Bailey Zimmerman
Article by: Brittany Ormiston
A BZ sign was suspended above the crowd, and it began to outline in red followed by fireworks. Chains appeared on the screen as it lifted up a sign that read ‘Welcome To The New To Country Tour’ with Indianapolis listed below. Bailey Zimmerman appeared out of thin air, and without hesitation swung on a rope from the top tier of the stage to the front. This stunt certainly set the tone for the remainder of the night, and the response from the crowd blew the roof off of the joint. After ‘Never Comin’ Home’ concluded, Bailey knelt on the ground and bowed to everyone to express his gratitude. His Indianapolis 500 short-sleeved button-up shirt was the perfect touch. He was visibly shocked at various points of the show with how the audience showed up for him, especially for the first night of the tour.
Bailey continued to show off his carefree, witty personality during ‘Get To Gettin’ Gone’ with the visuals. The screen was full of fluffy white clouds with an airplane pulling a banner with a number of messages including: ‘I <3 Chicken Alfredo’ and ‘I get nervous around pretty girls.’ As he bent down to sing to fans in the front row, there were little chuckles that could be heard throughout the venue. A few songs later, he channeled his inner gymnast and completed a roundoff on the catwalk with fireworks exploding as his feet hit the ground. He quickly tucked the silliness away as he slipped on his guitar, and delivered the most effortless guitar solo during the outro of ‘Chase Her.’ Bailey made it a point to include ‘Fix’n To Break’ on the setlist, his favorite song he has ever written and released. Hand hearts shot into the air around the amphitheater, and he sent one right back.
Although most of Bailey’s setlist was filled with upbeat tracks depicting heartbreak, revenge, or good ol’ country living, he spent part of the evening checking in on his fans and addressing the importance of prioritizing mental health. “Toughing it up is just a fix. It is not a cure,” shares Bailey. He went on to express his love for each and every fan, and dedicated ‘Holding On’ to those who may need that reminder. With the lighthouse visual in the background, it was clear Bailey is a beacon of light for so many. Towards the end of the set, Bailey ran through the crowd and greeted as many people as he could. He appeared on a riser near the lawn section, and took a moment to take in the sight of all his fans staring back at him. He introduced ‘Hell Or High Water’ by saying he wrote it during a tough time when he did not think he wanted to keep going. The acoustic guitar and keys made for an intimate performance, and hearing the crowd sing from the heart was bone-chilling. After dedicating ‘Never Leave’ to military and first responders, Bailey wrapped up the track by bending down and singing to a little girl. “Love you!” he whispered into the microphone as he started to run back to the stage.
With hearts overflowing, the sold-out crowd at Everwise Amphitheater jumped back into the chaos to close out the evening. ‘Religiously’ and ‘Rock and A Hard Place’ showed off Bailey’s rocker-rasp along with his deep storytelling. Kicking off the ‘Welcome To The New To Country Tour’ in Indianapolis was the best choice, and the performance as a whole left fans thinking holy smokes…
Dylan Marlowe & Drew Baldridge
Everwise Amphitheter in Indianapolis, IN on June 6, 2025
Photos by Everly Ormiston
