CONFESSIONS FROM A LUKE COMBS CONCERT

Confession: APRIL 24, 2026: I don’t love country music.

Crazy? Yes! One might even wonder why this uninitiated reviewer is responsible for composing a recap for county megastar Luke Combs record-breaking concert at Ohio Stadium (aka “The Shoe”), on the campus of THE Ohio State University this past Saturday (April 25, 2026).

Truth be told, as an esteemed member of Cleveland media powerhouse, CleveRock.com, I felt a duty to use my outlet perks of media comp tickets to take my Luke Combs-loving sister down I-71 to see one of her favorite performers.

Confession: APRIL 25, 2026: I am a converted country music fan.

It was, indeed, “My Kinda Saturday Night.”

Confession: I love wordplay. (Even when cheesy!)

When country artists come to Ohio, Ohioans come out to party. The Buckeye State hosts several prominent music festivals, including The Country Fest (once headlined by Combs) in North Lawrence and the upcoming Tyler Childers-headlined Buckeye Country Superfest (coming to Ohio Stadium in June). Ohio fans came out in LITERAL double-record fashion, boasting 97,367 fans, making this the largest crowd in the venue’s history, AND, the largest audience that Combs has ever performed in front of!

But….Aren’t Ohio State Football games always sold out? Yes.

How is this the most folks ever packed into The Shoe?

Simple: At football games, fans don’t sit on the field. Tonight, the setup was perfect with an “in the round” stage, allowing for ample floor seating, and dually creating zero need to block off what otherwise would have been obstructed view sections in the venue that occurs in a typical end stage setup. The stage rotated, Lazy Susan style, making the near-100k fans sitting in section 999 row ZZ having the opportunity for a slightly better view. (I won’t exaggerate and say this makes things more “intimate.” That would be irresponsible!)

One thing that separates country shows from concerts of other genres: Fans show up for the opening acts! Thelma & James, Jake Worthington, Ty Myers and Dierks Bentley got the party started. Everyone had an opportunity to stretch out their dancing legs and warm up their vocal pipes to prepare for the main attraction. The party was in high-gear before Combs made his entrance! Drinks in hand, party mode activated, the beautiful blue skies gave way to a warm night with a cool breeze post-sunset.

Combs borrowed a page out of THE Ohio State Buckeyes’ pre-game playbook, making his entrance to “Hells Bells” by AC/DC. (Of note: The classic rockers are also playing The Shoe in July!) Excitement bubbled throughout the massive stadium. Luke appropiated started this Saturday night by singing “My Kinda Saturday Night,” a single that preceded the release of his most recent album, ‘The Way I Am’ (03.20.2026; Sony Music Nashville)

Fans bought seats for the show, but they proved unnecessary. EVERYONE that was able stood the ENTIRE night from the first song until the final post-encore bow. 

Confession: I was DEFINITELY making a fool of myself. I didn’t always know all the lyrics. I didn’t care. I was having a blast!

Personal favorites from the setlist included “Going, Going, Gone,” “Beautiful Crazy,” and, of course, “Where the Wild Things Are.” No Luke Combs shows would be complete without his iconic cover of (Cleveland native) Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” which, in many interviews, Combs has noted that it was his favorite song during his formative years. Yes, it’s been played to death on the radio, but seeing and hearing Combs perform this song live is on a different level.

There are too many highlights to pack into this relatively concise review. I would be remiss if I didn’t spotlight “1, 2, Many’ during which he brought out former Ohio State Quarterback (and current Pittsburgh Steeler…BOOOOOO!!!), Will Howard, alongside wide receiver Carnell Tate, Linebacker Sonny Styles, and Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski. Howard and Wrenski joined Combs in a ceremonious beer shotgun. Clearly, that ice cold beer never broke their hearts. (What did I tell you? I love cheesy puns!)

The evening ended on a high note with a killer performance of “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma”. It was such an adrenaline rush! The music was blasting, the lights were going crazy; there was fire and smoke. It was THE finale of all finales! After the song ended and Combs left the stage, it was oh so bitter sweet. We didn’t cry because it was over. We smiled because it happened. Everyone was buzzing as we walked back to our cars! (Most likely due to the performance we all saw, but the lingering euphoria from the pre-show tailgate beers may also have been a factor.)

Country fans go hard. Luke Combs goes even harder.

Confession: I will never forget tonight. The night I became a country music fan.

All smiles, zero regrets on taking a flyer on Luke Combs. He’ll undoubtedly be one of my most listened to artists of 2026.