California cowboy Jon Pardi took Houstonians to the honky tonk on Thursday, March 13 at NRG Stadium, punctuating his 16-song set with enough pyrotechnics and fireworks to politely singe the pearl snap shirts and straw cowboy hats in the expensive seats.
This was Pardi’s third trip to RodeoHouston, following up his 2022 and 2023 appearances. He’s well on his way to becoming a rodeo season staple.
Pardi’s fifth studio album, Honkytonk Hollywood, drops on April 11. The lead singles build upon the ‘70s Sunset Strip country sound he began to tease on 2022’s Mr. Saturday Night, full of big drums, arena rock choruses, fuzzed-out fiddles, and steel guitars.
Kicking off the night with the “Honkytonk Hollywood,” Pardi offered fans a taste of the Tom Petty via Bakersfield Sound he’s laying down right now.
“Mr. Saturday Night” is a sturdy bar fly ballad that wouldn’t have been out of place on a late ‘70s Eagles album, like “Desperado” with a Red Bull chaser.
It may have been Thursday night, but the rodeo party crowd knows it’s just the unofficial kickoff to the weekend. Pardi understood the assignment, reminding the crowd that NRG’s bars were still open before launching into “Fill ‘Er Up.”
The brand-new “Friday Night Heartbreaker” features three Southern-rock guitars and a stuttering drum beat. Pardi injected “What I Can’t Put Down” with a splash of grunge, betraying his starched jeans and shirt. “Love The Lights Out” has a streak of textbook Conway Twitty raunch dressing but keeping things a tasteful Nashville PG-13.
The country dancehall staple “Head Over Boots” brought the biggest roars of the night, with fans casually two-stepping in the aisles and hoisting sweaty beer cans in the spotlights.
Easily the catchiest confection of Pardi’s decade-long career, the tune sent the crowd off into the night before he mounted his trusty horse Link for a trot around the stadium dirt.
Setlist
Honkytonk Hollywood (New)
Mr. Saturday Night
Last Night Lonely
Fill ‘Er Up
Your Heart Or Mine
Friday Night Heartbreak (New)
What I Can’t Put Down
Cowboy Hat
Love The Lights Out (New)
She Ain’t In It
Beer Can’t Fix
Dirt On My Boots
Heartache Medication
Heartache On The Dancefloor
Night Shift
Head Over Boots
