With over 12.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify and Billboard hits like “All Your’n” and “In Your Love,” Tyler Childers wowed 24,000 fans at his sold-out show on June 27 at Ruoff Music Center.
Childers hails from Kentucky, and the bluegrass twang throughout his hit songs had fans donning their cowboy hats and boots to attend the concert. As the sun set and the opener S.G. Goodman finished her set, the lights flooded the venue and Childers took to the stage.
A mix of newer songs and older hits, Childers’ theme throughout was togetherness. Bringing the entire community together to sing, dance and enjoy some good old-fashioned tunes.
The last time Childers was in the Hoosier state, he performed at Fat Dan’s Deli. An Indiana staple, Fat Dan’s occupancy is a stark difference to the crowd seen at Ruoff, as Childers noted.
“There’s a lot more of you here than there were at Fat Dan’s that day,” Childers said.
Childers’ Mule Pull ’24 Tour featured his backup band, The Food Stamps at every national and international stop. Characterized by banjos, acoustic guitars and fiddles, Childers introduced a wide array of instruments and musicians on stage throughout the show. Many of them followed with booming solos and revivalist jams that had every head bobbing in the packed crowd.
Much of Childers’ music centers around his upbringing in Lawrence County, Kentucky, where his mother was a nurse and his father worked in the coal industry. Several of his songs feature motifs of the difficulties coal miners face and the damaging effects of the industry.
Childers’ newest single, “In Your Love,” faced backlash for its expressed support of same-sex marriage, but the Ruoff crowd cheered loudly in support as the opening notes played. “In Your Love” is similar to Childers’ other story-telling lyrics played throughout the concert. His Kentucky bluegrass style comes out as he jumps from instrument to instrument throughout the set.
Known for both fast-paced, fiddle-forward hits and slow, languid ballads, Childers’ choice of songs belted evenly throughout the two-hour performance. Shattering vocals reached the tippy top of the lawn in the powerhouse songs, and a single spotlight shone on Childers for the slower ones. Couples danced and swayed, and others line danced.
The sunny weather was matched only by the joy of the crowd. The energy was electric as everyone sang along to their favorites and embodied Childers’ message of community. Throughout the performance, Childers thanked the crowd many times for attending, saying how amazing it was for everyone to show up.
By the end of the night, the crowd was on their feet clamoring for a longer show. Friends had been made, couples had picked a song for their first dance and children had seen their first sold-out show. Hoosiers came out in full force for Tyler Childers, and, in return, he brought the house down.
To see other tour dates for the Mule Pull ’24 Tour, visit tylerchildersmusic.com.
Contact Staff Writer Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
