Review: Parker McCollum in The Woodlands

Parker McCollum
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands
September 6, 2025

Parker McCollum has played hundreds of shows over the course of his career, from small venues in front of dozens to stadiums packed with thousands. He’s seen just about everything since blowing up on the country music scene around the turn of the decade.

Saturday night felt a little bit different.

In front of a standing-room-only crowd in The Woodlands, the Conroe native was welcomed home by thousands of adoring locals. He treated them to 18 songs over 90 minutes that truly showcased a songwriter and performer on the cusp of mega-stardom.

“It’s damn good to be home,” said McCollum, who also pointed out that he once graduated high school (“barely,” his words) on the very stage on which he was now playing.

The show was also a masterclass in crafting a setlist.

McCollum blended hits such as “Hell of a Year,” “Pretty Heart” and “Handle on You” with material from his phenomenal self-titled record, which dropped in June. Standout tracks from the new record were ample, most notably the show-opening “My Blue,” the show-closing “My Worst Enemy” and the album’s lead single, “What Kinda Man.”

McCollum, ever the gentleman, seemed truly humbled by the moment, which was only exacerbated when members of The Woodlands local council bestowed him a key to the city, along with making September 6, “Parker McCollum Day.”

For a guy who often sings about having a “hell of a year,” and McCollum certainly has, it also made for one hell of a night.

Here’s to many more for the local boy done good.

Overheard in the Crowd: Many, many women in the crowd were disposed to yell, “We love you Parker” throughout the night. This makes sense, given the man is very handsome and makes very accessible country music.

Random Notebook Dump: For September standards, it was lovely in The Woodlands on Saturday night. There was even a breeze, and most people were done sweating by 9:30 or so. The Astros also beat the Rangers by 11. … While a bit of a drive, The Woodlands concert venue really is quite impressive … Parker McCollum is gonna be an even bigger deal here in the next few years. Some people just have that “it” quality; he does.

Setlist:

My Blue

Big Sky

Meet You in the Middle

Young Man’s Blues

Stoned

To Be Loved By You

Hope That I’m Enough

What Kinda Man

I Can’t Breathe

Rest of My Life

Hell of a Year

Watch Me Bleed

Handle on You

Killin’ Me

Burn It Down

Solid Country Gold

Pretty Heart

My Worst Enemy