Kicking off your very first headlining tour can be very nerve-wracking. Kicking off your very first headlining tour at the age of 20 can be even more nerve-wracking. Kicking off your very first headlining tour at the age of 20 AND in New York City?? Talk about pressure! But if Maddie & Tae were nervous, they did an excellent job of hiding it, performing like veterans as they blew the roof off of Highline Ballroom during their Start Here Tour opening stop to an energetic, sing-along crowd.
M&T welcomed the audience with “Right Here, Right Now,” “No Place Like You,” and “Your Side of Town.” With the crowd already up on their feet, the girls performed their first cover of the night – Dolly Parton’s classic “9 to 5” which had everyone singing along. They kept up the tempo with “Shut Up and Fish” before playing “Takin’ It Easy,” a wonderful song that didn’t make the cut onto their Start Here debut album.
Further showcasing their song writing abilities, the triple CMA nominee duo also performed “Boomerang,” the lead track off of Jana Kramer’s upcoming album Thirty-One, which they co-wrote with Chad Carlson and Aaron Scherz.
In addition to playing all 11 tracks off their debut album, M&T included several well-chosen covers showing their appreciation for various genres of music – from Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors,” to Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” to Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” (as well as the before mentioned “9 to 5”).
The duo closed out their main set with their #1 single “Girl In a Country Song,” and returned to a cheering crowd for a two-song encore: a beautiful acoustic version of “After the Storm Blows 
Through,” to which Maddie Marlow proclaimed “We got your back!” in reference to making music that helps people get through the hard times of life, and an angelic cover of “Cowboy Take Me Away” by the Dixie Chicks.
The singers seemed amazed by the crowd’s reception of them as well as their knowledge of their lyrics, and became even more in awe while performing their empowering second single “Fly.” The voice of the crowd was so powerful that the singers turned to mics to the fans to lead the sing-along of the final chorus.
But this wasn’t the only time M&T interacted with their fans. Throughout the show they sung directly into the numerous iPhones that were snapping photos or recording songs, smiled, waved and shook hands with those up front. But the most precious moment involved two young fans (perhaps 10 years old and younger) that were standing right up against the stage. With their sign in hand and “Shut Up and Fish” hat on, they clearly were having the time of their lives. Marlow made sure to come over and sing right to the girls several times throughout the night, as well as autograph their sign. A lovely homage to how they too were once those little girls and recognizing that they are now their idols.
Note: Tucker Beathard, son of songwriter Casey Beathard, opened with a brilliant six-song acoustic set, including “Whiskey in a Wine Glass.” Definitely make sure you get to the shows in time to see him!
Check out our gallery of the show here.