A Benson Boone concert is a flipping fun time. Literally. 
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The pop artist who gained TikTok and brief “American Idol” fame brought his Wanted Man tour to Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark., Aug. 29, and it was nonstop joy from the moment he first flipped onto the stage. 

This was his fourth headlining tour, with two albums under his belt: Fireworks & Rollerblades (2024) and American Heart (2025). Wanted Man has 47 stops from July through November across three continents. His opener, Luna Li, was impressive, playing at least five instruments during her set, but, sadly, sound issues made it hard to decipher any of her songs. 

Thankfully, the sound was perfect for Boone, who packs so much energy into his hour-and-40-minute set; it’s honestly mystical and magical, if you will. 

I knew about three of his songs going into the night with my free concert ticket gifted by one of my best friends. I’ve had family and friends rave about his shows, but it’s really something entirely different to experience. 

One, there’s a lot of backflips — it’s his schtick. He’s been backflipping since he was a child, and his athleticism as a competitive diver certainly has helped his stamina. I lost track of how many flips he did, but it was captivating to watch him do it from start to finish, and not even seem the least bit tired, minus the sweat dripping off of him. I guess being just 24 helps. 

Two, he’s adorable. His fans range from daughters to moms, sons to dads, and it’s so cool to watch him interact with fans so genuinely. When he finished his set, he ran around all sides of the stage to sign autographs and give hugs to his swooning fanbase. During his set, he talked about how he locks eyes with fans while singing, and I believe it. Our seats were in a suite, but you could clearly see how immersed he was in his fans around the stage, without alienating the rest of us. He brought us into the chaos and quiet moments, making everyone feel like we were experiencing something so powerful together. 

Third, it’s not just about the backflips. It was the confetti cannons, Boone floating on a suspended platform singing “In The Stars” and his overall high-energy running and singing and just having fun. I’ve been to a lot of concerts, but it was a total surprise and delight when red, white and blue paper hearts burst out of confetti cannons lining the stage during his performance of “Young American Heart.” 
His setlist was packed with familiar favorites, kicking it off with “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” and “Mr. Electric Blue.” He played around with fans, starting “Mystical Magical,” and stopping to ask if we knew that one. But besides the high-energy songs like “Wanted Man,” he snuck in powerful, slower ballads like “Drunk In My Mind,” “Slow It Down” and “Momma Song.” Boone also explained that the peak of his concert will always be “The Time of My Life,” so fans should choose another time to buy merch or make a bathroom stop. It was sweet to see a performer share that vulnerability and be honest that it wasn’t the high-charging performances that meant the most to him. It was instead this sad, slower song, with lyrics like “‘Cause now that every day is a party / Every night’s a nightmare / I can’t lay down my head / Without wishing you came along.” He wrapped it all up with his biggest hit, “Beautiful Things.” 

I couldn’t say I was a Boone fan before seeing him live, but I certainly am now. He has that ability — you can’t help but be sucked in by his energy and kindness to fans. Boone is a true performer; one music fans should take a chance on seeing if they ever get the chance. 

by Tyler Glover
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"You have to listen to 'Choosin' Texas!!!" 
"Have you heard Ella Langley's new song?" 
"Are you a fan of her?" 
"Are you an Ella Fella?"  

Around February, many friends asked if I had heard the record-breaking country song, "Choosin' Texas." Did I remember "You Look Like You Love Me?" It was the same singer. I finally found the time and became instantaneously hooked. I had to hear more from this talented country artist, Ella Langley. I dived into her former albums, Excuse the Mess and Hungover. I had found a new artist to be excited about … I am indeed an Ella Fella. 

Shortly after my fandom began, Langley announced a new album, Dandelion, set for release on April 10th. I pre-saved it on Spotify and counted down the days until the release. Dandelion is a no-skip country album. Every song could be a Billboard Hot 100 hit. The album draws you in from the first tune,
"Froggy Went A Courtin" and makes you never want to leave. If you love country music, you will simply love Langley.

Tickets went on sale for the Dandelion Tour. Affordability was an issue for me, but as the day drew near, I knew I simply had to go. On August 22nd, I went to see Ella Langley on her "Dandelion Tour" at the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. 

Her opening acts were country artists ERNEST and Laci Kaye Booth. Both feel like artists we will be seeing more of in the coming years. 

While they were great, the true excitement began at 9 p.m., when Langley took the stage. She came out singing the title track, "Dandelion," and immediately drew us in. The whole stage was filled with real dandelion flowers and the computer-generated background of a traditional Southern country home. We all immediately felt welcome and at home. The whole two hours of her set made us feel like we were all hanging out with an old friend, and neither one of us wanted the time together to end. Langley sang all of her hits, including "You Look Like You Love Me," her Morgan Wallen duet, "I Can't Love You Anymore," "Choosin' Texas," "Be Her" and "Bottom of My Boots." It is always exciting to hear these artists sing their hits live and in person for you. What truly makes concerts special, though, is what makes them exclusive. Langley did several covers throughout her set that made fans feel special because she isn't putting them out for everyone to see. She covered Toby Keith's hit, "I Wish I Didn't Know Now," "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac" and "Here For The Party" by Gretchen Wilson. While we love hearing the radio hits, it is exciting to hear new material.  

My absolute favorite cover of the evening was her singing "Comfortable When I'm Crazy" by ERNEST. ERNEST came out and joined her for this song. When introducing the song, Langley claimed that she is jealous that this is a song that she didn't write herself. I knew we were in for a treat. The song was so heartbreaking, beautiful and haunting. I had it on repeat for two days following the show.

Shortly after the concert was over, I started seeing negative posts from some concertgoers who said they couldn't believe they paid so much money and that was all the show was. I respectfully disagree. I think there are some concerts that focus on having a high production value, but it is perfectly OK to let the talent of the musician and their band shine through. As mentioned above, the set was beautiful and homely and made us feel at home. Langley focused on giving stellar powerhouse vocals, playing her guitar and highlighting all of her band members and their incredible skills as musicians. One thing I respected so much about Langley was that when she introduced her band, she had their names and pictures of them on the Jumbotron. They were getting their moment to have their names in lights as well.

As a Christian, one particular moment of the concert really stood out to me. I believe that God is the reason we have anything that we have in this life. Langley shares my faith in God, and she talked to us about how last year, she could never have imagined how her world would be so different now. She said that all the glory goes to God for making her dreams come true. It made my heart so happy to see people put credit where credit is due. God should be the main one we thank for any of our blessings. 
The "Dandelion Tour" concert was such a fun evening with a talented singer, songwriter, musician and artist that I feel we will be hearing about for many years to come. I personally cannot wait to see her again.