Kenny Chesney’s Here and Now Tour Setlist: Crafting the Perfect Concert Experience

Kenny Chesney has long been synonymous with unforgettable country concerts — stadium-packing spectacles that capture the emotional pulse of his audience. But with his 2025 residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, Chesney is entering a bold new era of performance. Leveraging state-of-the-art audio-visual technology and an iconic catalog spanning 30 years, he's curating a setlist unlike anything fans have experienced before. Here's a backstage look at how the country icon is building the ultimate concert experience for his No Shoes Nation fan club.

Kenny Chesney's concert playlist is part science, part soul. With 20 years of stadium experience behind him, he knows that the right song at the right moment can turn a concert into a memory that lasts a lifetime. As Kenny Chesney settles into his 12-show residency at Sphere, which began on May 22, he's approaching his catalog with a renewed perspective.

With Sphere offering a 160,000-square-foot LED screen and 167,000 speaker drivers, song choices are guided not just by emotion but by visual and acoustic potential. Chesney is gravitating toward tracks that reflect themes of personal freedom, resilience, and redemption — songs that feel “real and true” in this immersive setting.

The residency is giving Chesney the license to rethink the show's structure, as Sphere lends itself to storytelling. As a result, Kenny Chesney's live performance selection balances high-octane crowd-pleasers with introspective songs, leveraging the venue's tech to deepen the narrative.

While innovation is central to this residency, some things remain unchanged — certain songs are simply essential. Chesney's most-performed tracks continue to anchor his shows for good reason. These hits, with staples such as “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems,” “When the Sun Goes Down,” and “Summertime,” ignite instant recognition and sing-along energy. 

These songs are more than chart-toppers; they're anthems for the No Shoes Nation and integral to the live experience. Whether they open the show, close the night, or mark a pivotal midpoint, these tracks unify fans across generations. They're expected — and when delivered, they reward the crowd's loyalty.

Introducing new music into a setlist is always a balancing act, and Chesney approaches it with intention. With 15 studio albums and more than 30 top 10 hits to his name, room must be made strategically. His latest single, “Just To Say We Did,” is climbing toward the top 20 and is a likely contender for the Sphere setlist.

Rather than dropping new material into any slot, Chesney often surrounds it with fan favorites to ensure sustained energy. This gives audiences a breather to absorb something unfamiliar while remaining engaged. He's also known to craft new songs around personal stories, which keeps fans emotionally invested.

Die-hard fans know that Chesney's deep cuts often shine brightest in live settings. Songs such as “You Don't Get To,” “Dancing For The Groceries,” “Wife And Kids,” “Seven Days,” and “I Remember” may never top charts, but they resonate deeply with longtime listeners.

At Sphere, these deeper tracks take on new life. The format allows Chesney to slow down and highlight the lyrical storytelling that might get overshadowed in a stadium. These moments foster intimacy, rewarding loyal fans with songs they rarely hear live.

Including deep cuts also gives Chesney flexibility. They let him shift his tone, address personal or social themes, and keep each show feeling unique. As fans often point out, it's in these quieter, less commercial songs where Chesney's artistry usually shines brightest.

Performing at Sphere isn't just about putting on a concert — it's about orchestrating an immersive event. The venue's curved LED screen creates an unparalleled visual environment, prompting Chesney to reimagine his visuals and pacing completely.

Chesney's team is rerecording every video segment using a patented Big Sky camera that requires a 12-person crew. He's also adding four songs that have never been performed live before, specifically chosen to highlight the immersive technology.

The venue's format also encourages pacing adjustments. Rather than rapid-fire hits, Chesney can structure the show like a journey, building arcs, pausing for reflection, then reigniting energy.

Chesney's relationship with his fans has always been collaborative. No Shoes Nation isn't just a fanbase — it's a feedback engine. Through social media, fan clubs, and direct engagement, Chesney consistently gathers input. “I have always said No Shoes Nation is voracious in how they consume our music and the live shows, especially in the stadiums. But now we have the potential with the way this theater is built, along with the super high‑definition screen and sound, to almost have the music consume No Shoes Nation,” he noted during residency prep.

Over the past three decades, Chesney has evolved from a small-stage troubadour to one of country music's most formidable live performers. He has sold over 18 million concert tickets since 2002 and, as of 2023, has grossed over $1.17 billion in live performance revenue. With over 30 million album sales, he placed himself among country's all‑time greats.

As his music has matured, shifting from beach anthems to introspective ballads, so has his stagecraft. Early tours emphasized crowd energy and beach vibes. More recent shows have leaned into narrative, supported by improved lighting, choreography, and video.

Sphere represents the next frontier. Instead of adapting a show to a stadium, Chesney is crafting it specifically for an immersive, cinematic venue. With its wraparound screen, spatial audio, and fully programmed visuals, Sphere enables new forms of expression, letting Chesney fuse song, story, and spectacle in real-time.

In building his setlist for Sphere, Kenny Chesney is designing an experience. By blending beloved hits with fresh material, rewarding deep cuts, and listening to fan feedback, he's redefining what a country concert can be while embracing the cutting-edge possibilities of Sphere.

With the support of Blue Chair Bay Rum and a production team invested in storytelling at the highest level, Chesney's Las Vegas residency is poised to be both a technical marvel and an emotional triumph. For fans, it's the next great chapter in the No Shoes Nation story.