Music has played a massive role in my wife’s life. Music is a part of her. She is an excellent pianist, has a beautiful voice, and her musical knowledge has always impressed me. So, you can imagine my shock when my wife told me that in all of her 27 years on this earth she had never been to a concert.

For Christmas, I bought her tickets to see her favorite artist in concert, Kelsea Ballerini. If you don’t know who Kelsea Ballerini is, she is one of the fastest-rising country music stars right now. She is known for her very real and heartfelt music that has resonated deeply with her widely dedicated fan base. She’s also got showmanship in spades. The lighting, background visuals, pyrotechnics, and so much more make her shows a sight to behold. The tour she is currently on is her first arena tour.

My wife and I left Thomasville bright and early on Wednesday and headed to Duluth for the concert. When we walked into Gas South Arena it was a madhouse of Kelsea Ballerini fans. It was an hour before the first act went on stage and hours before Ballerini was set to perform, and already the place was packed full.

MaRynn Taylor opened the show. She’s a young up-and-coming country music singer with some very good songs, including one called “Season 2 of Friends.” She felt like Kelsea Ballerini 2.0 with her shiny outfit, catchy songs with meaningful lyrics, and a down-to-earth personality that made you feel like you were listening to your friend play her first show and you were just so proud of her.

The second opener, Sasha Alex Sloan, came on with a decidedly different tone. Her outfit screams gothic punk in the best way. Her music was excellent with an overarching theme of angst and a general loathing for the world and society. I actually got a chance to meet Sloan in the hotel lobby the next day and she was very kind. As someone who grew up loving punk rock and now enjoys a lot of country music with his wife, I really enjoyed her music.

The opening acts were truly a great reflection of Kelsea Ballerini. One was the bubbly, sparkly side of her and the other was the heartbroken, self-reflexive side of her that has come out in recent years and resonated with fans so much.

Then Kelsea Ballerini came out and the arena came to life. It was a mass of screaming fans as a backdrop to a truly stunning performance. I have been to quite a few concerts, including some epic ones like Skillet and Fall Out Boy. But, I will say that this probably tops them all. As I said before, Kelsea Ballerini is a born showman and this show proved it. Several blackout moments, massive light displays, and beautiful backdrops that matched perfectly with the music. I also loved the way she engaged with her fans. She signed autographs while singing, talked to several fans in the pit, and even made sure one fan got some attention after learning that she had her appendix out a few days ago.

Everything she said and did came across as genuine, as if you were getting to know her on stage. It didn’t feel like a lot of these celebrities who only share the pretty version of their life. Many of her songs talked about her divorce and dealing with the heartache of that situation. There was something for everyone in her songs and after she left the stage, you just felt a little bit better about yourself.

It was genuinely the best concert I’ve been to and my wife claimed that it was the best night of her life. A pretty good Christmas present if I do say so myself.