Fans flock to Raymond James Stadium to see country singer Morgan Wallen

TAMPA, Florida – Country singer Morgan Wallen is performing two concerts in a row in Tampa this week.

Wallen’s concerts on Thursday and Friday will take place as part of his “One Night at a Time” tour starting at 6 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium.

The lineup also includes Jelly Roll, Nate Smith and Bryan Martin.

The parking lots opened at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and fans came to tailgate.

Marissa Helms traveled from Polk County to attend the concert.

“I’ve been obsessed with Morgan Wallen probably since day one, probably before anyone really liked Morgan Wallen. I love Morgan Wallen,” Helms said.

Ticket prices vary, but a quick search on Ticketmaster showed tickets starting at $69.75.

Helms said her friend was able to get tickets early and paid $150 for a ticket.

“I have friends who bought tickets that were on the floor and were like $700 a piece. So yeah, we didn’t get them, but we got what we could get, so I’m excited,” Helms said.

“I started listening to his music when I was about 10 years old and I could relate to his music. Some of his songs were really good. I started listening to more and more of them and now my favorite songs are ‘Lies, Lies, Lies’ and the new one with Post Malone,” said Hayden Foust, a fan of Morgan Wallen.

JR Jaus is a morning show host at 99.5 QYK. He said artists can perform back-to-back shows depending on demand. They have also crossed the boundaries of musical genres, which allows them to reach a wider audience.

“These artists are such crossover artists, so they draw on multiple genres. For example, Morgan Wallen can be heard on a country station, but some of his songs can also be heard on a pop station, the same goes for Taylor Swift and Luke Combs. He had his big hit “Fast Car,” whose Tracy Chapman cover was on several stations for a long time. The audience is getting bigger and bigger,” said Jaus.

Fans at Raymond James have an economic impact on Tampa Bay, including hotel stays and restaurant visits.

“The fact that they’re able to play a city for multiple nights is a big deal and definitely lucrative for them,” he added. “I know Kenny Chesney, who only played one night, intentionally starts his tour in Tampa because the energy there is insane every time. So keep it up, Tampa, if the artists keep coming back, if we keep performing.”