Hardy's Saddledome Performance: Strong Vocals Overshadowed by Predictable Setlist
American country superstar Hardy brought his commanding voice and undeniable stage presence to Calgary's Saddledome on Thursday evening, but these strengths couldn't compensate for what ultimately felt like a predictable night of redneck-proud anthems. The artist, born Michael Wilson Hardy, performed an efficient 90-minute set that covered most highlights from his catalogue, yet the overall experience often felt flat and lacking in genuine surprise.
Questionable Assumptions About Audience Taste
Hardy's approach to the evening revealed some puzzling assumptions about his audience. During his only cover of the night – a fairly unremarkable take on the Mott the Hoople/Bad Company classic Ready for Love – the singer suggested it might be a good time for fans to get a beer. He dedicated the song to "all 17 of the Bad Company fans in Calgary tonight," displaying a cynicism that seemed misplaced given his own material's clear classic-rock leanings.
This attitude becomes particularly confusing when considering Hardy's musical foundation. His songs regularly incorporate 1970s and 1980s hard-rock vibes, complete with thundering drums and recycled hard-rock riffs that often overshadow any authentic country twang. Like many contemporary country artists, Hardy's sound owes more to arena rock traditions than traditional country instrumentation.
Technical Proficiency and Performance Highlights
Despite the overall predictability, Hardy demonstrated undeniable technical skill throughout the performance. The concert opened powerfully with a brooding, gothic-inspired light show leading into a stripped-down campfire rendition of the melancholy ballad Bottomland, featuring the singer seated beside a flaming barrel.
Other highlights included largely acoustic versions of Favourite Country Song, Signed, Sober You, and Girl With a Gun. Hardy made the obligatory stadium-show trek through the audience while performing God's Country, a song he wrote that became famous through Blake Shelton's recording. The performance showcased some genuine hardcore energy during the pummeling outros to rockers Sold Out and Psycho.
Narrative Strengths and Theatrical Elements
Two of Hardy's strongest narrative songs provided poignant moments during the set. Wait in the Truck, a murder-ballad duet with Lainey Wilson that addresses domestic violence, and Jim Bob, a character study exploring a traumatized veteran's isolation, demonstrated the artist's storytelling capabilities. While these songs don't reach the profound emotional depth of similar work by artists like Bruce Springsteen or Steve Earle, they represent compelling entries in Hardy's catalogue.
The stage design offered some interesting visual elements throughout the evening, including:
- A hunter's deer stand positioned at the back of the stage
- Fire-gushing pyrotechnics that punctuated several songs
- Jumbotron imagery featuring a ready-to-shoot buck staring into the audience
While initially compelling, these visual elements eventually began to feel like a Duck Dynasty-inspired fever dream – an aesthetic choice that raises interesting questions about Hardy's artistic persona and the cultural tropes he embraces.
An Artist Caught Between Traditions
Hardy's career trajectory helps explain some of the evening's contradictions. The singer first found success writing hits for other artists including Blake Shelton, Morgan Wallen, and Florida Georgia Line before becoming a successful performer in his own right. This background in mainstream country songwriting may have fostered a built-in cynicism about audience expectations and a belief that stadium crowds prefer predictability over surprise.
Ultimately, Thursday's Saddledome performance revealed an artist with undeniable vocal talent and stage command who nevertheless delivered a show that felt formulaic. While Hardy can certainly deliver the goods technically, the evening left one wondering whether his assumption that fans want nothing more than predictable redneck anthems does both the artist and his audience a disservice.
