Sturgill Simpson Proves Himself a Bonafide Rockstar During Bridgestone Arena Showcase

Sturgill Simpson is punctual.

On Friday night (Oct. 25), during his Bridgestone Arena showcase in Nashville, Tennessee, the enigmatic singer-songwriter took the stage at 8:00 p.m. on the dot, his shadowy figure gracing the dimmed spotlight against the roar of a packed house.

Brevity may have gone out the window that night, but the man was on time.

For well over three hours, the artist put on a career-spanning set, peppering in some classic covers and many of his recent Johnny Blue Skies offerings, for an expansive 36-song showcase. His ongoing Why Not? Tour marks his first outing in four years, and along the way, he's been making up for such a dry spell.

He kicked off the night with the high-energy opus, 'Railroad of Sin', from his 2013 debut album, High Top Mountain. From there, he bounded into 'Brace for Impact (Live a Little)' from 2016's A Sailor's Guide to Earth and then traded places with his alter-ego Johnny Blue Skies for a bewitching take on the Passage du Desir hit, 'Mint Tea.'

The night went on like this, the star shuffling between years-worth of Simpson classics, fresh Blue Skies bops, country-folk standards and some surprising covers.

The entire showcase was a band-wide effort, Simpson accompanied by his longtime touring outfit, comprising guitarist Laur Joamets, bassist Kevin Black, drummer Miles Miller and multi-instrumentalist Robbie Crowell on keys and saxophone. Together, they amplified each number, making transcendental moments out of mere songs with heady jams and sweeping instrumentals.

For much of the hours-long set, Simpson was dialed in, barely taking a breath between each number; and it wasn't until an hour-and-half in that the artist finally spoke, addressing the audience with a controlled gratitude.

He said his "thank you's," adding that there was a time not too long ago when he wasn't sure if he'd ever perform live again and calling the past couple of years "pretty damn dark."

In 2021, Simpson announced that he had ruptured his vocal chords, forcing him to cancel a slate of scheduled tour dates and take an extended leave from the road. Now, back under the spotlight, he seemed comfortable, collected, and above all, appreciative.

His quick words to the crowd were followed by another two hours of nonstop music, the artist only halting briefly to break up an altercation in the pit. "Hey, hey, hey," he shouted during a ripping performance of 'Fastest Horse in Town'. "We came here to have a good time. Chill the fuck out!"

He then took the tempo down a notch with a cover of Procol Haram's 'Whiter Shade of Pale', but not before telling the aggressors: "One asshole at a time, and right now it's my turn ... You don't wanna see me go all Axl Rose and jump off this fucking stage."

The latter half of the show was punctuated by vibrant retellings of hearty Sturgill standards like 'Mercury in Retrograde' and 'Breakers Roar', dazzling Blue Skies epics like 'One for the Road' and 'If the Sun Never Rises Again' and captivating covers of Prince's 'Purple Rain' and the Doors' 'L.A. Woman'.

The rippling Metamodern Sounds in Country Music opus, 'It Ain't All Flowers', and the rollicking A Sailor's Guide to Earth anthem, 'Call to Arms', marked the show's closers, capping off another unforgettable night of the Why Not? Tour.

All-in-all, it was a no-frills endeavor – there was no thrilling stage set-up or impressive light displays, just the man, the myth and his music. The night saw Simpson prove himself every bit the rockstar, something he likely never set out to be but a distinction that suits him all the same.

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For more on Sturgill Simpson and Johnny Blue Skies, see below: