Luke Combs in Paris

Luke Combs last played Paris on October 8, 2023, at La Cigale, a venue that holds around a thousand people. The Accor Arena holds fifteen times that, and it was full, cowboy hats dotting the floor as far back as the stands. That jump, in a market where country music still occupies a niche rather than a mainstream, is as good a measure as any of where Combs sits right now.

The production matched the ambition: pyro lit up a stage built for the occasion, the light show was generous, and the pacing over nearly two hours left very little room to breathe. The setlist leaned on the hits without apology: Hurricane, Beer Never Broke My Heart, Beautiful Crazy, When It Rains It Pours, and a cover of Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car that has become something of a signature moment, all landing with the kind of crowd recognition that suggests his catalogue has crossed the language barrier entirely. Midway through, the band took over for an extended medley of pop and rock touchstones, working through Crazy Train, She Will Be Loved, Billie Jean, I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing and Something Like That in a showcase that was part hoedown, part greatest hits revue, and entirely fun. Each musician got their moment, and the crowd was delighted to oblige.