Lexington, KY - Rupp Arena
December 30th, 2023
Lexington, KY
Rupp Arena
Preface: This was our first arena show we’d ever seen Tyler and the boys at and it beat every expectation anyone could have had! As a big basketball fan there’s always an energy when you walk into a packed arena and it’s amplified ten fold when you walk into a place like Rupp Arena. Being surrounded by retired numbers and national championship banners is just part of the allure of the venue!
The Stamp Tramps enjoying Rupp’s photo opp
Show Notes:Starting out acoustic, Tyler opened the set with Nose on the Grindstone, Lady May, and Follow You to Virgie; three mainstays in the setlist. After gracing us with his solo performance the guys came on stage to totally rock it out. It instantly started becoming more festive and jubilant (after all we were there to close out a year).
It must be noted that this was the first show with Matt Rowland and Kory Caudill. They instantly took to the show like they’d always been there and blessed the whole crowd with the depth of the keys that hadn’t been there before.
Starting with Country Squire into Bus Route only began to set the tone for the upbeat night we were in for. A couple of songs later we got Way of the Triune God into Tulsa Turnaround. It was pretty clear to us that we were seeing a very unique show; maybe not in terms of setlist changes but in terms of the energy from the band and the fans. It was abundantly clear that the boys from Kentucky were taking pride in being able to play inside the biggest indoor venue in the state. What I can only imagine was a fever dream for everyone. Tyler made several comments about Rupp Arena and growing up as a Kentucky basketball fan and how important this show was to them all.
Outside of the songs mentioned so far the set was littered with bigger hits like All Your’n, Shake the Frost and Purgatory. But, some of the more notable things from the setlist, in our opinion, were Trudy followed by the closer Heart You’ve Been Tendin’.
Heart You’ve Been Tendin’ is one of Chloe’s personal favorites and it’s always a welcomed addition to any setlist. Trudy is also one of Daniel’s favorite covers and you can find him always saying he hopes they play it. Additionally, the set included Deadman’s Curve, a song we’ve only seen appear in a setlist 3 times in all the shows we’ve been to. Honestly, given the setlist, the energy in the room, the occasion, this goes down as one of - if not - the best time we’ve ever seen Tyler Childers and the Food Stamps.
Tyler Childers and the Food Stamps being introduced to Rupp
Venue Notes: Where to begin? Rupp Arena is equally great outside as it is inside. Unique architecture makes the outside look like it’s shooting into the sky. Designed with sharp straight edges it’s almost indescribable how unique it looks, almost as if a slanted triangle is trying to reach the sky. Also, the outside is nearly completely glass. The glass makes the arena feel much larger than it actually is and also makes it feel very welcoming.
The inside is just as unique. As you can imagine it’s filled with UK plagues and monuments as well as massive amounts of the well known Kentucky blue color. Once at your seats you’re welcomed to a wide open area, also making it feel much larger than it is.
Every seat has an unobstructed view for the stage when they do a concert in the venue so truly you can’t go wrong no matter where you sit.
While raised to the ceiling while concerts are taking place you can still see the absolutely massive jumbotron which proudly displays a Rupp Arena sign. As a fan of another blue blood team Daniel was still taken aback by how amazing the whole situation was - even if it meant admitting that a rival has a nice place to play in.
Parking Notes: Parking at the venue was super easy before the show. We parked directly across the street from the venue and paid around $30. However, leaving was best described as a nightmare.
To be honest this was one of the worst places to leave that we’ve ever been to. Without placing blame on the venue, city, or anyone else, it just seemed completely disjointed. There was a major lack of guidance on leaving. So, in the parking lot we were in there were several different lines merging into one line which led to the main road.
While similar to other parking set ups we’ve encountered, the biggest difference was the lack of medians and general traffic control measures; this led to people cutting through several lanes to try and get closer to the exit before merging all the while blocking other people trying to leave in the correct manner.
All things considered it wasn’t a terribly long wait to leave as much as a misguided way to leave. It would be a good idea to understand you either need to rush to the car or just accept that you’ll have to wait.
Again, we’re not trying to blame anyone for this situation. All we want to do is prepare you for what might happen if you park that close to the venue. If we’re ever back at the venue we will park further away and do more research to hopefully avoid this situation in the future.
Travel Notes: Some cool notes about this trip are that it takes us over the Big Sandy River which is referenced in the song “Her and the Banks”
As mentioned in previous travel notes this route takes us past the Tamarack Marketplace in WV; which is a must stop for your first time in the area! They house several arts and crafts vendors and also have food vendors. The Tamarack also host events very often so be sure to check online at what might be happening when you’re passing through.
The worst part about this trip is the tolls on the WV Turnpike. There’s three tolls which are currently $4.25 a piece and they only accept cash so be prepared for that. They offer a “pay by plate” option which they mail you the bill at an increased cost. However, we just recently learned that they sell a yearly “EZ-Pass” specifically for the WV Turnpike which is $28 a year. So, we’d highly recommend getting that if you’re going to make a trip like this more than once as it pays for itself and saves you money.
When you’re in Lexington be sure to check out POPS Resale; a vintage store that sales anything you can imagine! It’s worth every second you spend in the store looking for vinyl records or even stickers. It’s a must stop on every trip to Lexington!