Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival at Riverbend Music Center was an unforgettable summer night, with its lineup being sure to put any other concert to shame. Organized by Blackbird Presents and Live Nation, this concert series showcased artists across genres and generations – unlike modern tours where one act typically headlines while others perform support acts – but rather each Outlaw Music Festival show offered its own distinct experience.
This year’s touring version of Nelson’s popular event marked his 90th birthday and featured an impressive cast including his family, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Bob Dylan & John Mellencamp as well as Billy Strings, Brittney Spencer Celisse Southern Avenue among many others. Additionally artists supporting have included Los Lobos Elizabeth Cook Michael Franti & the Astralwerks The Avett Brothers Kurt Vile and the Violators Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats to name just a few!
At this year’s 2024 Outlaw Music Festival, the team has added jam band Bobby Weir & the Wolf Bros to select shows. Their three-month national tour will travel across cities large and small; although no Texas dates (Wheatland is scheduled for Aug 4 at Toyota Amphitheatre) exist yet diehard fans can catch them elsewhere in America.
Nelson has made this tour his signature summer vehicle for decades now, and each year his support cast is an indicator of his musical interests and tastes. Nelson has always sought to unite different societal groups through music; and this tour’s lineup embodies that principle from its theme (rivers of the world) down to those who compose its ranks.
As I watched Nelson perform at Riverbend’s Outlaw Music Festival show, it occurred to me how incredible it is that he still performs today – an icon for generations and will likely continue being an influence into the future.
The Outlaw Music Festival continues its tour this summer and will stop at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield on Sept 16 for more information and tickets. VIP packages may be purchased using promo code OUTLAW24; general tickets go on sale this Friday morning at 10am local time with tickets going on sale starting this Friday morning as well. Don’t forget to follow along using #OutlawMusicFestival on Twitter and visit their official Facebook page for further updates!