The Soul2Soul: The World Tour is the third co-headlining tour by American country music recording artists, and husband and wife, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. It marked the first time the duo have toured together since 2007. It began on April 7, 2017, in New Orleans. Performances consist of a setlist of duets between the couple and solos. The first leg of the tour played seventy shows, and as of December 11, 2017, every show was sold out, and grossed over 79 million dollars. According to Pollstar's 2017 Mid-Year report, it was ranked the 24th best tour.
Background In October 2016, a special concert was planned at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Under the moniker "Sam & Audrey", the duo performed their hits, while announcing the forthcoming 2017 tour. The itinerary was released the following day. On January 31, 2017, McGraw and Hill announced the opening acts via Facebook Live. Each weekend will feature a different opening act, handpicked by the duo. They also revealed additional tour dates and plans to perform shows outside North America. When introducing the tour, Hill stated: "We have the best fans in the world, who have been with us through our entire journey and we are so excited to celebrate with them by going back on the road and showcasing an exciting new show. It's always great when we get to work together and it's been awhile since we got to do that."
On September 28, 2017, Bob Harris revealed on his BBC Radio 2 show that McGraw and Hill were the first announced headliners for the 2018 C2C: Country to Country festival which takes place in London, Glasgow and Dublin. In November 2017, a second American leg of the tour was announced.
The show and the stage The show begins with a ten-second countdown clock, after that futuristic music begins to play. Hill and McGraw begin to say a speech which ends with, "face to face, heart to heart, and soul to soul." Then two black boxes rise up onto the b-stage, as the boxes descends both Hill and McGraw appear, and perform Aretha Franklin and George Michael's "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me". During "Break First" (a new pop centric song from the couple), the video screens displays fragments of glass shattering behind them. When McGraw performs "Angry All the Time", Hill plays the acoustic guitar while singing background vocals. The show lasts for two hours and fifteen minutes with a setlist of thirty songs. They go back and forth singing with each other and alone during solos. McGraw and Hill perform their past hits and songs off their upcoming album. They close with "I Need You".
The stage and production is made up of laser lights, risers, special effects, eighty-foot wide video board, HD and LED screens. During the show family photos are projected onto the eighty-foot wide video board. A ten-piece band backs the couple.
Opening acts
Kelsea Ballerini Brothers Osborne Cam Brandy Clark Brent Cobb Devin Dawson Seth Ennis Rhiannon Giddens Natalie Hemby High Valley Chris Janson Joseph Chris Lane LoCash Lori McKenna Midland Old Dominion Steve Moakler NEEDTOBREATHE Jon Pardi Eric Paslay Rachel Platten Margo Price Ben Rector Maggie Rose The Shadowboxers Caitlyn Smith Charlie Worsham
Source:
Setlist The following setlist was performed at the concert held on April 21, 2017, at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.
McGraw and Hill "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" McGraw "Felt Good on My Lips" Hill "The Lucky One" McGraw "I Like It, I Love It" Hill "The Way You Love Me" McGraw and Hill "Like We Never Loved at All" "Break First" "Telluride" "Devil Calling Me Back" Hill "Free" "This Kiss" "Breathe" "Wild One" "Stronger" "Piece of My Heart" McGraw and Hill "Angry All the Time" McGraw "One of Those Nights" "Real Good Man" "Shotgun Rider" "Humble and Kind" "Live Like You Were Dying" McGraw and Hill "Speak to a Girl" "It's Your Love" Hill "Mississippi Girl" McGraw "Something Like That" McGraw and Hill "I Need You"
