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1. Variety is the spice of iHeart. One minute you’re bouncing to LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out.” The next you’re dancing to Tate McRae’s breathy single “Sports Car” and then head-banging to the Offspring’s “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy).” I can’t think of another Vegas-based music festival with this much star power packed into one weekend. Think about it: Maroon 5, Mariah Carey, Sammy Hagar, John Fogerty and Diplo have all had Strip residencies. Jelly Roll and Ed Sheeran have played Allegiant Stadium. GloRilla just performed here in spring. The talent was in the building September 19 and 20 at T-Mobile Arena, and it did not disappoint.
Some fans might take offense to this unique festival's abbreviated set times, but weary concertgoers will welcome the breakneck pace of iHeart. It makes most fests feel sluggish by comparison. It’s radio in real life, with artists being changed out like channels. And the rotating stage setup makes it seamless. Imagine if every crew could break down in less than five minutes. We’d be performing on the moon by now!
2. Big bands, big sounds. On night two, country superstar Tim McGraw brought out his longtime touring band, the Dancehall Doctors. The eight-piece band filled every inch of T-Mobile with its southern, twangy sound. Suddenly, we had fiddles and steel guitars, McGraw waxing poetic over his superstar spouse, Faith Hill (“It’s okay, you can call me Faith’s husband. I like that better,” he quipped), and sweet country classics like “Something Like That.” For a weekend so clearly focused on pop, McGraw (and Jelly Roll) brought a bit of the South to the stage, in a big and loud way.
3. House of Music proves that fans can have it all. iHeartRadio’s free fan experience returned as one of the best values of the weekend. Outside of the arena at Toshiba Plaza, fans rode a Ferris wheel and explored themed artist rooms inspired by Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Ed Sheeran and more. Singer-songwriter Julia Michaels also performed onstage for the public, and the entire House of Music experience was free. Perhaps more festivals should explore how to engage fans this way, considering all the pricey ticket complaints.
4. Ed Sheeran came to play. Sheeran was in a musical sandbox of his own making. Fresh off the heels of his new album, Play, the ginger-haired singer-songwriter took the stage with just his acoustic guitar, a looping station and an arena-sized level of confidence. Over the next 25 minutes, Sheeran built his songs in real time—slapping his guitar for percussion, recording vocals, strumming sections and looping the results for one incredible payoff. The Persian-inspired club hit “Azizam” brought the entire arena to its feet, while the island beats of “Shape of You” kept them swaying there, writhing to a chorus that’s still so infectious after eight years.
5. John Fogerty and his fortunate sons. John Fogerty’s spirited renditions of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” and “Proud Mary” would’ve been enough to make this performance perfect. But the fact that it was a family affair sealed the deal. Fogerty, joined by his sons on guitar, blasted through cuts from his career-defining catalog. During the swampy rock track “The Old Man Down the Road,” Fogerty and his son, Shane, burned the roof off T-Mobile with an unforgettable guitar refrain. Heel to heel and face to face, the father and son went lick for lick and round for round, their instruments whining and weeping with effort. It went on like that for several minutes, until either the song gave in or they did. No one will ever know.
English (US) ·