Brooks & Dunn brought their country classics to fans at the Moody Center in Austin during SXSW week, delivering a night of nostalgia.

Brooks & Dunn is an American country duo. The team is made up of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn. They have been making music since the 80s and have cranked out classics that most country fans recognize. The duo started their music career iconically in Nashville, TN. They are known for songs such as “Neon Moon,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” and their cover of “My Maria.” In 2019, Brooks & Dunn was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In late 2024, they released Reboot II, which is a re-release of 18 of their tracks featuring different artists on each song. Previously in 2019, they released their album Reboot, which is the same concept; their original songs featuring various artists on each track. 

The duo had two openers for the night. The first, Molly Tuttle, began her set at 7 pm. She is an American singer-songwriter from California. Tuttle performed with her band Golden Highway. She captivated the crowd with her charming smile. Together, Molly and her band played songs such as “El Dorado” from City of Gold (2023) and “Side Saddle” from Crooked Tree (2022).

At 7:50 PM, David Lee Murphy took to the stage. Murphy is an American country music singer and songwriter. He’s known for hits such as “Party Crowd” and “Dust on the Bottle” from Out With a Bang (1994). He opened with “Out With a Bang.” His hour-long set consisted of mostly covers of songs that he has co-written. Some of those songs include, “Hurricane” by Parker McCollum, “Why We Drink” by Justin Moore, and Kenny Chesney’s “Living in Fast Forward.” He closed with his originals “Party Crowd” and “Dust on the Bottle.” 

After both openers, at about 9 PM, Brooks & Dunn’s giant LED back screen began to light up. The band walked out first and was promptly joined by the duo. As soon as the intro to “Brand New Man” began, the crowd went wild. Throughout the night, the LED screen showcased different nature landscapes. During “Red Dirt Road,” the screen showed red rocks and a desert type of landscape. Before performing “Play Something Country,” Dunn told the crowd they would have a little guest sing with them. Expecting an artist from their long list of collaborations to join them on stage, fans thought it was funny when a video of Lainey Wilson was blasted on the giant screen. On their most recent album, Reboot II, Lainey Wilson was featured on the song. 

They slowed it down a little bit by playing “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” from Cowboy Town (2007). They then, of course, played “Neon Moon” and “My Maria.” After “My Maria,” they and their band left the stage while the crowd got riled up. When they returned the LED screen displayed graphics of western-themed neon signs. They closed their set with “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” from Brand New Man (1991) and “Only in America” from their 2001 album Steers & Stripes. Their Neon Moon Tour will continue until the end of May.

BROOKS & DUNN
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DAVID LEE MURPHY
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MOLLY TUTTLE
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MOODY CENTER
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