Exclusive | I saw The Red Clay Strays live at RODEOHOUSTON and theyre all I listen to now

It was only a matter of time before The Red Clay Strays took over the biggest stage in Texas.I saw Brandon Coleman and his band of Alabamian brothers perform at RODEOHOUSTON on Tuesday, March 17 and they’re the reason modern country-rock still has a soul.Walking into NRG Stadium on Tuesday, March 17, the energy was already buzzing from a day of mutton busting and steer wrestling.But let’s be honest.

While the rodeo is the draw for some, the 62,000 fans packed into the stands were there to see if the “Wondering Why” hitmakers could translate their swampy, grit-soaked sound to a venue that seats more people than their Mobile hometown.Spoiler alert: They did.From the second the rotating stage began to turn and Coleman let out that first earth-shaking note of “Ramblin’,” it was clear the Strays weren’t just “happy to be there.” They were there to own the mammoth space.Coleman, looking every bit the rockstar in his signature pompadour and vintage-cool attire, has a stage presence that feels like a cross between Elvis Presley and a Pentecostal preacher.When he leaned into the microphone for “Stone’s Throw,” his baritone didn’t just fill the stadium; the sound reverberated through the dirt floors.The setlist was a masterclass in pacing.

The fellas burned through high-octane tracks like “Drowning” and “Devil in My Ear” before stripping things back for the moments that made the Texans’ home field feel like a smoky dive bar.When the opening chords of “Wondering Why” hit, 62,000 fans became an informal choir.

It was one of those hair-standing-on-end moments that only happens when a band truly “arrives.”They closed the night with the powerful “No One Else Like Me,” leaving the dirt-covered floor of NRG Stadium smoldering.Final verdict: If you missed them The Red Clay Strays time around, don’t make the same mistake twice.Coleman and co.

are on a vertical trajectory, and while they’re playing stadiums and arenas now — i...