I have been to the Exit/In multiple times, but I have never attended a sold-out show — until Feb. 23. Music City showed its love for the — as his Instagram page puts it — “Oregon-bred, Nashville-based” Max McNown, with some fans at the door already wearing his merchandise. McNown is riding high on his “A Lot More Free” tour, just a year after releasing his debut studio album, with his sophomore album already out in 2025.
Kentucky-based Ireland Owens opened for the concert, sitting down solo on stage. While she was not the main attraction, it would be a disservice to gloss over her talent. Her vocals remind me of a blend of Brandi Carlile with a strong dash of Appalachian folk. A staple of her — arguably impressive — set was “Beautiful Girl,” a track that Owens described as being a “love letter to [her] past self,” and it shows through the angelic-like vocals. The track represents the adolescent emotions of growing through sweet romance, bitter breakups and the blame we put on ourselves for it all. Midway through, she asked the crowd who had seen McNown perform before, and Owens followed up by ensuring them they were in for “a very good show.” Toward the end, she plugged her Instagram and announced that she is currently recording her upcoming release, something I will be eager to listen to. Ultimately, she is still a rising star — with very few of her performances available online — but I could easily see her becoming a strong Southern staple after she begins releasing her music. Kudos to McNown’s team for having her open, I couldn’t think of a better start to the night.
During intermission, Owens could be seen selling her merch at the back of the Exit/In, acting bubbly towards her fans. Meanwhile, the audience returned from conversing with one another when John Denver’s “Country Roads” came on, with some being heard singing along to the chorus. More joined along when Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” came after, with the iconic “bum, bum, bum being heard from people singing across the venue.
Needing no introduction, McNown — and his band — ran on stage and went straight to performing the heartbreaking “Turned Into Missing You.” Next up was “Love I Got Left,” a folk-feeling song that appeared to rile up the crowd with some dancing throughout the venue. A highlight of his set — particularly due to its slow-paced sharp beat contrasting the preceding fast-paced tracks — was “The Way I Wanna” which felt like a perfect track to slow the vibes down from its electrifying start.
A later song, “Worry ‘Bout My Wonder,” was a personal favorite of mine, with McNown announcing to the audience that it was written for his mother back in Oregon and that he hoped she was “proud of him.” This track was a personal favorite from the second Owens came on stage to do a surprise duet with McNown. The harmonization of their vocals together — McNown’s more rugged voice with Owen’s higher-pitched vocals — was an excellent addition to an already heartfelt track about looking back at the nest after flying away.
Something I love about an artist is when their work has deep substance, and I knew I was in for a treat when McNown announced that “Night Driving” was a heavy but sentimental track for him. And wow. The spiritlike introduction of McNown singing about “sipping on a poison” and “running into the same wall” felt truly striking as a track recounting the experience of chronic struggle. He continued with “Hotel Bible,” which highlights something I particularly found interesting about McNown. He freeholds the microphone and oftentimes uses hand gestures throughout his live performances, particularly the striking motion when he sings “Strike a match; light a candle; curse the darkness,” which just makes the entire venue feel extra lively.
As the night began to wind down, McNown began to sing the laidback “Marley.” The emphasized country accent throughout the track was a great touch that became evident when the lyrics suddenly changed from the album version. As the lights went purple-and-yellow and the beat slowed down, I heard the recognizable Bob Marley chorus from “Three Little Birds” as McNown sang “Don’t worry about a thing; because every little thing will be alright,” adding a much-welcome reggae surprise to the set, which appeared to receive strong fanfare from the audience. “Better Me For You” was another favorite of mine; the stomp-along-able guitar beat combined with the lovey lyrics of McNown “singing praise like a hymnal” for his lover made this a perfect classic for any romantic playlist.
McNown not only performed an encore, he delivered a double encore. Starting with “Love Me Back,” he created an atmosphere of optimism as he sang striking lyrics of soulmate-like love. The night wound down — but the excitement wound up as McNown began the lyrics of “A Lot More Free.” This was a perfect song to close out the night, resembling the end of a fireworks show with lyrics about living youth to its fullest, even if it hurts us in the present.
