Country star Cody Johnson rocks sold-out Grand Casino Arena
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ST. PAUL -- In front of more than 15,000 screaming fans, country star and Texas native Cody Johnson turned Grand Casino Arena into a massive singalong Saturday night, delivering a 24-song set that blended his Texas roots, traditional country influences and high-energy stage presence.
Johnson wasted little time getting the crowd involved.
Opening with "That's Texas," Johnson had fans on their feet from the opening notes before moving into "Me and My Kind" and "Dance Her Home." The momentum continued with "With You I Am," "Dear Rodeo" and "Nothin' on You," giving the crowd one familiar song after another to sing along to.
The performance followed opening sets from Chayce Beckham and Clint Black, who helped get the crowd fired up earlier in the evening. But once Johnson took the stage, the energy inside the arena reached another level.
Chayce Beckham got concertgoers energized early.
Throughout the night, Johnson mixed his own hits with songs that paid tribute to the artists and traditions that helped shape country music.
One of the early highlights came when Johnson performed "Long Haired Country Boy," originally recorded by The Charlie Daniels Band. He then returned to his own catalog with "Human," "Thank Somebody Country" and "Time Bomb."
Johnson continued through a mix of fan favorites, performing "Banks of the Trinity," "Horseback," "Take Me Back (Leave Me There)," "The Fall," "People in the Back" and "I'm Gonna Love You."
He followed with "By Your Grace" before giving the crowd another chance to join in with "God Bless America," the Irving Berlin classic.
The concert also featured a memorable visual moment when the massive screen behind the stage displayed a tribute image of late country music icon Dolly Parton.
The image briefly shifted the focus away from Johnson and toward one of the most recognizable figures in country music history, adding another layer to a performance that frequently celebrated the genre’s past while showcasing its present.
Johnson then introduced his band, giving each musician an opportunity to take the spotlight during a series of solos before returning to the final portion of the set.
The latter stages of the performance featured "Dirt Cheap," "The Painter" and "'Til You Can't," keeping the crowd engaged as Johnson moved toward the end of the main set.
But Johnson wasn’t finished.
He returned to the stage for the encore with "Travelin' Soldier," a song written by Bruce Robison and famously recorded by the Dixie Chicks. He closed the night with "Diamond in My Pocket," giving the crowd one final opportunity to sing along.
After 24 songs, Johnson walked off the Grand Casino Arena stage to a crowd that had spent much of the night on its feet.
From the opening notes of "That's Texas" to the final notes of "Diamond in My Pocket," Johnson delivered the kind of performance his fans came to see -- loud, energetic and deeply rooted in the country music tradition.
For more than two hours, Grand Casino Arena wasn’t simply a venue. It was a room full of country music fans singing, dancing and celebrating the music together.