Country star Morgan Wallen plays his big hits at Wells Fargo Arena with fireworks and flames
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As red, white and blue lights blazed over the audience and the speakers pulsed with the lyrics "leave them Broadway girls alone," the screams of the crowd made it clear the audience had no intention of leaving Morgan Wallen alone as the opening track transitioned into his first performance.
Wallen rose out of the floor of the stage at Wells Fargo Arena, playing piano and singing "Sand In My Boots," accompanied by an audience waving cellphones in the air in time with the music.
Wallen then kicked things into high gear with another set of songs, lighting the stage with literal fireworks and flames and shouting barely audible greetings to the crowd.
“Last night, we were in Green Bay. That was a great crowd, but you all might give them a run for their money…" Wallen said as the crowd began booing Green Bay. "You all didn’t let me finish. I was trying to give you a compliment.”
Wallen — known for hits like "The Way I Talk" and, more recently, "Don't Think Jesus" — took the Wells Fargo Arena stage on Friday night. Fellow country musicians Larry Fleet and Ernest opened for Wallen, and both reappeared to perform on stage over the course of the show.
This appearance was part of "The Dangerous Tour," named for Wallen's 2021 "Dangerous: The Double Album," which included 30 tracks and garnered him two wins at last year's Billboard Music Awards for top country artist and top male country artist.
After Fleet welcomed the audience with songs like "Lifetime Guarantee" and "Where I Find God," he reminded audiences that he'd performed at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater at last year's Iowa State Fair and briefly evangelized the quality of the fair's corn dogs to the audience.
After Fleet took his bow, Ernest took the stage with his own songs, like "Sucker For Small Towns" and "Tennessee Queen."
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“You all ready for my boy, Morgan Wallen?" Ernest asked the crowd during his time on stage. "I bet. I put money on it that this place gets louder than it’s ever been, I guarantee it.”
It was just after 9 p.m. when Wallen took the stage and, as Ernest predicted, the crowd went wild.
Over the course of his time on stage, Wallen performed more than a dozen songs including "Up Down," "Chasin' You," and "Somebody's Problem."
Morgan Wallen invited back to the Billboard Music Awards
Though Wallen shared numerous anecdotes while on stage — such as learning how to play guitar, writing songs with Ernest and moving to Nashville — he didn't mention the Billboard Music Awards news that broke earlier in the day.
The same day as Wallen's Des Moines performance, news broke that Wallen would be included in the line-up for this year's awards. This news came in spite of the fact that in early 2021, Wallen was recorded using a racial slur that, at the time, got him barred from last year's event.
Following the release of the footage, Wallen posted a video apologizing for the incident on his Instagram account.
"The very people I hurt, they had every right to step on my neck... to not show me any grace, but they did the exact opposite, they offered me grace and they also paired that with an offer to learn and to grow," Wallen said in the Feb. 10, 2021, video. "Our actions matter, our words matter and I just want to encourage anyone watching to please learn from my mistake. There's no reason to downplay what I did, it matters and please know that I'm carefully choosing my next steps."
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Wallen subsequently reported taking steps toward staying sober and intentionally spending some time away from the limelight.
“We oppose discrimination, harassment, or racism of any kind,” reads an April 29 statement to Billboard from MRC Live & Alternative, one of the producers of the show, addressing Wallen's inclusion in this year's event.
“We believe in treating everyone with dignity and respect," the statement continues. "After a thorough review and robust discussions internally and with the artist’s team, in which we found a demonstrated and ongoing commitment to meaningful work and outreach, we extended an invitation to participate in this year’s show.”
Those interested can tune into this year's Billboard Music Awards on NBC at 7 p.m. on May 15. The show will also be streamed live through Peacock.
Encores and more
During his Des Moines show, Wallen initially appeared to exit after a raucous performance of "The Way I Talk," before returning to the stage for an encore with "Heartless," "Wasted On You" and "Whiskey Glasses."
As the show wrapped up in a dazzling display of pyrotechnics and musical showmanship from Wallen's band, the country artist gave his final remarks to the fervent crowd.
“Thank you so much, god bless you, Iowa!" Wallen shouted. "I can’t wait to come back here to Iowa, thank you!”
Morgan Wallen setlist from Des Moines
“Sand in My Boots”
“Up Down”
“Dangerous”
“Still Goin Down”
“Silverado for Sale”
“7 Summers”
“Country A$$ Shit”
“Somebody's Problem”
“Chasin' You”
“865”
“Cover Me Up” (Jason Isbell cover)
“Flower Shops” (Ernest Keith Smith cover)
“Where I Find God” (Larry Fleet cover)
“Don't Think Jesus”
“This Bar”
“More Than My Hometown”
“The Way I Talk”
“Heartless”
“Wasted on You”
“Whiskey Glasses”
Isaac Hamlet covers arts, entertainment and culture at the Des Moines Register. Reach him at ihamlet@gannett.com or 319-600-2124, follow him on Twitter @IsaacHamlet.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Morgan Wallen plays his country hits at Des Moines' Wells Fargo Arena