Tour dates Date City Country Venue Opening acts Attendance Revenue North America Leg 1Sources for tour dates:April 7, 2017New OrleansUnited StatesSmoothie King CenterBrothers Osborne14,959 / 14,959 $1,324,355 April 9, 2017TupeloBancorpSouth Arena8,323 / 8,323 $685,612April 20, 2017North CharlestonNorth Charleston ColiseumNEEDTOBREATHE9,097 / 9,097$798,478April 21, 2017BirminghamLegacy Arena11,259 / 11,259 $821,751April 23, 2017AtlantaPhilips Arena13,033 / 13,033$1,170,004April 27, 2017St. LouisScottrade CenterSeth Ennis12,906 / 12,906 $1,066,330April 28, 2017LouisvilleKFC Yum! Center14,653 / 14,653 $1,220,499April 29, 2017IndianapolisBankers Life Fieldhouse12,726 / 12,726 $999,040May 4, 2017NewarkPrudential CenterThe Shadowboxers11,815 / 11,815 $1,134,267May 5, 2017UncasvilleMohegan Sun Arena11,686 / 11,686 $1,532,244May 6, 2017May 11, 2017TulsaBOK CenterJon Pardi11,391 / 11,391 $818,172May 12, 2017LincolnPinnacle Bank Arena13,853 / 13,853 $1,262,422May 13, 2017Oklahoma CityChesapeake Energy Arena11,490 / 11,490 $859,619May 18, 2017SpokaneSpokane Veterans Memorial ArenaChris Lane10,700 / 10,700 $887,903May 19, 2017BozemanBrick Breeden Fieldhouse15,544 / 15,544 $1,181,828May 20, 2017May 25, 2017BoiseTaco Bell ArenaJoseph9,156 / 9,156 $829,945May 26, 2017PortlandModa Center13,736 / 13,736 $1,192,723May 27, 2017TacomaTacoma Dome16,744 / 16,744 $1,321,429May 31, 2017VancouverCanadaRogers ArenaMidland12,756 / 12,756$1,021,510June 2, 2017CalgaryScotiabank Saddledome12,765 / 12,765 $1,170,500June 3, 2017EdmontonRogers Place13,358 / 13,358$1,126,310June 4, 2017SaskatoonSaskTel Centre12,709 / 12,709 $1,095,770June 7, 2017WinnipegMTS CentreCaitlyn Smith11,581 / 11,581 $915,797June 9, 2017Sioux FallsUnited StatesDenny Sanford Premier Center11,127 / 11,127$1,088,360June 10, 2017Des MoinesWells Fargo Arena13,236 / 13,236$1,256,399June 15, 2017Grand RapidsVan Andel ArenaHigh Valley11,788 / 11,788$1,079,900June 16, 2017MilwaukeeBMO Harris Bradley Center12,137 / 12,137$974,098June 17, 2017MolineiWireless Center10,670 / 10,670$891,006June 22, 2017OttawaCanadaCanadian Tire CentreCharlie Worsham13,396 / 13,396$1,112,650June 23, 2017TorontoAir Canada Centre26,956 / 26,956$2,241,830 June 24, 2017July 7, 2017 Boston United StatesTD GardenLori McKenna24,187 / 24,187$2,132,287 July 8, 2017 July 13, 2017Las VegasT-Mobile ArenaRachel Platten6,611 / 6,611$783,705July 14, 2017Los AngelesStaples Center25,571 / 25,571$2,028,973July 15, 2017July 21, 2017GlendaleGila River ArenaRhiannon Giddens13,540 / 13,540$1,264,313July 22, 2017OntarioCitizens Business Bank Arena8,903 / 8,903$963,746July 23, 2017San DiegoValley View Casino Center10,290 / 10,290$846,246July 28, 2017SacramentoGolden 1 CenterDevin Dawson13,540 / 13,540$1,413,260 July 29, 2017San JoseSAP Center12,385 / 12,385$1,122,601July 31, 2017DenverPepsi Center23,073 / 23,073$1,568,171August 1, 2017August 3, 2017North Little RockVerizon Arena -August 4, 2017NashvilleBridgestone ArenaAndra Day28,357 / 28,357 $2,231,533August 5, 2017August 17, 2017ClevelandQuicken Loans ArenaMaggie Rose11,290 / 11,290 $834,495August 18, 2017PhiladelphiaWells Fargo Center14,370 / 14,370$1,115,596August 19, 2017AlbanyTimes Union Center9,094 / 9,094$667,410August 24, 2017FargoFargodomeNatalie Hemby14,146 / 14,146$1,097,627August 25, 2017Saint PaulXcel Energy Center29,842 / 29,842$2,815,245August 26, 2017August 31, 2017RosemontAllstate ArenaBen Rector22,912 / 22,912$1,797,553September 1, 2017September 2, 2017CincinnatiU.S. Bank Arena11,456 / 11,456 $780,635September 7, 2017ColumbusNationwide ArenaBrent Cobb13,822 / 13,822$1,223,715September 8, 2017Auburn HillsThe Palace of Auburn Hills13,445 / 13,445$1,212,946September 9, 2017Fort WayneAllen County War Memorial Coliseum9,602 / 9,602$800,062September 14, 2017KnoxvilleThompson–Boling ArenaEric