Bailey Zimmerman headlined at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA on Saturday, April 11, as a part of his “Different Night Same Rodeo” tour.

In his five years of making music, Zimmerman has released two studio albums and has sold out arenas. It has been three years since the last time he has performed in Pittsburgh, he and vowed to never wait that long again.

Jayden 

I was excited when we bought our tickets to see Zimmerman perform because I have been a long-time fan of his music. I was even more thrilled to learn that Hudson Westbrook was an opener for the show, as one of my best friends recently introduced me to his music, and I quickly fell in love. 

Westbrook’s style blends the classic feel of ‘90s country with modern influences and folk-style vocals that make his sound extremely unique. Since I am new to his music, I do not know many of Westbrook’s songs, but I was lucky that he played both of my favorites: “House Again” and “Painted You Pretty.” 

Abby

As someone who has seen a lot of live performances, I have never seen anything like this. Zimmerman’s personality radiated off the stage. His joking behavior, high energy, positive speeches and heavy engagement in the crowd proved that he truly cares about his craft. “Ain’t a thing changed ‘round here but the money,” that he sings in “New to Country” is so blatantly true.

My favorite song is “Chevy Silverado,” so of course I screamed like a little girl when he played it and sang my heart out. That part of me came out even more when he surprisingly performed a rendition of “The Climb,” by Miley Cyrus. This is a version I would love to have on Spotify, but my concert video will do for now.

I never look at the setlist of an artist I am going to see before I see them, because to me, it takes the fun out of it. I expected him to skip over “Lost,” a song that features The Kid LAROI, but boy was I wrong and am so glad I was. Instead of bringing out The Kid LAROI (and other artists that feature in songs with him), their part was played on a big screen behind the stage while Zimmerman included ad libs throughout. 

Jayden

Zimmerman is by far the most high-energy, animated and engaging performer I have seen live. While I cannot say that I know a lot of his new music (sorry Abby), his debut studio album, “Religiously,” has a special place in my heart. 

The album explores themes of heartbreak, nostalgia and personal growth. Furthermore, it showcases Zimmerman’s emotion-heavy vocals, which sets him apart from other country artists in my opinion. 

Hands down, my favorite song of his is “Fall In Love,” which sounded better than I could have imagined live. In this heartbreaking ballad, Zimmerman highlights a failed past relationship and lays out all the reasons that “you don’t wanna fall in love.”  

Zimmerman ended the concert with a heartfelt message to his fans and encouraged them to follow their dreams. The last two songs he sang were “Where It Ends” and “Rock and A Hard Place,” which he wrote about his toxic ex who cheated on him. 

Abby

When we were leaving the venue, we saw a few tour buses and made a joke to each other that it would be funny if we saw him. As we got closer, we noticed a crowd of fans waiting outside the buses, so we thought we might as well join in on the fun. If we would have kept walking, we would have missed out on the highlight of both of our nights. My hands could not stop shaking.

Jayden

As the first tour bus began to pull away, my heart sank. But lo and behold, a third bus was hidden from our view, and hanging out the window was Bailey Zimmerman, ready to high-five and thank his fans once again. It was a surreal experience to say the least being that close to an artist whom we both hold in such high regard.  

Abby

I almost touched his hand, that’s how close we were. I could not wait to go home and show my dad the video I captured. 

“I love you, say it back,” Zimmerman said consistently throughout the show, and we assure you, we are saying it back.

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