Concert review: Rhinestones, heartbreak and a whole lot of Kacey

There are country stars who sing about Texas, and then there is Kacey Musgraves – an artist who seems to carry a little piece of the Lone Star State with her wherever she goes.

Born in the Northeast Texas town of Sulphur Springs, Musgraves brought her “Middle of Nowhere Tour” to Houston on Oct. 5, and for roughly 90 minutes she transformed the Toyota Center into a glittery, neon-lit celebration of country music, Texas weirdness, heartbreak, independence and a whole lot of rhinestones.

And, yes, there was Selena.

The production of this tour was phenomenal. The centerpiece is a large circular stage positioned in the middle of the arena floor, giving Musgraves a 360-degree relationship with the audience. A star-shaped platform sits at the heart of the circular setup, while a moving ring allows her to travel around the stage and bring the performance to different sections of the building.

There is also a smaller stage designed to look like a weathered roadside Texas bar, complete with “Middle of Nowhere” signage, reinforcing the album’s rural, Texas-inspired personality.

Musgraves’ 21-song set was a carefully balanced mix of new material from “Middle of Nowhere,” favorites and a few songs that reminded everyone why she has become one of country music’s most distinctive voices.

The evening opened with “Everybody Wants to Be a Cowboy,” immediately establishing the playful, slightly mischievous tone of the show. “Dry Spell” followed before Musgraves shifted into “justified” and “High Horse,” the latter still possessing the kind of disco-country swagger that has become one of her trademarks.

Then came the songs that turned the Toyota Center into a giant singalong.

“Merry Go ‘Round” remains one of her sharpest pieces of songwriting – a deceptively sweet song with some dark observations about small-town life. Musgraves also floated around the stage as if she was performing on an actual merry go round.  

“Butterflies” brought the mood in the other direction, while “Abilene” and “Back on the Wagon” kept the show firmly rooted in Musgraves’ country sensibilities.

“I Believe in Ghosts” and “Uncertain, TX” gave the middle portion of the concert a distinctly Texas flavor. “Horses and Divorces” added another dose of Musgraves’ trademark humor before the show moved into one of its most beautiful stretches.

“Golden Hour,” a favorite of ours, came next. There is something about hearing that song in an arena that makes its dreamy quality even more apparent. 

Then things get decidedly less country: during “Rhinestoned,” enormous mirrored disco balls descend from the ceiling, with Musgraves climbing onto one and being lifted above the crowd. It’s one of the production’s signature visual moments. 

And then came the moment Houston had to be waiting for.

“I Could Fall in Love.”

Musgraves’ performance of Selena’s classic was easily one of the night’s most emotional moments. It wasn’t treated like a novelty cover or a cheap attempt to win over the crowd. Instead, Musgraves approached the song with genuine affection and restraint, allowing the melody and lyrics to speak for themselves.

For a Houston audience, the moment carried extra weight.

And what better way to close a Texas concert than with George Strait?

“All My Ex’s Live in Texas” brought the night home with a grin. After nearly two hours of dreamy country-pop, disco beats, heartbreak, humor and introspection, Musgraves turned the microphone over to one of the state’s most beloved songs and let the Houston crowd have its moment.

It was a fitting finale for an artist whose music has always managed to occupy several places at once: country and pop, traditional and progressive, funny and heartbreaking, deeply Texas and completely her own.

Musgraves didn’t just bring the “Middle of Nowhere Tour” to Houston.

For one night, she made the Toyota Center feel like the center of the Texas universe.

We would be remiss not to mention the tour’s opener – William Beckmann. From the Texas border town of Del Rio, Beckmann is an old-school romantic with the soul of a Southern gentleman. The Texas-bred Mexican American singer, songwriter and guitarist is a storyteller at heart. His music blends Americana, alternative, country, Latin influences and dark balladry, all delivered with a warm, unmistakable lilt that makes even the heartache sound irresistible.

Setlist
Everybody Wants to Be a Cowboy
Dry Spell
justified
High Horse
Merry Go ‘Round
Butterflies
Abilene
Back on the Wagon
I Believe in Ghosts
Uncertain, TX
Horses and Divorces
Golden Hour
Loneliest Girl
Rhinestoned
Mexico Honey
Middle of Nowhere
Slow Burn
Space Cowboy
I Could Fall in Love (Selena cover)
Follow Your Arrow
All My Ex’s Live in Texas (George Strait cover)

Chad Cooper is the Entertainment Editor. Contact cooper@theexaminer.com.