Tim McGraw was stoic, strong and classy at the 'Standing Room Only' concert in Greenville

Tim McGraw's 19th leg on the "Standing Room Only" tour saw Greenville take an hour-and-thirty-eight-minute performance and pack three decades of classic country music hits into a show with nearly 10,000 people in attendance at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Thursday, May 16.

The three-time Grammy Award winner strummed his guitar, strolled the stage with a clear confidence and sang his way through a catalog of 10 albums that have reached No. 1 on Billboard's top country album charts since 1990. Most known for smash singles "Live Like You Were Dying," "Humble and Kind," and "Just to See You Smile," the call and response from a Thursday evening Greenville audience was evidence of how impactful and beloved McGraw's music truly stands.

"Good evening. My name is Tim, better known as Faith Hill's husband, " McGraw said to the Greenville crowd while opening the show. "Leave the rest of the world out there tonight... let loose because we're going to have a great time," he added.

If you were unable to attend the highly anticipated concert, here is what happened at the Tim McGraw "Standing Room Only" tour in Greenville on Thursday evening:

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Here's what happened at the Tim McGraw Concert

The 56-year-old Louisiana native and country music great moved with poise and confidence, turning a crowd of all ages into energetic, responsive, and active participants. As McGraw emerged from under the stage at around 8:44 p.m. in front of a packed arena, McGraw's aura and stage presence exuded the know-how of a performer who had been in show business since the early 1990s.

McGraw opened the evening with an excuse.

He told the Greenville audience that he hurt his knee during a previous show of the "Standing Room Only" tour; however, early in the show, the crowd could tell that McGraw's ailment did not hinder his ability to manage his performance presence, control of voice, nor put a limp in his smooth walking pace across the concert stage. McGraw was stoic, confident, professional, and warming, and his charm and command of energy could be seen as he ran down his catalog.

McGraw has never been a wild performer, so the knee preface was just a disclaimer; his chiseled frame, black V-neck, black cowboy hat and blue jeans with a big belt buckle were right on brand as he opened the show with "Truck Yeah," "Southern Voice," and All I want is a Life." A certain coolness about McGraw could be noticed as he would often beat his chest or whirl his hands and wrists alongside the beat. Even if the knee ailment hindered him, McGraw's sway and stage presence have been constantly refined since his first tour in 1996. He comfortably walked the stage runway, slapping hands with his supporters, signing memorabilia and pumping his fists alongside the riffs and bass of his music.

The three large screens behind McGraw and his eight bandmates continuously changed images throughout the evening, showing music videos, graphics and slideshows of his past performances throughout the years.

McGraw shuffled through three different guitars during the evening and also had many moments where the crowd could be heard taking over the lyrics to the song, such as in "Shotgun Rider," "Something Like That," and "I Like It, I Love It," where the band and McGraw would play, and the crowd would sing in unison.

McGraw couldn't fit all 47 of his No. 1 country radio hits into his set list; however, after 20 songs of country music prowess, the crowd left happy as memorabilia, sing-a-longs, and cowboy boot clacking could be heard throughout the exiting of the arena.

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McGraw performed all of his original music. However, he decided to perform "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John during the fourth song of his set. This is the only cover he performed that evening.

Many concert attendees thought Faith Hill (McGraw's wife and country/pop star in her own right) would appear in Greenville during the "Standing Room Only" tour. She only appeared virtually, as McGraw used images of her on the big screen during the performances "One Bad Habit" and "Watching the Wind Blow By."

McGraw also performed the smash hit singles "Over and Over," featuring pop/R&B artist Nelly, and "Highway Don't Care," featuring pop megastar Taylor Swift. Neither featuring artist was in attendance for the concert but appeared on the video board during each song.

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A day before arriving in Greenville, McGraw posted on X (formally Twitter) what appeared to be a finished script where he then tagged the American video streaming service Netflix:

During the later portion of the Greenville show, before McGraw began the performance of "The Cowboy in Me," a video montage of the television show 1883 played. This 10-episode western, where McGraw plays protagonist James Dutton, aired on Paramount+ in 2021.

More news, notes, nuggets from Tim McGraw 'Standing Room Only' concert in Greenville

• Carly Pearce performed for around 45 minutes despite suffering from a ruptured ear drum. She entertained with popular singles from her catalog, such as "Should've Known Better," We Don't Fight," "What He Didn't Do," and "Every Little Thing." She also paid homage to McGraw's wife, Faith Hill, by singing "Let's Go to Vegas" and previewed a song from her upcoming album, "Hummingbird," which will be released in June 2024.
• Pearce's best friend, Bailey, who lives in Anderson, was in attendance. Nashville native and keyboardist Billy Nobel's parents were also in attendance for the Thursday evening concert.
• During Morgan Wallen's visit in 2022 and Thomas Rhett's show in 2023, exiting traffic near the arena was nearly a gridlock due to the volume of people in attendance. A big tip of the cap goes to event security and Greenville Police for assisting the exiting crowd with a less frantic and more seamless flow of cars and feet leaving downtown Greenville.
• Bon Secours Wellness Arena used two-thirds of its capacity for Tim McGraw's "Standing Room Only" tour. The venue estimates it can hold nearly 10,000 people in this seating configuration.
• Landon Parker played a 15-minute set to open the evening.

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Tim McGraw's Set List in Greenville

Over McGraw's hour and 38-minute show in Greenville, he performed a setlist of 20 songs spanning over three decades of country hits. His set in Greenville included the following songs:

• Truck Yeah
• Southern Voice
• All I Want is a Life
• Tiny Dancer (Elton John Cover)
• Just to See You Smile
• Over and Over
• Shotgun Rider
• One Bad Habit
• Watch The Wind Blow By
• Something Like That
• Where The Green Grass Grows
• Standing Room Only
• Red Ragtop
• Highway Don't Care
• I Like It, I Love It
• Felt Good on My Lips
• Real Good Man
• The Cowboy in Me
• Humble & Kind
• Live Like You Were Dying

– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.Sign up today for a digital subscription.