Mountain music and Mountaineers: Luke Combs returns home

Max Correa, Photojournalist
September 7, 2021

Live music, crowds in The Rock and some of App State’s most well-known alumni all made a triumphant return to Boone Sept. 4. After two delays over the span of 1 ½ years because of COVID-19 concerns, Luke Combs made his stadium debut at Kidd Brewer for the What You See is What You Get Tour, meant to follow up his 2019 album of the same name. Supported by alumnus Adam Church and collaborators Drew Parker and Ray Fulcher, Combs sang for a crowd of over 40,000 people in the High Country, according to Parker. The former Bowie Residence Hall resident sang his most recent single “South On Ya,” live for the first time at Kidd Brewer since its release.

Hours before Kidd Brewer Stadium opened to Luke Combs fans, concertgoers kept themselves occupied at tailgates across campus, featuring cornhole, barbecues, and country music. (Max Correa)
Concert attendees hydrate creatively. (Max Correa)
Performers also did not shy away from a beverage or two on the main stage. (Max Correa)
Max Correa
Max Correa
Drew Parker, co-writer of Luke Combs’ debut album, helped warm up the crowd of 40,000 early in the show. (Max Correa)
Parker engaged with the enthusiastic crowd, eager to hear live music after a year and a half of delays. (Max Correa)
Despite concerns about COVID-19 spread from App State students and employees, fans were happy to travel to The Rock for the show. (Max Correa)
Ray Fulcher, another collaborator of Combs’, helped fill in the second act with songs like “Anything Like you Dance,” “Girl in It” and “Somebody Like Me.” (Max Correa)
Fulcher gifts an autographed setlist sheet to a fan in the pit. (Max Correa)
Combs opened with a cover of Alabama’s “Mountain Music,” before pulling songs from his own repertoire. (Max Correa)
Students were excited for the concert after the 1 ½ year long delay. (Max Correa)
Other notable songs Combs performed included “When It Rains It Pours,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart” and “Houston, We Got a Problem.” (Max Correa)
Fans were ecstatic as Luke Combs invited collaborator Drew Parker on the stage to help perform “1, 2, Many.” (Max Correa)
The former Bowie Hall resident opened his encore with a cover of alumnus Eric Church’s “Carolina.” (Max Correa)

Clarification: This story has been updated to add attribution for the estimated attendance.