One of the biggest shows of the year rolled through the Western New York area this past Sunday night. Jelly Roll brought his Beautifully Broken tour to an appreciative sold-out crowd. Accompanying him were two of the hottest country artists going in, Warren Zeiders and Alexandra Kay.

Opening the show was Alexandra Kay.

Kay has been really making a name for herself the last few years by opening for Tim McGraw and also collaborating with musical giants Randy Travis, Jo Dee Messina, and Scott Stapp of Creed. She released her debut effort titled ‘All I’ve Ever Known’ in October of 2023. She is an independent artist and has funded the start of her career without the backing of a record label. Her 35-minute set consisted of 8 songs.

Kay came off very warm and endearing to the crowd throughout her set. She talked about writing “I Hate Airplanes” while in a long-distance relationship. She really got the crowd off on the right foot, and I expect her to keep climbing that country's trajectory to superstardom.

Up next was Warren Zeiders.

The first thing I noticed about Zeider's show was how big his production was. His stage was that of a headliner with all the bells and whistles. Almost immediately, he had pyro incorporated into the first song of his performance. His 9-song set consisted of a few new songs in “Take It to the Grave” and “Best I’ve Ever Had" off his newest release, 'Relapse.'

When Zeiders performed his first number one song in “Pretty Little Poison,” it got an overwhelmingly positive response. He closed the set with a song that put his name on the map in “Ride the Lightning.” It was impressive to see that Zeiders knows how to deliver an over-the-top quality show. That’s from an opening slot too, which makes it even more impressive. With four studio efforts under his belt already, I can’t wait to see what he can do with a headlining slot.

Headlining the show was Jelly Roll.

His rise in the country world has been meteoric in the short time he has been involved in the genre. “Son of a Sinner” was his first number one country hit back in January of 2023. Since that time, he has not only taken the country world by storm, but all genres of music. His music really crosses over to several genres, not just country music. Those genres are rock, pop, rap, and southern rock, to name a few. In 2023, his debut country album was released in ‘Whitsitt Chapel.’ He went on his first major tour last summer called the ‘Backyard Baptism Tour.’ For this tour, he upped the game by having two side thrusts that came out on each side of the stage. He also had a mini-stage setup where he opened and closed the show.

It was 9 p.m., and the lights went off, and it was showtime. One single spotlight shone on Jelly Roll as he made his way through the backstage area to the mini stage set up in the back of the arena. As he stood on the mini stage, he stopped to take in all the adoration of the fans before going into “I Am Not Okay.” What resembled a frame of a house was lowered while flames were on it. A cool effect that gave more of a direct feeling to the song. Jelly Roll made his way back to the main stage to do the rest of his set. He had Alexandra Kay join him for the song “Friends in Low Places” that Garth Brooks made famous and the Shania Twain classic, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman,” before she exited.

The spirit of positivity continued as Jelly Roll dished out some more tunes, including the fan favorite “I Need a Favor.” At one point, Jelly Roll had a message for the fans of Buffalo. He said, “Buffalo was one of the first cities that got behind me as an artist, and me, my wife, and 2 kids want to say thank you!” He also said, “Believe in the power of love and power of change. I’m living proof it can be done.” He closed the set the same way he started it, by making his way back to the mini stage to sing “Save Me.” This time instead of the fire, rain came down over him as he sang the song. An amazing effect I never seen an artist do before.

A lot of thanks were given throughout the night. All the artists were thankful for the fans who came, but the crowd was also thankful for a great night of music. It really was a night to reflect and be thankful for what you have. I sure walked away, taking the messages that Jelly Roll gave to heart. I can’t wait to see what he has in store as a new album of his will drop on October 11, 2024.

Setlist:
  • I Am Not Okay
  • Halfway to Hell
  • Get By
  • Burning
  • Son of a Sinner
  • Friends in Low Places (DeWayne Blackwell cover) (with Alexandra Kay)
  • Man! I feel Like a Woman! (partial—with Alexandra Kay)
  • Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) (Greenday cover)
  • Lonely Road (MGK cover)
  • Creature/Same As*hole/ Fall in the Fall/Wild Ones
  • She
  • Liar
  • Bottle and Mary Jane
  • Need a favor
  • Smoking Section (with Hylyte)
  • Heart of Stone
Encore:
  • Save Me

Alexandra Kay, Warren Zeiders, and Jelly Roll

Alexandra Kay, Warren Zeiders, and Jelly Roll performance at the Key Bank Center October 6, 2024

Gallery Credit: Gus - BackstageAxxess

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