On September 10, 2025, rising country music star Max McNown brought his “Forever Ain’t Long Enough” tour through the Valley of the Sun. The show at The Van Buren marked not only his first headlining set in Arizona, but also his first sold-out show in the Valley. The singer-songwriter is relatively new to the scene, having released his first single only two years ago. McNown started gaining traction online with videos of him busking on a pier, and saw massive success with his breakout single “A Lot More Free,” which is now RIAA Gold-certified and earned him a #1 spot on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart. He has earned a devoted social media following with nearly 5 million followers between TikTok and Instagram alone. McNown released his third album, Night Driving, in January, and in July, he released the deluxe edition of the album which featured an additional 11 tracks. He has sold out nearly every date of his tour, a testament to how quickly he is becoming a household name.

The venue was packed wall to wall before opening act WILD HORSES took the stage. This evening’s show would be the Americana band out of Minnesota’s first time playing in Arizona and their last date supporting McNown before they hit the road supporting Cole Chaney next month. The three piece band wowed the crowd with their beautiful harmonies and incorporation of string instruments, with Ariana LaPlant on violin and Landon Pahl on the upright bass. The setlist consisted of tracks from their 2022 debut album, Runaway, including “Dear Loretta,” “And It Rained,” and “All That’s Left.” When introducing “Like the Sea,” Ariana explained the track was a love song written by Jed about their relationship, noting the two have now been married for 5 years. The love between the two could be felt as they performed, locking eyes as they sang to each other, smiling. The band closed their set with “Man in the Mirror,” which Jed explained was written for his late father. Their performance was one of my favorites from an opening act this year. I would liken their music to artists like The Lumineers and Mumford & Sons, but with more of a country flair. Give them a listen and catch them when they pull through a city near you!  

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The lights dimmed and the stage illuminated, revealing a Max McNown backdrop and a stage setup with a homey type vibe — flanked by table lamps on each side and a giant rug in the center. The crowd sang along as “Living on a Prayer” played over the speakers, and erupted in cheers as Max McNown burst onto the stage as the second chorus was about to hit. The singer opened the night with “Forever Ain’t Long Enough,” followed by “Hotel Bible,” both tracks from his newest album, Night Driving (The Cost of Growing Up). While “Call Me If You Miss Me” surprisingly hasn’t made the setlist for many nights of the tour, it was a must for this evening, given the opening line of the track. As McNown sang “How’s Arizona?,” the crowd went wild, singing back every word. As the song wrapped, McNown jumped down into the pit, greeting fans along the barricade, exchanging smiles, and doling out high fives and handshakes. It wouldn’t be his only trip to the barricade that evening — throughout the set, he took several opportunities to get closer to the crowd, whether by jumping into the pit or sitting at the edge of the stage to connect with fans at eye level.

McNown performed with a contagious charisma, dancing across the stage when he wasn’t playing guitar, and often singing with such passion that it brought him to his knees. His band was equally entertaining, with several spotlights on the guitarists throughout the evening as they shredded through solos. Max gave a special shoutout to guitarist Ethan Luck, who has been performing with him since the beginning, back when it was just the two of them opening sets in much more intimate venues. In a particularly vulnerable moment, Max opened up about losing a friend when he was 21 and how he turned to music as a form of therapy. He introduced “Take This Plane,” the track he wrote in memory of his friend, and expressed hope that the song would resonate with the audience and help them, too. Following the more somber tone of the previous song, “Marley” brought a lively change of pace, with the crowd two-stepping along and incorporated a snippet of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.” As “Hindsight & Photographs” was introduced, McNown shared how meaningful it was for him to be able to incorporate a voice message from his grandfather into the track, which was showcased over the speakers for all to hear. While this was the point of the set where McNown would typically leave and return of the encore, the singer remained on stage, and instead prayed over the audience. He closed the evening with hits “A Lot More Free” and “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes).”

I had the pleasure of seeing Max open for Blake Rose back in May of 2024 in a much more intimate venue, and the growth in his artistry in that short time is nothing short of impressive. From his ability to connect with the audience to the undeniable chemistry with his band, there’s no doubt his rise will only continue. The “Forever Ain’t Long Enough” tour continues through North America, the UK, and Europe through mid December. Grab a ticket here. In an effort to keep tickets in the hands of fans rather than scalpers, Max has ensured that resale tickets can only be sold at face value— something I wish more artists would do!

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