Morgan Wallen
June 27, 2026
Clemson, SC
Memorial Stadium
Review by Joseph Hett
Morgan Wallen Weathers the Storm for an Epic Night in Clemson
The weather was the only problem for the second night of Morgan Wallen’s historic stop at Clemson University on Saturday. The sweltering heat spawned multiple thunderstorms that passed over Clemson. The opening of the gates was delayed, prompting Jason Scott & The High Heat’s and Gavin Adcock’s opening sets to be canceled. Thankfully, rising star Ella Langley’s set was only shortened. Those frustrations melted away once Morgan Wallen finally took the stage at 10 p.m.
The stadium went dark for a humorous video opener that featured Wallen and stand-up comedian Theo Von as his stage manager. Queen’s “We Will Rock You” blasted through the stadium as buses carried Wallen and his band to the top of Clemson’s iconic grassy hill. After greeting each other near Howard’s Rock, they ran down the hill to the stage. This recreated Clemson football’s traditional game-day entrance. There was much speculation that Wallen would bring out a celebrity associated with the university for his walkout, but that did not happen.
Wallen made his way out to the massive stage that started at the end zone with a runway that ran until the 45-yard line. He started with “Don’t We” and “I Wrote the Book,” immediately setting the tone for the night. Wallen was dressed in a red sleeveless shirt with the vintage Oakley logo, black athletic shorts and a black backwards hat. It was appropriate attire for the very humid evening. It would soon get even hotter with all of the pyrotechnics.
Wallen quietly stood on the runway, surveying the packed stadium and taking it all in before welcoming everybody: “Hello everybody, my name is Morgan Wallen. I appreciate you choosing to spend your Saturday night here in Clemson with me. I know it’s been a long day. It’s been a long day for all of us in my crew. I think everything that could have went wrong backstage, went wrong. They have worked hard for I don’t know how long. I know you guys have been patient. So I just wanted to say thank you for that. Y’all make some noise for my crew!” The appreciative crowd responded with a loud ovation.
He continued with the fan favorites “I’m the Problem,” “One Thing at a Time” and “I Got Better.” It was amazing to see how Wallen could hit his notes while running around the enormous stage. Despite the delayed start and lingering humidity, Wallen’s voice remained powerful throughout the over two-hour performance, effortlessly shifting between heartfelt ballads and rowdy anthems.
Wallen made his way to the far left of the stage so fans in the obstructed-view seats could get a better view of “20 Cigarettes.” He would also return the favor to the opposite side later in the set during the Eagles-inspired and fan-voted “7 Summers.”
After “Love Somebody” and “Ain’t That Some,” Wallen made his way to the very back of the stadium to the other end zone to perform an intimate set at the B-stage. As he walked toward the back, he greeted the fans while taking selfies and signing autographs. He explained it was his way of looking fans in the eye, similar to when he played smaller venues. Armed with an acoustic guitar, Wallen performed “Cover Me Up,” “I’m a Little Crazy” and “Wasted on You.”
The LED wristbands distributed to every attendee added to the serene atmosphere. Synchronized with the music, they transformed the sold-out stadium into a sea of choreographed lights.
Wallen once again greeted fans along the opposite sideline on the way back to the main stage. His band members were introduced on the video screen: Mark “Taco” Annino (drums), Luke Rice (bass), Dominic Frost (guitar), Tyler Tomlinson (guitar), Chris Gladden (keyboard) and Tony Aichele (guitar/pedal steel). The band was dialed in and played with tremendous energy throughout the night. Wallen then brought out Gavin Adcock to party with “Up Down.”
The audience, filled with girls in cowboy boots and hats, got down throughout “Cowgirls.” Wallen kept the iconic tunes coming with “Thinkin’ Bout Me,” “You Proof” and “This Bar.”
Wallen closed out the main set with “Just in Case,” “The Way I Talk” (changed the lyrics from “California girls” to “Carolina girls”) and “I Had Some Help” (sans Post Malone).
For the encore, Wallen played the piano for the somber “Sand in My Boots.” Ella Langley came back out for a duet of their sultry “I Can’t Love You Anymore.” The band even returned wearing Clemson football jerseys for the encore.
Wallen addressed everyone one more time: “You guys have been extremely loud, extremely positive. I am extremely grateful for every single one of y’all. And I know once again it was a long day getting here. I appreciate the patience. I appreciate you giving me everything you’ve got tonight. It has been awesome. This has been a night I really enjoyed. This has been a night that makes me want to come back to South Carolina for a show one day. And I know y’all have been giving me the juice all night long, but if you have a little bit left in the tank tonight, I’ve got two songs left and I need you to bump it up another notch, all right?”
They closed the historic evening out with “Last Night” and “Whiskey Glasses.” Fireworks lit up the early Sunday morning sky.
Wallen’s Clemson stop was part of his multi-night Still the Problem Tour 2026 and marked another successful return of major concerts to Memorial Stadium. Following George Strait’s May appearance, Clemson has now hosted two of country music’s biggest names in a matter of months. If Saturday’s enthusiastic crowd was any indication, Memorial Stadium has proven it can once again be one of the Southeast’s premier venues for major concerts.