Stateline, NV – Good times were had when Koe Wetzel brought his ‘The Night Champion World Tour’ to the Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre. Steeped in country music and Texas lore, Wetzel is known for his genre bending music catalog, raw lyrics, unfiltered profanity, high energy performances, and fiercely loyal fan base.
Though the stage lighting began somewhat subdued in a neon blood red glow, Koe Wetzel’s performance began explosively. Towering flames shot into the air as the band tore into ‘Fuss & Fight’ from the 2016 breakthrough album, ‘Noise Complaint’.
With Wetzel’s incredibly strong vocals and a blazing hot band consisting of Odis Parrish (guitar), Josh Serrato (guitar), Mason Morris (bass), and Jared Easterling (drums), with hands raised high boisterously singing along with each lyric, fans were delighted with the stellar sound.
As if the rowdy crowd needed a reason to “hydrate”, at one point Wetzel encouraged anyone that was drinking tonight to raise up their glass. He then proceeded to pour a bottle of tequila into the thirsty front row, before taking a healthy swig himself.
The show consisted of many fan favorites such as ‘February 28, 2016’, ‘Ragweed’, ‘High Road’, ‘Drunk Driving’, and ‘Sweet Dreams’. Being that this is ‘The Night Champion’ tour, Wetzel also performed many songs from the album with the same name.
Released on June 12th, 2026, ‘The Night Champion’ is Koe Wetzel’s seventh album. The record boasts some great songs such as, ‘The Man’, ‘Hurts Like You’, ‘Time Goes On’, and ‘Circus’. Consisting of 11 songs, the album shows Wetzel’s growth as an artist and songwriter. It also appears to be somewhat reflective of his last ten years spent on the road.
I really don’t know why the venue provided chairs. From the first song through the very last note, the entire crowd was on their feet. The audio was on point, and the light show was visually stunning. Koe Wetzel undoubtedly delivers an unapologetic high energy show.
Though the albums may be a bit more radio friendly these days, Koe’s performance is full of the same grit and determination that Wetzel fans know, love, and appreciate. This is why Koe Wetzel is ‘The Night Champion’.
‘The Night Champion World Tour’ currently runs through October with support from the likes of Shane Smith & The Saints, Wyatt Flores, Ol’ 60, Wade Bowen, Corey Kent, Bayer Blankenship, Kolby Cooper, and Logan Jahnke. Support varies by market, so check the line-up for your area.
Setlist
Fuss & Fight
Good Times
Circus
Forever
Surrounded
9 Lives (Black Cat)
Good Die Young
Time Goes On
When I’m Gone
Drunk Driving
The Man
Ragweed
February 28, 2016
When I Was
Bad Decisions
Sweet Dreams
Damn Near Normal
Creeps
Hurts Like You
Something to Talk About
High Road
In an effort to make it apparrent that this review was written by a real person, all misspelled words, grammatical errors, and inaccuracies are purely intentional. I’m glad you’re here; I’ll see you tomorrow.
Do not altar photos
Copyright: Chris Couture Photography
