Jelly Roll Ends ‘Beautifully Broken Tour’ With Sold-Out Bridgestone Arena Show
Jelly Roll brought his “Beautifully Broken Tour” to a close last week with a grand finale: a sold-out night in his hometown’s Bridgestone Arena. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter ended the tour with a “family reunion,” inviting a myriad of guests for the special night.
The evening opened with a set from Alexandra Kay, who has regularly toured with Jelly Roll and steadily built her fanbase as an independent artist. Later in the night, Jelly Roll mentioned that Kay had recently signed a record deal, though no official announcement has been made yet.
Ernest, another Nashville boy, hit the stage next. He played a mix of his signature tunes and those he’s penned for other artists, illustrating the magic of Music City. In one of the night’s first surprises, he invited his frequent collaborator and friend, Morgan Wallen, to the stage. Wallen, who was recently named the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year for the first time, performed alongside Ernest on their hits together “Flower Shows” and “Cowgirls” before Ernest closed his set with a cover of Hank Williams Jr.‘s “Family Tradition.”
When it came time for Jelly, a booming voice spoke over the speakers, welcoming the crowd of “outcasts” to come together. Jelly made his entrance by walking through the crowd, flanked by family and friends, reminiscent of a boxer heading into the ring. He high-fived his way through the crowd to a small stage at the back of the room, kicking off the show with “I Am Not Okay.” A skeletal frame of a house, engulfed in flickering flames, descended around him as the atmosphere ignited. The audience was already in the palm of his hand.
“There’s no place like home, baby!” Jelly said, taking in the room.
Jelly made his way to the main stage as the band took off. He joined just in time for the first verse of “Halfway to Hell,” one of the six No. 1 hit songs he’s collected in just three years.
He rolled through fan-favorites in his catalog, “Get By,” “Burning” and his first-ever chart-topper “Son Of A Sinner” before taking a chance to share how country music came into his life via his mother. Jelly played a medley of “Friends in Low Places” and “Lonely Road / Take Me Home, Country Roads,” inviting Ernest back out to join in the fun. A highlight came when Jelly performed Brooks & Dunn‘s “Believe,” which was one of the night’s best moments during the CMA Awards the week before.
Later in the show, he turned his attention to his rap influence, taking time to play some jams from his early career and invite out longtime collaborators Struggle Jennings and Yelawolf. When Jelly Roll leaned into the rap side of his music, embracing its raw edges and grittier persona, his artistry and confidence glimmered.
He also shined when he was connecting with the audience, which was a lot of the time. He recognized familiar faces, responded to shouts of admiration, and engaged with fan-made signs. During a standout performance of “Winning Streak,” he highlighted messages of sobriety from fans, holding up signs like “Six Years Clean” and “You helped save our dad! He is seven years sober,” creating powerful, emotional moments that resonated deeply with the crowd.
In one of the night’s biggest surprises, he invited out the iconic Snoop Dogg to celebrate Jelly’s homecoming night. Snoop rolled through his hits “Next Episode,” “Drop it Like it’s Hot” and “Gin and Juice” with a freshly-rolled joint in hand. He and Jelly then performed a new song they have coming out, “Bottle and Mary Jane.”
In addition to Snoop, Jelly invited out special guest Skylar Grey to perform their touching “Past Yesterday,” and Keith Urban to play on “Don’t Want To” and “Liar.”
After thrilling the crowd with “Need a Favor” and “Heart of Stone,” Jelly made his way back to the small stage. He closed the special show with “Save Me” as rain from the house frame poured around him. Fans swayed and sang to the top of their lungs as he looked around the massive room.
“Let’s do it at Nissan Stadium next time,” the Nashville native called out with a grin, leaving fans with a warm sense of togetherness, fully entertained and perhaps even feeling a bit of a contact high.
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