water was flowing all down the stairs and through every crevice of Red Rocks. By the time we got back to our hotel, there were flash flood warnings!

This morning, we found out that Church played anther hour to a soaked audience who no doubt had to empty water out of their shoes (or boots) after the show like we did. The clothes we wore last night are still wet! Although I’m bummed to have missed songs like “Hell Of A View” and “Springsteen,” it was a hell of a show and a fun adventure with my favorite concert-going partner.

Until next time Red Rocks….