Billy Currington and Kip Moore Take Over Chicago’s Salt Shed

Chicago summer nights and live country music are a pretty hard combination to beat, and Billy Currington and Kip Moore proved exactly why when they brought their tour to the outdoor stage at The Salt Shed in Chicago. Located along the Chicago River in the former Morton Salt complex, The Salt Shed has quickly become one of the city's most unique live music destinations. While the indoor Shed gets plenty of attention, the outdoor Fairgrounds takes things to another level on a warm summer night. With the Chicago skyline nearby, plenty of room for fans to spread out, and the industrial backdrop of the old Morton Salt building towering over the grounds, it feels like a mini festival right in the middle of the city.

Kenny Whitmire kicked off the night, but unfortunately, Chicago traffic won that battle, and we missed his opening set.

We did, however, make it in time for Kip Moore, and one question became pretty obvious almost immediately: How is Kip Moore not headlining?

All Photos By: Aaron R. Shriver Photography

There appeared to be just as many Kip Moore fans packed into The Salt Shed as there were Billy Currington fans, and from the moment Moore walked onstage, his portion of the night felt less like an opening set and more like a full-blown Kip Moore show squeezed into a shorter time slot. Moore kicked things off with “High Hopes” and never looked back. Chicago quickly joined in on “The Levee,” singing the words right back at him before Moore followed it with “Solitary Tracks.”

Then he turned things up another notch in the way only Kip Moore can. “Damn Love,” “Fire & Flame,” “Wild Ones” and “Beer Money” provided a stretch of songs that showcased exactly why Moore has built one of the most loyal fan bases in country music. His shows have always carried a little more grit and rock-and-roll attitude than your typical country concert, and that translated perfectly to the outdoor Salt Shed stage. “Lonely Tonight” played out like an anthem before Moore rolled through “The Bull,” “Heart’s Desire” and one of the biggest songs of his career, “Somethin’ ’Bout a Truck.”

Before going into “Come and Get It,” Moore let Chicago in on a little secret. “They told me I shouldn’t do this since I was playing here tonight,” Moore told the crowd, before teasing the possibility of bringing his acoustic tour to Chicago in December. Moore made it clear that he knows Chicago will show up. So, Chicago Kip Moore fans, keep an eye out. It sounds like another date could be coming soon. Moore also reminded the crowd that if this were one of his own headlining shows, he would play for three hours. Anyone who has experienced a Kip Moore headlining concert knows he probably wasn't exaggerating. He finally closed out his high-energy set with “Last Shot” and “That Was Us,” leaving the Salt Shed crowd wanting a whole lot more. Then it was time for Billy Currington.

Click The Image Above For The Full Kip Moore Photo Gallery

The vibe shifted slightly as Currington brought a smoother, laid-back style to the stage, but fans packed tightly into the venue for the nearly sold-out show. Currington wasted little time tapping into the nostalgia of a catalog that now stretches more than two decades. “Don’t It,” “Good Directions” and “I Got a Feelin’” kicked off his set as he worked to match the energy Moore had just left behind. It didn't take long. “Pretty Good at Drinkin’ Beer” had Chicago singing loudly before Currington delivered the Jonathan Singleton-penned “Don’t.”

One of the biggest reminders of the night was simply how deep Billy Currington's catalog goes. Song after song brought another moment of, I forgot how many hits this guy has. “Country Boys Roll,” “Love Done Gone,” “King of the World” and “Like My Dog” kept the crowd engaged before Currington took a moment to address Chicago, telling fans that it felt like they didn't see each other enough and that they needed to change that. Judging by the response, Chicago agreed. Currington continued digging into his catalog with “I Wanna Be a Hillbilly,” “Details” and “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right.” His delivery remained smooth and effortless throughout the night.

There was no need for unnecessary production or distractions; the songs did the heavy lifting, and Currington didn't miss a beat while belting out hit after hit. The main set came roaring toward its conclusion with “Hey Girl,” “It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To” and “Do I Make You Wanna.” But Chicago wasn't ready to go home. Currington returned for an encore and slowed things down with “Let Me Down Easy” before delivering one of his signature songs, “People Are Crazy.” He then sent everyone out into the Chicago night with “We Are Tonight.”

Billy Currington made a statement in Chicago, reminding everyone just how impressive his run of country hits has been. But the night also reinforced something country fans have known for years: Kip Moore is one of the genre's most powerful live performers and deserves to be mentioned among its must-see headliners. Two very different styles, two deep catalogs and one packed Salt Shed made for one hell of a Chicago summer night.