Paslay8,164 / 8,164$628,975 September 15, 2017GreenvilleBon Secours Wellness Arena10,470 / 10,470$849,741September 16, 2017JacksonvilleJacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena10,651 / 10,651$798,041September 21, 2017WichitaIntrust Bank ArenaBrandy Clark10,982 / 10,982$889,516September 22, 2017OmahaCenturyLink Center Omaha14,277 / 14,277$1,054,164September 23, 2017Kansas CitySprint Center13,132 / 13,132$1,083,278September 27, 2017Salt Lake CityVivint Smart Home ArenaCam12,528 / 12,528$1,189,950September 29, 2017FresnoSave Mart Center11,703 / 11,703$1,033,055September 30, 2017BakersfieldRabobank Arena8,741 / 8,741$828,635October 5, 2017San AntonioAT&T CenterChris Janson11,471 / 11,471$934,996October 6, 2017HoustonToyota Center11,284 / 11,284$987,317 October 7, 2017DallasAmerican Airlines Center13,255 / 13,255 $1,260,647October 12, 2017PittsburghPPG Paints ArenaSteve Moakler11,414 / 11,414$885,368October 13, 2017Washington, D.C.Capital One Arena13,537 / 13,537$1,200,627October 14, 2017GreensboroGreensboro Coliseum12,043 / 12,043$974,210October 19, 2017SunriseBB&T CenterLoCash9,281 / 9,281$667,022October 20, 2017TampaAmalie Arena12,108 / 12,108$960,177October 21, 2017OrlandoAmway Center12,071 / 12,071$1,058,484October 26, 2017BuffaloKeyBank CenterMargo Price12,042 / 12,042$909,707October 27, 2017BrooklynBarclays Center12,501 / 12,501 $1,023,077EuropeMarch 9, 2018 LondonEnglandThe O2 ArenaKelsea Ballerini Old Dominion38,384 / 45,680$4,275,820March 10, 2018GlasgowScotlandSSE Hydro15,099 / 17,220$1,467,540March 11, 2018DublinIreland3ArenaNorth America Leg 2May 31, 2018 RichmondUnited StatesRichmond Coliseum— 9,489 / 9,489 $873,206June 1, 2018 CharlestonCharleston Civic Center8,483 / 8,483$647,498June 2, 2018 LexingtonRupp Arena9,560 / 9,560$643,856June 5, 2018BaltimoreRoyal Farms Arena10,899 / 10,899$727,114June 7, 2018Grand RapidsVan Andel Arena10,936 / 10,936$816,874June 8, 2018ToledoHuntington Center14,963 / 14,963$1,268,897June 9, 2018June 12, 2018HersheyGiant Center9,257 / 9,257$905,605June 14, 2018UniondaleNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum8,734 / 8,734$751,624June 15, 2018UncasvilleMohegan Sun Arena7,807 / 7,807$781,038June 16, 2018ManchesterSNHU Arena8,499 / 8,499$772,539June 18, 2018HamiltonCanadaFirstOntario Centre10,708 / 10,708$797,048June 19, 2018LondonBudweiser Gardens7,887 / 7,887$743,975June 22, 2018RaleighUnited StatesPNC Arena12,093 / 12,093$859,715June 23, 2018DuluthInfinite Energy Arena9,912 / 9,912$674,997June 26, 2018Bossier CityCenturyLink Center10,228 / 10,228$598,411June 29, 2018SpringfieldJQH Arena8,024 / 8,024$644,900June 30, 2018Des MoinesWells Fargo Arena11,436 / 11,436$839,144July 6, 2018Green BayResch Center8,242 / 8,242$875,724July 7, 2018MinneapolisTarget Center11,748 / 11,748$712,738July 8, 2018Sioux FallsDenny Sanford Premier Center8,797 / 8,797$695,622July 10, 2018Grand ForksRalph Engelstad Arena6,512 / 6,512$387,300July 13, 2018SeattleKeyArena11,146 / 11,146$842,978July 14, 2018EugeneMatthew Knight Arena9,413 / 9,413$781,752July 18, 2018Salt Lake CityVivint Smart Home Arena12,405 / 12,405$992,034July 20, 2018PhoenixTalking Stick Resort Arena12,773 / 12,773$886,518July 21, 2018Los AngelesStaples Center11,812 / 11,812$803,817July 22, 2018SacramentoGolden 1 Center12,189 / 12,189$944,746July 24, 2018Paso RoblesMid State Fair——Total1,261,076 / 1,270,493 $106,110,993 A. These shows will be part of the C2C: Country to Country festival.
Critical reception Tulsa World's Andrea Eger says "the electricity they generated could have powered their megawatt stage production with no help from PSO" According to the Orange County Register'''s Kelli Sky Fadroski, she was impressed with Hill's return to the tour stage stating that "she brought her A game" during her solo moments. For the duo's performance she described it as, "a connection and tenderness between them that just can't be faked."