Colter Wall pays tribute to the classics at sold-out Fillmore show

Colter Wall performed at Fillmore Minneapolis on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.Steve Cohen for MPR

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October 23, 2023

There’s no denying that country music is having its moment in the rhinestoned spotlight right now. Over the past few years, artists like Orville Peck, Margo Price, Charley Crockett, Morgan Wade, and many others have exploded in popularity and made twang trendy once again. They’ve also dusted off and put their own spin on influential classic country tunes. Today’s artists still sing about life, finding and losing love, the places they're from, and, of course, drinking.

While this country music renaissance shows no signs of slowing down, Colter Wall’s husky baritone voice stands out amongst the crowd. At Friday night’s sold-out Fillmore show, Wall treated fans — many of whom dressed for the occasion in their very best cowboy hats and boots — to an evening of campfire folk, Western swing, and country waltzes.

But first, Texas troubadour Red Shahan opened with his own take. Before hitting the road full-time, Shahan played in clubs around the Lubbock area for a few years, and it has clearly paid off. Blending straightforward Texas country with elements of rhythm and blues, honky tonk, and rock ’n’ roll, Shahan kept the momentum high and delivered a set that left the sea of cowboy-hat-clad fans wanting more.

Two men sing and play guitar and bass onstage — Fort Worth, Texas, singer-songwriter Red Shahan, together with bassist Parker Morrow, performing at the Fillmore Minneapolis on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.
Steven Cohen for MPR

Joining Shahan were Matthew “Paw Paw” Smith on drums, Ryan Tharp on guitar, Parker Morrow on bass, and Chris Konte on keys. The entire band was tight and full of energy. They were twangy when they needed to be, and more rhythmic at other times. Tharp’s blazing-fast guitar solos really got the crowd hootin’ and hollerin’. His loudly patterned pants didn’t hurt either, as Shahan lovingly referred to him as Mr. Fancypants.

When it was Wall’s turn to take the stage, he did so to massive applause. “Everyone give it up for Red Shahan,” he said. “My name’s Colter Wall, and these are a few friends of mine. We’re gonna play a couple songs for you tonight.”

Drummer Russ Patterson, bassist Jason Simpson, pedal steel player Muskrat Jones, and harmonica player Jake Groves took their places behind Wall. There was no backdrop or lights to speak of — just five performers and their gear slightly off-center on the stage.

Friday was Wall’s first time back in Minnesota since his sold-out First Avenue show in February 2019. His explosion in popularity since then made the Fillmore an unusual choice for Friday’s show. Since the rest of his current tour is booked at venues with at least twice the capacity as the Fillmore, it’s no surprise that tickets sold out in mere minutes. For those fortunate enough to be in attendance, Wall’s tight 80-minute set pulled from his entire catalog — and some of his heroes.

Patterson clicked things off for the start of the title track of Wall’s most recent album, Little Songs. Following that came the first two covers of the night. First up was Hoyt Axton’s 1976 classic “Evangelina,” which Wall covered on Little Songs. Wall’s voice perfectly complimented Axton’s from the original. Before launching into his take on “Let’s All Help the Cowboys (Sing the Blues),” Wall offered a brief history.

“This is a song I grew up listening to written by a man named Jack Clement, or Cowboy Jack. It was recorded by some heroes of mine, like a guy named Chris LeDoux and another guy named Waylon Jennings. My dumb ass was silly enough to think I could record it, too.”

Colter Wall performs on stage at Fillmore Minneapolis — Colter Wall performed at Fillmore Minneapolis on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.
Steve Cohen for MPR

Once again, Wall’s voice and presence matched the original. There’s a subtle smokiness to Wall’s deep, booming voice; its dried-out timbre is no doubt a result of years spent working as a ranch hand on the plains of his native Saskatchewan in Canada. Since he knows his voice better than anyone, he’s seemingly very intentional about the songs he chooses to cover. They’re typically tracks originally performed by fellow bass or baritones. In addition to the Axton and Clement covers, Wall also broke out his renditions of songs by Ian Tyson (“The Coyote and the Cowboy” and “Summer Wages”), Mike Beck (“Happy Reunion”), and Stan Jones (“Cowpoke”).

As for all of the original songs that filled the rest of Wall’s set, many were about past and present life on the plains of Saskatchewan. Wall is a master storyteller, with lyrics painting a crisp, clear picture of working as a cowboy, longing for a lost love, or the solitude of life as a truck driver.

If there’s one critique of a Colter Wall show, it’s that, for the most part, that storytelling element ends when the song does. He’s a man of few words between songs, but it would be great to hear some backstory or other anecdotes. The addition of a dedicated harmonica player in Groves made each song feel as though it were being played around a campfire. That more intimate sense made the absence of crowd engagement even more noticeable.

Between the lack of banter and stage production, Friday’s show wasn’t all that different from cranking the volume on Wall’s records at home. And considering the price of tickets, fees, and drinks these days, that could justifiably disappoint some fans. That said, Wall’s voice was spot-on. The band was solid, and dueling pedal steel and harmonica solos were definitely a spectacle to behold.

NOTE: As an aside to the show itself, my friend who attended with me currently requires ADA seating, and, according to him, the Fillmore’s is substantially better than other venues in town. Rather than have it tucked away with poor sightlines, the Fillmore’s is upstairs on the balcony with a perfect view of the entire stage, so kudos to them for making that a priority.

Colter Wall