Luke Combs – Spark Arena: August  9, 2023 (Concert Review)

Luke Combs, arguable the biggest country music star on the planet at the moment, made his NZ concert debut at Auckland’s Spark Arena and what a show it was.

According to Billboard Magazine, Morgan Wallen was the Top Country Artist of 2022, with Luke Combs a close second, but this is 2023 and Luke’s newest album, Getting’ Ol,d along with his cover of Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car has been topping country and pop charts.

Tickets to Combs’ NZ debut show, also featuring Cody Johnson and Lane Pitman, sold out in minutes, with fans desperate for tickets. Yet, I’m guessing that many music fans reading this may be totally unaware of Luke Combs, his four albums and his 15 + chart-topping singles, such is the way music is reported on, consumed and shared these days.

One thing is for sure, the 12,000 fans attending last night’s show were very aware of Luke and his songs.

When I arrived, Luke had just started his set and every person in the house was standing and singing along at full volume.

Mind you, that happens from time to time and many shows, but this continued through the entire 90 minute set.

My apologies to Cody and Lane for missing their sets, but I had a previous commitment…let’s just call it dinner with Drac…so I was running late and the road closures and orange cones around the Arena didn’t help.

Fortunately I got to my seat in time to hear One Number Away and then to hear the ever-humble Luke tell us what an honour it was for him to be here. We’ve all heard that line before, but like his songs, these words from Combs seemed genuine. Plus he was wearing a Silver Ferns cap and he had just gone to see the All Blacks play, so, congrats, Luke, you are an honorary Kiwi!

Looking around at the sea of people, it seemed most were in their 20s and 30s, many were couple and all were having the time of their lives. One couple in front of me were all over each other and I thought we were going to have to pry them apart.

Meanwhile a young lady behind me spent the entire show looking through her iPhone, recording the entire thing. Normally I would say, ‘what a waste’, but she was beaming from ear to ear, singing along to every song.  To each their own!

Combs was backed by a seven-piece band (2 guitars, pedal steel, keyboards, bass, drums) and they were solid and tight.

But it was Luke everyone came to see. And though he’s doesn’t fit the usual music star stereotypes, his every-man persona clearly connects with millions of fans world-wide,

which is why lyrics about John Deere tractors, left field home runs and fireworks in July manage to resonate with fans despite them not being American. Plus, he took a swig of beer from a cowboy boot during 1,2 Many, who doesn’t want to see that?

“How y’all feelin’ out there?” he asked us several times.

And while his banter may be a bit light, when he opened up about his songs, he hit a grand slam.

As he introduced Does To Me, he told us all to be proud of what we’ve done no matter what others think.  And after Fast Car, he related to us his journey from singing covers in University to discovering his own power as a songwriter and guitarist starting from the ripe old age of 21.

Luke Combs  is now 33 years old, he’s sold millions of records, made millions of dollars and has a wife with one child and another on the way. Yet, he can still sing about heartache…When It Rains It Pours…and he can still relate to the common man…set closer Beer Never Broke MY Heart.

The encore was another highlight…first a solo performance of Better Together, then the band returned for a rousing The Kind Of Love We Make. And before that song was over the crowd was demanding.., “one more song!”.

Of course Combs obliged with Brooks & Dunn’s Brand New Man.

Talk about a triumph. Luke Combs proved once and for all that music can unite people from all walks of life, from all parts of the planet.

“Did you have fun tonight?” he asked.

Damn straight we did.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery courtesy Oli Spencer:

Luke Combs:

Cody Johnson:

Luke Combs setlist:

1. Lovin’ On You
2. Hannah Ford Road
3. Cald As You
4. One Number Away
5. Love You Anyway
6. Going, Going, Gone
7. Must’ve Never Met You
8. Beautiful Crazy
9. Forever After All
10. Does To Me
11. Where The Wild Things Are
12. Fast Car
13. She Got The Best Of Me
14. Hurricane
15. 1,2 Many
16. When It Rains It Pours
17. Beer Never Broke My Heart
18. Better Together
19. The Kind Of Love We Make
20. Brand New Man