Keith Urban brought commanding guitar chops and seasoned showmanship to Raleigh on his High and Alive World Tour, which launched in the U.S. earlier this year and spans North America and Australia through fall. Inspired by his return to form after years of experimenting with pop production, this tour celebrates his upcoming album High and a career-spanning setlist of hits like “Stupid Boy,” “Days Go By,” and “Wild Hearts.” Urban’s solos — often spontaneous, always melodic — drew roars from the crowd, particularly during “Long Hot Summer” and a fiery rendition of “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16.” His current touring band includes Jerry Flowers (bass, backing vocals), Nathan Barlowe (guitar, keys, samples), and Seth Rausch (drums). The crowd remained engaged and vocal throughout the night, especially during an unplanned encore when Urban took a request shouted from the front row. Visuals were orchestrated by the production design firm Lightswitch, who leaned into bold color schemes and immersive movement to match the mood of each track. Merchandise at the venue included tour-exclusive vinyl variants, limited-edition screen-printed posters, and Keith’s signature line of guitar picks. Urban’s official site is keithurban.com.

Keith Urban

Chase Matthew, originally from Nashville, took the stage right before Urban with full swagger and grit. Known for his breakout debut Born for This (2022), followed by Come Get Your Memory in 2023, and his 2025 self-titled album Chase, his catalog combines red-dirt attitude with contemporary country-pop hooks. His current touring band features a longtime drummer and lead guitarist who’ve been with him since early bar gigs — both locked in and tight throughout the set. Crowd momentum surged during “County Line,” and a moment of silence before “Everything He Couldn’t” hit hard. His team handed out signed setlists to fans in the front row — a regular ritual for this tour. Matthew has been nominated for CMT Breakthrough Male Video of the Year and actively supports veterans through Operation Stand Down Tennessee. His merch booth featured new mesh hats, sleeveless tour tanks, and CDs with alternate cover art. Chase Matthew’s official website is chasematthew.com.

Chase Matthew

Alana Springsteen, from Virginia Beach, showed up with clear intent and confidence. Her debut full-length, TWENTY SOMETHING, released in three parts throughout 2023 — Messing It Up, Figuring It Out, and Getting It Right — made up the bulk of her setlist. Her band consists of a rhythm guitarist, bassist, drummer, and keyboardist, all seasoned players with Nashville credits. Springsteen gave a brief but heartfelt moment of transparency, sharing how a 2024 tour bus fire near Flagstaff nearly forced her off the road — and how writing “taylor did” helped her process it. She’s affiliated with To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit focused on mental health, which she quietly promotes at each tour stop. Crowd support was strong, with many fans singing every word to “you don’t deserve a country song.” She’s also landed a CMT Next Women of Country spotlight and has performed on the Opry stage multiple times. Her merch offered vinyl copies of all three TWENTY SOMETHING parts, embroidered hoodies, and lyric journals. Springsteen’s official website is alanaspringsteen.com.

Alana Springsteen

Karley Scott Collins, hailing from Lake City, Florida, opened the night with an honest, grounded set that left a mark on early arrivals. Her 2024 EP Write One is steeped in sharp writing and emotional control, with standout tracks like “Heavy Metal” and “Marlboro Reds” drawing strong reactions. Her stripped-down trio — guitar, drums, and pedal steel — kept the arrangements focused on her voice. She’s been named one of CMT’s Next Women of Country 2024, and has collaborated with songwriters like Nathan Chapman and Liz Rose. Collins had a moment on stage when she forgot her capo — a fan near the pit tossed one up, and she seamlessly kept going, then signed it and returned it after the show. She’s a vocal supporter of Musicians On Call, regularly performing in hospitals between tour stops. Her merch booth featured hand-signed lyric sheets, shirts with southern-gothic designs, and lighters stamped with her initials. For more, visit karleyscottcollins.com.

Karley Scott Collins