I’m not gonna lie, we’re still pretty bummed that Philadelphia missed out on Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well World Tour, her 2024 jaunt behind the eponymously named sixth studio album, making it nearly five years since we’ve seen the eight-time GRAMMY-winning musician who manages to merge the best aspects of country, pop, and folk without losing the charm of any of them… However, that makes us all the more excited for the Middle of Nowhere Tour, a two-month run behind her namesake seventh full-length, which kicks off later this week in Chicago and includes a September 4th return to the since-renamed Xfinity Mobile Arena. The local stop takes place on a Friday night and will give fans the opportunity to see the singer/songwriter in the round, on a 360-degree stage, in all of her glory… and there are still great tickets available, plenty close enough to let the ineffably chic artist make note of your own glamorous getups. Here are Three Reasons why you should secure those tickets ASAP…
1. ALBUM SEVEN MIGHT BE HER BEST YET
Not only does Middle of Nowhere boast Kacey’s most impressive collection of collaborations to date; including Gregory Alan Isakov, Billy Strings, Miranda Lambert, and Willie Nelson; it also features some of the best music of 2026 and her career… Co-written and co-produced with longtime collaborators Daniel Tashian (also known for his work with PHILTHY phriends like Fancy Hagood, Real Estate, and Sarah Jarosz) and Ian Fitchuk (who’s worked with buddies like Maisie Peters, SUSTO, and Trousdale), the album is her mostly traditionally country in quite some time, exploring the sounds and themes of her Texas upbringing with the popular wit she’s known for, most potently in the title track. Many additionally humorous narratives also serve as “post-breakup reflections” on her relationship with Ruston Kelly, with lead single “Dry Spell” cementing itself as 2026’s definitive anthem of horniness. And “Back on the Wagon,” which echoes the best ballads of early ‘90s country radio, is definitely on track for some year-end lists.
2. SHE’S ALWAYS GREAT, AND IT’S BEEN A WHILE…
If my calculations are correct, Kacey’s upcoming show at Xfinity Mobile Arena will be her 10th official show in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection (in addition to one exceptionally intimate, unofficial performance of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” at Tavern on Camac the last time she was in town.) And whether she was opening a mega-stage for Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, or Harry Styles; headlining a legendary room like The Trocadero or The Met; or dropping into World Café Live for a Free At Noon, she always impresses. Her last time in town was January of 2022, five dates into the Star-Crossed: Unveiled tour and her first time headlining the arena (then Wells Fargo Center), where she proved that the songs of Golden Hour and star-crossed – which document the origins and conclusion of Musgraves’ relationship with Kelly – were arena-ready anthems and that she had the charisma (and production savvy) to pull off a coliseum-sized spectacle… maybe the best the city’s seen since the return of live music.
3. IT’S THE PERFECT WAY TO KICK OFF LABOR DAY WEEKEND
Kacey Musgraves’ local appearance comes on the Friday before Labor Day, making it the perfect start for the holiday weekend without cutting into any of the daytime/sunshine activities you may have planned for the unofficial end of summer. On top of that, Miss Musgraves’ catalogue would seem to frequently tackle appropriately themed narratives. star-crossed (2021) lead single “justified” opens with “It was a fun, strange summer…,” while the chorus of Deeper Well’s (2024) “Moving Out” concludes with, “Now autumn’s movin’ in / And we’re movin’ out.” So, if you’re looking to get over someone or something, maybe just this summer itself, Kacey’s got you. And if you’re looking for something at least somewhat sunny, there’s “If The World Burns Down,” Kacey’s contribution to the Nobody Wants This soundtrack, which chronicles an impossibly perfect, albeit likely fleeting, romance, which begins with the line, “Fire on the beach, feet in the sand.” And then there’s Middle of Nowhere‘s “Rhinestoned,” which is kind of perfect for any sort of celebration.
*Get your tickets here.
