George Strait Concert Ruined by Rain, Set Cut Short

George Strait fans didn’t exactly get what they bargained for on Saturday night as the King of Country Music’s Nashville concert was upended by storms. The show, Strait’s second at Nissan Stadium this weekend, ended after he performed only 14 songs. Sets from Strait’s current tour typically run around 30 songs. He was slated to perform for two hours but wasn’t even able to play for one hour due to storms descending on Nashville.

While fans were hoping the show would either be restarted or rescheduled, Nissan Stadium officials were quick to make clear on Twitter that the event had “concluded” when a shelter-in-place order was issued after Strait performed “Amarillo by Morning.” This was the second shelter-in-place order of the night, which started with a disruption before opening act Little Big Town could even take the stage earlier in the night.

Little Big Town opted to play an abbreviated set once they kicked off the delayed event. The group played 8 songs as opposed to the typical 15 they performed during previous dates with Strait. However, they were still able to fit in favorites like “Girl Crush” and “Boondocks.”

Chris Stapleton quickly followed, but he seemed to get the planned allotment. He and wife Morgane Stapleton rolled through 18 songs, and it was as stellar as expected. However, Stapleton’s long set put Striat’s set length into question. Local weather reporters Nashville Severe Weather had been warning of strong storms ready to collide with Nashville. While Strait ended up arriving on stage early at 8:50 p.m., there was no way his planned two-hour set could be executed.

Three songs in, rain began to pour due to a pop-up shower. Strait kept his cool, keeping a relaxed demeanor. He performed cuts like “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls” and “I Can Still Make Cheyenne” with most fans unphased by the weather. (We ended up staying through seven songs, bolting after he played “Check Yes or No.” Those forecasts were not pretty, and we rightly assumed the concert was not long for this world.)

Per Setlist.fm users, the King of Country Music made it through seven more songs as the rain ramped up and the storm line neared. By 9:50 p.m., the show was ended due to lightning. Audience members were advised to take shelter in the covered areas of Nissan Stadium before having to brave the elements soon after.

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Many fans are upset about the cancellation decision, especially given the extremely high ticket prices. It doesn’t help that there was so much praise showered on Taylor Swift for waiting out a rain delay at this very same venue on May 7. Many hoped Strait would do the same. Many concertgoers knew Strait had performed a much longer set just the night before, so fans were clued in that the show shouldn’t have been so short. It’s unclear if any partial refunds will be offered as a result of the night ending sooner than anticipated.

While there was obviously no perfect way to handle the situation, organizers probably should have made more adjustments. Little Big Town’s set could have been pulled or made even shorter. As great as the band is, the number of people solely there to see them was far fewer than those there to see Strait.

As phenomenal as Stapleton’s set was, it definitely should have been cut down a bit. He even came out for two songs during Strait’s set, so fans would have gotten enough time with him. It would have also been useful to cut some of the pleasantries from Strait’s set, like the warmup music, the singer’s intro and the band introductions. And, to armchair quarterback the setlist, the Country Music Hall of Famer ought to have front-loaded the set. Fans might not have been so irked if they had at least had a chance to hear cuts like “Carrying Your Love With Me,” “Write This Down” and “Troubadour” in the abbreviated set.

While the story of the night is the disruption, it can’t be overlooked that Strait was excellent as ever. While he battled heat the night before, he strolled through Saturday’s rain-soaked set with ease. You won’t see a more effortlessly great superstar on stage than Strait, and his concert is well worth the time – you just might want to check the weather first.

George Strait Setlist – July 29, Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee

1. “Stars on the Water” (Rodney Crowell cover)
2. “I Got a Car”
3. “The Fireman”
4. “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls”
5. “Run”
6. “I Can Still Make Cheyenne”
7. “Check Yes or No”
8. “Waymore’s Blues” (Waylon Jennings cover)
9. “The Weight of the Badge”
10. “Ocean Front Property”
11. “She’ll Leave You With a Smile”
12. “Pancho & Lefty” (Townes van Zandt cover) [with Chris Stapleton]
13. “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing” [with Chris Stapleton]
14. “Amarillo by Morning”

George Strait Tour Dates 

Aug. 2: Hard Rock Live — Hollywood, Florida (with Caitlyn Smith)
Aug. 5: Raymond James Stadium — Tampa, Florida (with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town)
Oct. 21: Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Atlanta, Georgia (with Carrie Underwood, Willie Nelson and Little Big Town)
Nov. 17: Dickies Arena — Fort Worth, Texas (with Caitlyn Smith)
Nov. 18: Dickies Arena — Fort Worth, Texas (with Caitlyn Smith)

Click here to search for tickets for George Strait’s upcoming concerts.