Introduced to the stage with red fireworks and a roaring crowd, country singer Thomas Rhett headlined Fenway Park on July 19 as part of his Better in Boots Tour. The 25-show tour will take the artist to over 20 states over the course of three months, with Boston as the 15th stop.
While he is of course singing tunes from the entirety of his career, the tour celebrates Rhett’s seventh studio album, About a Woman, released in August of last year.
The Georgia native, wearing a Red Sox hat, opened the night with the tour’s titular song: “Boots.” Rhett’s voice electrified the crowd as fireworks painted the stadium red—on brand for a Fenway gig.
“No, wouldn’t be caught dead two-steppin’ in designer shoes / Because my baby liked me better in boots,” sang Rhett.
Rhett followed that with the summer anthem “Make Me Wanna.” Despite having been released over 10 years ago, the song remains a staple on country fans’ July playlists.
“Where are all the country girls in Boston tonight?” inquired the 34-year-old, to which the female-dominated crowd roared in response.
The award-winning country star then turned up the sound with an electric guitar–heavy version of the 2015 track “Crash and Burn.”
“It’s the sound of teardrops fallin’ down, down / A slammin’ door and a lesson learned / I let another lover crash and burn,” sang Rhett.
Throughout the course of the night the crowd sang along to hits such as “Look What God Gave Her,” “Life Changes,” and “Half of Me (feat. Riley Green),” proving that Rhett’s fanbase is nothing short of loyal. Light-up bracelets tinted the stadium, shifting colors as fans swayed their arms left to right.
“Now I’m going to sing a song I put out about three weeks ago,” said Rhett. “This song is called ‘I Only Wanna Dance With You,’ and I’m singing this song so all the dudes in the house can dance with the people they brought tonight.”
The couples all around, wearing their cowboy hats and boots, snuggled and twirled to the tune.
“Lose Control” singer Teddy Swims—who opened alongside Tucker Wetmore and The Castellows—joined Rhett on stage to perform “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Woman.” Their voices harmonized wonderfully, and the crowd roared their appreciation. Rhett and Swims not only sang but also engaged with the audience, dancing enthusiastically, and closed the performance with a hug—a symbol of their bond both on and off stage.
In the final moments of the night, Rhett changed from his very country-looking denim shirt into a Red Sox jersey, once again showing his appreciation for the city. But that wasn’t all—the singer also wrote a heartfelt letter to the people of Boston.
“Pretty sure I have played most every venue this town has to offer,” Rhett said. “From the House of Blues … to arguably my favorite show ever two years ago at TD Garden, and to cap all that off, getting to headline here tonight alongside my brother Teddy Swims is something I may never wrap my head around. So if I said ‘I love you’ too many times tonight, it’s because I’m not sure how to fully express how much this city means to me.”
Riding on the emotional wave, Rhett tied the night with his breakout hit “Die a Happy Man.”
Tears were shed, boots were stomped, and the crowd went through a collective rollercoaster of emotions at the show.
“Lord willing, we will get to do this many more times,” said Rhett, “but on the off chance we don’t, I get to say that my wife and kids watched me headline Fenway Park and hopefully that gives me street cred with my grandkids one day!”