BRELAND & FRIENDS

Tuesday March 26, 2024

@ The Ryman Auditorum in Nashville, TN

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

Outlined in its recognized nickname as The Volunteer State, Tennessee’s capital city of Nashville glows in the spirit of giving through an incredible drive of its most famous residents, many who often give their time and talents to a greater cause.

For platinum-selling, crossover sensation Breland, that meant kicking off his ‘Little More Countrier Tour’ with his third annual Breland & Friends concert event this past Tuesday night; Presented by Amazon with its proceeds benefiting Middle Tennessee’s at-risk youth through the Oasis Center.

Backdropped by the most famous atmosphere in country music, The Ryman Auditorium, the Mother Church lent its iconic aura to a stellar night that featured an amazing lineup of talent spanning multiple genres, encompassing a visual (and musical) representation of coming together from different backgrounds to perfectly blend for the benefit of another.

A sold-out crowd packed into the old church pews, amped with excitement as the interior lights dimmed and highlighted the stained-glass windows in a comforting, early evening light that embraced them as family.

With an exuberant dash onto the stage, and an enthusiastic, “What’s up y’all…we’re gonna have fun tonight!” Breland instantly grabbed hold of the aura when he opened the show with “Praise The Lord,” turning the atmosphere into a Sunday morning revival that had the entire place grooving and bopping along as his energy quickly became the focal point of the show’s first hour.

After bouncing his way through fan favorite, “Thick,” emerging talent Dalton Dover joined Breland on “Cowboy Don’t,” igniting a 90’s country honky-tonk vibe into a toe tapping melody that had everyone slapping their boots against the hardwood floor in timing with the rhythm.

"I would like to formally welcome you to Breland and Friends 3," said Breland gratefully while swirled in a deafening ovation.

With a heaping helping of guests stamping their mark on the first half of the night, Breland expertly balanced a spotlight on his own original music while showering his respect and appreciation on the several artists who joined the party.

Where Drake White placed his natural soulfulness alongside that of Breland’s on “Told You I Could Drink,” Matt Stell kept the crowd swerving along with the feel-good “Beers On Me,” surprise guest Tanner Adell accented the swampy, old timey edge of the hip hop fueled “My Truck,” and Quinn XCII made a first time appearance at the Ryman when he chimed in on “County Line.”

But Breland humbly stepped aside many times to allow the spotlight to shine on the original music of some of his closest friends, aptly introducing some of his personal favorites from their catalogs to his fanbase.

“I’m such a big fan of this next guy and am so pumped that we got him here,” Breland said as he introduced Dylan Marlowe to the stage with a noticeable appreciation in his voice, melding in harmony on Marlowe’s “Record High.”

With an anathematic, Solo cup raised performance between Chase Rice and Breland on Rice’s “Bad Day to Be a Cold Beer,” and a 90’s era, pop flavored feel good from Quinn XCII on “Georgia Peach,” two guest spots anchored the first half of the set.

When Breland brought out Avery Anna, who had been his opening act on his recent European Tour, an “Only In Nashville” moment occurred on the famous stage.

“Is it safe to say that you’ve never performed this song live, yet?” Breland asked as Avery confirmed that it would be the first time, moving her angelic voice in the opening verse of her latest single “Make It Look Easy,” before then igniting the pure angst of the chorus into a country tilted fusion that pulled rank somewhere between Paramore and Avril Lavigne.

However, when Breland circled in to take the leads on the second verse, he expertly added the male perspective to the song, making it an incredible true duet that breathed additional power into the already gripping lyric.

As the first half of the show rolled to its final song, Breland quizzically stood center stage.

“Ya know….this song is one of my absolute favorites, but I really feel like I shouldn’t be doing it by myself,” he relayed as a walls-shaking ovation radiated when he brought out Nelly for a rousing performance of “High Horse,” immediately turning the Ryman on its side as its irresistible beat raised everyone up and kept the party going as hips popped and fists pumped the air amid cameras snapping pictures and capturing video of the one-time moment.

Where the first hour was all about setting a high energy pace, the second was a snapshot of engaging versatility.

Like at the start of the show, Breland first leaned into his own catalog to kick things off with his current single, “Heartbreak & Alcohol,” but he quickly lined up his guests in what became another showing of mutual appreciation.

