Tyler Childers Brings the Heat in Triumphant Delayed Return to Raleigh

A Tyler Childers concert is always a special experience. So when Childers and his band The Food Stamps had to reschedule their April show in Raleigh for a week later due to illness, fans knew they were in for a treat at the crew swiftly made up for lost time. (See full photo gallery below.)

The Kentucky native surprised fans at Coastal Credit Union Music Park when he kicked off the night with a solo "Shake the Frost" on an alternative stage at the back of the seating area, facing the patrons on the lawn. Those general-admission fans got an intimate acoustic performance of four songs, including a rough and raw rendition of "Nose to the Grindstone."

It was a fitting way to start the show for the rootsy alternative country singer, before he and the band took to the main stage and brought up the energy with "Tulsa Turnaround," a fan favorite that is not a guaranteed setlist staple.

Fans were shocked and elated that Childers included "Jersey Giant" for the Raleigh crowd. For those out of the loop on the song's lore, this is a song that he "doesn’t play," and has never recorded for an album. But it's legacy is epic. Both Elle King and Evan Honer have made wonderful recorded versions of this song, but it has been a while since Childers played his own song live. He did play it at Kroger Field just a few nights earlier, but fans believed this was just a special performance for his home state. While on stage at Coastal, Childers explained that the Raleigh fans wouldn’t have gotten "Jersey Giant" live if he didn’t have to reschedule, because he wanted to debut it in Kentucky.

Childers played a mixture of his old and new songs throughout the night. This included songs from his latest album, Rustin in the Rain. He performed the title track, along with his latest love song, "In Your Love." The set was also filled with his from his 2022 album, Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? such as the title track and "The Old Country Church," which gets Childers dancing on stage.

As the show began to wind down, Childers encouraged fans to take in the fellowship that typically occurs at his shows and to leave with at least one new friend. He promised the crowd three more songs and then he would see them next time. The lights went down and Childers’ voice filled the amphitheater with the unmistakable intro to "Way of the Triune God." Next, they played "House Fire," which could arguably be considered his Americana version of a heavy metal song. Finally, a disco ball descended from the ceiling while Childers and the band played "Universal Sound."

It had been almost two years since Childers graced North Carolina with a performance, and it may have been worth the wait just to hear "Jersey Giant" live. Childers and The Food Stamps continue their tour in Florida and have a few other states to hit before headlining the Healing Appalachia festival in Kentucky this September.

Deer Tick, an alternative folk rock band from Rhode Island, opened for Tyler Childers in Raleigh and Charlotte. Charlie Brown Superstar DJ’d throughout the night, keeping the crowd entertained and pumped up for the night.