Jelly Roll

November 22, 2024

Columbia, SC

Colonial Life Arena

Review by Joseph Hett

Jelly Roll Is Inspirational In Columbia

Jelly Roll brought the Beautifully Broken Tour to the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC on Friday night. The rapid-rising superstar presented an evening of inspirational music to captivate the sold-out arena.

A brief video with a uniting theme played with what sounded like Morgan Freeman narrating it. Screams erupted as soon as Jelly Roll was spotted walking through the crowd from the mainstage to the back of the arena for the B-stage.

The dressed in all black Jelly Roll started with “I Am Not Okay” as a house frame like structure started to burn above him. Before heading back to the mainstage, Jelly Roll triumphantly proclaimed, “That’s how you start a show, South Carolina! That is how you start a show! And I want you to know that tonight is gonna be a night of healing, tonight is gonna be a night of hope, tonight is gonna be a night of love, but most importantly I hope it’s one of the best shows you’ve ever seen, South Carolina!”

Jelly Roll and the band got cranked up with “Halfway to Hell.” After joking around with the band and “busting a move,” Jelly Roll took us on a journey to the honky-tonk with “Get By” and then the therapeutic “Burning.”

“My name is Jason ‘Jelly Roll’ DeFord. I’m from Nashville, Tennessee and we sold this thing out tonight, baby! Thank y’all!,” Jelly Roll exclaimed before “Son of a Sinner.” The capacity crowd then got to sing along to Jelly Roll’s first number one song on country radio.

Jelly Roll spoke about listening to classic country music growing up thanks to his mother. ERNEST came out to help with Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” and Toby Keith’s “Who’s Your Daddy?”

Jelly Roll performed Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” that transitioned into his song with MGK called “Lonely Road” – which included John Denver’s original chorus tonight.

Jelly Roll said he was going to play some of his old music. He then featured a medley of “Creature” / “Same Asshole” / “Fall in the Fall.” Allie Colleen was brought out for “Wild Ones” – Jelly Roll’s song with Jessie Murph.

A lady with a sign that said “84 days sober” caught Jelly Roll’s attention. He then dedicated “Winning Streak” to her and anyone that was experiencing sobriety and recovery.

Jelly Roll said he was going to try something different. He then presented “Believe” by Brooks and Dunn. The three of them performed that song at the 58th Annual CMA Awards just two days earlier.

Jelly Roll mentioned he wrote “She” for anyone who has lost anyone to drug addiction. The somber piano driven song inspired Jelly Roll to go to Washington, DC to address the US Senate about the Fentanyl crisis. During the popular “Liar,” Jelly Roll made his way to the end of the stage’s runways signing autographs.

Jelly Roll told a comedic story about how he was introduced to rap by his older brother. Jelly Roll then performed a medley of classic rap: “Boys in the Hood” / “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” / “Lose Yourself” / “Ms. Jackson” / “Just a Friend.” And the aforementioned story about a “skunk” led them to play the appropriately named “Bottle and Mary Jane.”

A large rosary bead cross necklace lowered down to the stage for the fan-favorite “Need a Favor.” After the uplifting “Heart of Stone,” Jelly Roll made his way back to the B-stage to close out the show.

“If this song has ever helped you in anyway will you scream it at the top of your lungs with me tonight?,” Jelly Roll said before launching into “Save Me.” The reignited structure above Jelly Roll was quickly extinguished by “rain” falling down. Jelly Roll finished the song while walking around the platform in the drizzle.

Also on this run of shows for the Beautifully Broken Tour was Allie Colleen, Shaboozey and ERNEST. Shaboozey played a brief set highlighted by the long running and still counting number one “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” What other tour package could you see two musical guests of the same season of Saturday Night Live? (Jelly Roll was on September 28 and Shaboozey will be on December 7). Some fans were disappointed that Jelly Roll did not bring up Shaboozey for a song like he did with ERNEST and Colleen. Shaboozey is on pace to headline arenas before you know it.

Jelly Roll has his live show dialed in. The Beautifully Broken Tour in the US has officially wrapped up. After a run of dates in Canada in the spring, Jelly Roll will then embark on a summer stadium tour with Post Malone. The in-demand artist will continue to stay busy with tours, new music, collaborations and media appearances.