“For What It’s Worth” softened the set and allowed the self-reflection of the lyrics to strike their intended impact, while songwriter/artist extraordinaire Caitlyn Smith joined on “The Extra Mile,” soaring her voice at all the right moments to enhance the softer geared mode of the powerful lyrics that bent towards faith and finding positivity in life no matter what’s swirling around you.

When Grammy-nominated duo The War & Treaty hit the stage, Breland initially stepped aside and let them, as he put it, “do what y’all do,” allowing them room to tear the roof off the place with the blistering Southern Rock punch of “Lover’s Game,” before they glided their precise harmonies into Breland’s leads on “Cracks,” adding definition to the softer verses before souping up the western kissed atmosphere of the chorus as its rhythm galloped along.

A seamless juxtaposition between styles was very prevalent, whether it was when he was flanked by surprise guest Hailey Whitters on “Islands In The Stream,” transforming the venue into a soulful bliss of R&B flare with Anthony Hamilton on “The Point Of It All,” or when Josh Groban matched the expert control his renowned voice to that of Breland for a stunningly dynamic version of “Real Men Don’t Cry,” draped in only piano accompaniment that brightly shined the spotlight on both incredible voices.

Though the crowd had a super amount of fun as they screamed out every lyric with Walker Hayes and Breland during “AA” and “Fancy Like,” and also when they grooved with Breland as he closed the show with the 1-2 strike of “Don’t Look At Me” and the ultra-catchy “Throw It Back,” during which he literally became one with the crowd by leaping from the stage right down into the thick of it all, the moment that stole the entire show came during a performance of the unreleased song, “Old Man.”

“I promise that we’re gonna turn it back up, but I wrote this next song as a Father’s Day gift to my dad,” told Breland before playing “Old Man,” a heartfelt thank you note that highlights how important, and how influential to him his dad has always been.

But when his dad, Gerard Breland, strolled out onto the stage to take over the second verse, the showstopping moment had arrived. Though this normally would have already been a really cool snapshot as it was, the tears that uncontrollably flowed from Breland’s eyes while he choked up as his dad showered him with love-filled praises amid a standing ovation had created an instant “Only In Nashville” atmosphere that stamped the fact that not even Breland knew this was going to happen.

With a super supportive crowd on hand from the moment the doors had officially opened and the Ryman vestibule had begun to bubble with excitement for things to come, Breland and his uber talented friends came together to deliver the type of show that you never wanted to see come to an end.

Balancing unbridled energy that kept everyone dancing through a bevy of genre blended styles that flowed together with ease, this became an unapologetic party that Breland hosted and graciously invited all of us to be a part of.

Great music, good friends, and people who entered the building as strangers and left as family, offered a two-hour escape from the craziness of the world that shifted us to a positive induced celebration mode in a toast to another year, another job well done for the Oasis Center.

For more information on the Oasis Center, please visit their website at: https://www.oasiscenter.org

FULL SET LIST

1) Praise The Lord (Breland)

2) Thick (Breland)

3) Cowboy Don't (Dalton Dover & Breland)

4) Told You I Could Drink (Drake White & Breland)

5) Record High (Dylan Marlowe & Breland)

6) Make It Look Easy (Avery Anna & Breland)

7) Beers On Me (Matt Stell & Breland)

8) Bad Day to Be a Cold beer (Chase Rice & Breland)

9) County Line (Quinn XCII & Breland)

10) Georgia Peach (Quinn XCII & Breland)

11) My Truck  (Tanner Adell & Breland)

12) High Horse (Nelly & Breland)

13) Heartbreak & Alcohol (Breland)

14) For What It’s Worth (Breland)

15) The Extra Mile (Caitlyn Smith & Breland)

16) Lover’s Game (The War & Treaty)

17) Cracks (The War & Treaty & Breland)

18) Island In The Stream Hailey Whitters & Breland)

19) The Point Of It All (Anthony Hamilton & Breland)

20) Real Men Don’t Cry (Josh Groban & Breland)

21) Old Man (Breland & Gerard Breland)

22) AA (Walker Hayes & Breland)

23) Fancy Like (Walker Hayes & Breland)

24) Don’t Look At Me (Breland)

25) Throw It Back (Breland)

• Next