Ballerini entertains, while offering group therapy

A brisk Jersey chill outside was a sharp contrast to the warm reception fans had inside for Kelsea Ballerini on this clear winter night. The "Legends" army came prepared with their signs, pink cowgirl hats and bedazzled luggage tags (an homage to a new track called "Baggage"). Despite being a fixture on the country charts for over a decade, Ballerini has never headlined her own arena tour before this year – so there's a palpable happiness the artist radiates when some of these dates raise the 'personal best' bar for crowd volume (and the other kind of volume).

From the opener "Patterns," the setlist emphasized the newer, more emotionally vulnerable material – Ballerini's second record only got referenced once, and her debut hit "Love Me Like You Mean It" -- a former concert finale – was now high up in the set as one of the leadoff batters.

The masterpiece EP "Rolling Up The Welcome Mat," about her 2023 divorce from singer Morgan Evans, was well-represented. More so than many of her peers, Ballerini writes directly from, and to, the heart without lots of metaphors or production ornamentation. Tears were shed as the lyrical punch of songs like "Mountain With a View" and "Penthouse" summoned up the crowd's own romantic Waterloo memories. But these weren't all "heavy" songs, and sometimes led to fun dance-off/singalongs like "hole in the bottle" and best friend anthem "IF YOU GO DOWN (I'M GOING DOWN TOO)".

Ballerini's unflappable energy impressed indeed, as she had just cancelled a show for the flu only days prior. Her effervescence alone would keep most crowds transfixed. But she brisked through glam outfit changes, and the screen visuals added production allure, most dramatically on "First Rodeo" -- the band looked as if they were literally walking on water, while a giant image of carousel adorned the center.

Another great moment in art direction was the mountain of suitcases for "Baggage," a la Les Miserables. One highlight stood out: Ballerini leaves space in the show for a surprise song, to keep the show special for a given city's crowd. New Jersey was rewarded with one of her absolute best deep cuts - "What I Have"- sublimely performed with just vocal and six-string.

If there's a demo for the typical Ballerini fan, it's decidedly female – girl squads were everywhere, and the men's room was the loneliest place in the venue. One particularly raw moment was when KB brought up the house lights to read signs and connect with individual fans. There was a woman who had just lost a job, and another who was dumped by a partner to "ghosting" after a year of dating. Ballerini asked questions and offered support, in a kind of absolution that only someone you admire and over 10,000 cheering people can provide ("You're beautiful – turn the camera on her -- isn't she beautiful, y'all?").

Like their heroine, Ballerini's fans came ready to have a good time and to be honest about their own heartaches. It made for a magical evening experience, to be entertained and understood.