Luke Combs- A Flash From The Past, A Look To The Future

Last updated on October 2nd, 2019 at 11:07 am

After Luke Combs sang his final note at the Xcel Energy Center, I started wondering if this performance was Country past coming back to visit, or if it was the future of Country Music? With this Luke, it’s both.

Starting the night was Jameson Rodgers. Jameson was originally scheduled to go on 2nd, after The Cadillac Three. Either way, it didn’t matter. Both bands left the audience bored and confused, just for entirely different reasons. Jameson’s songs sounded the same— flat and, honestly, boring.

The Cadillac Three was next. If you were at a rock concert, the Nashville Trio would’ve fit in perfectly, but here their raucous guitar rifts sent the audience to go get another beer or two. The one saving grace was their hit party song, “Party Like You.”

Luke Combs and his band featured him, his band, and the music! No Dj to entertain the crowd, no overly bright and blinding light show and to set this Luke apart. No skinny jeans. In Traditional style, Luke hit the stage in a basic, everyday outfit of everything black— black cap, black shirt, And black jeans and boots

If you didn’t know it, Luke likes his beer! His set featured several drinking songs including “Beer Can, “1, 2 Many”  and, the title to this tour, “Beer Never Broke My Heart.” Showing off his beer side, he frequently held a red solo cup. He also showed off his skills of shot-gunning a beer in record time and throwing the can into the crowd, spraying fans until it landed harmlessly in some guy’s hands.

With a hit parade of ballads that includes “She Got The Best Of Me”, “Beautiful Crazy” and “One Number Way,” it’s not hard to figure out the other side of Luke. The burly big guy has a softer side to him and unique penchant for the softer side of music writing.

Nashville’s up-and-coming star clearly showed he is more than ready to take his place on top of that hill. He is out on tour in support of his upcoming album, What You See Is What You Get, which is expected to be released in early November.

Clearly schooled in the classic country setting, Luke played homage to legends David Allan Coe and Travis Tritt, along with Southern rock greats Creedence Clearwater Revival, before playing Brooks And Dunn’s “Brand New Man” (one of his biggest influences) for the 1st song of the Encore. Combs finished the night off with his hit song “Hurricane,” which could easily describe the whirlwind entrance and rise to the top for the aw-shucks North Carolinian.