Live Review: Stephen Wilson Jr. @ Pier 6 Pavilion – 7/25/26

It seems like there’s something special about seeing Stephen Wilson Jr. in concert. There’s something in the air that’s tangible. Maybe it’s the wide variety of fans he’s amassed. In addition to the SWJ shirts, I saw Alice In Chains, Guns ‘N Roses, Willie Nelson, Pelican (that was me), and more. It could also be that, despite the rocketship he’s riding, he’s a regular guy from Indiana. When he emerged onstage at Pier 6 Pavilion in Baltimore this past July 25, you’d never know his single, Gary, had broken the Top 40 on the country charts and that he’s been writing with Miranda Lambert.

Starting off the show were the beautiful harmonies of The Lone Bellow, a trio based in Brooklyn (although Zach Williams and Brian Elmquist are from Georgia, and Kanene Donehey Pipkin is from Virginia). Their songs were wonderfully rich and soulful. They even played a sweet version of Blind Melon’s No Rain.

He’s currently on his nationwide Gary The Torch tour. Check out the video for his song Gary, starring Gary Sinese.

Watch the official music video for “Gary” by Stephen Wilson Jr. on YouTube:

This is the second time I’ve seen Stephen Wilson Jr. and his boxing history is evident. If you aren’t familiar with his story, he was an amateur boxer turned scientist (he helped create Dentastix) turned songwriter turned country artist. As soon as he hits the stage, he’s aggressive about walking the perimeter and getting a feel for the ring, er stage. 

The first song of the evening for Stephen was his latest single, Preacher’s Kid. He streched that song out a bit. That would be a popular theme throughout the evening.

Stephen then asked if there were any hillbillies in Baltimore. The response from the crowd was an overwhelming YES! At that point, he broke into Billy (or Billiam, as the setlist has it). That one is a huge crowd pleaser with its chorus of “You can call me Billy but the hills come with me, HEY!”

A few songs in, Stephen told the story of the first song he released. To paraphrase, one morning he woke up at 3:33 with a song in his head. It took him 29 minutes to write the entire thing. When his father passed away, he received $3,333.33 from his life insurance. He used that money to record and release that song. It’s called The Devil.

At this point Stephen asked if this was anyone’s first show of his that they’ve seen. There were a lot of hands. Attached to many of those hands were a lot of young kids. It’s really awesome to see parents bringing their kids to concerts. If there’s any artist who can show younger generations the power and importance of live music, it’s this guy!

Things quieted down at this point in the show. He played beautiful versions of two of my personal favorites, Father’s Son and I’m A Song. The second has made the rounds online as an acoustic version. This is the first time I had heard it with the full band. It’s different, but in a very good way.

Stephen then did something I wish more artists would do. He played a brand new song called Robots. I see fewer and fewer bands working songs out live, lately, and that’s too bad. It’s definitely a thrill for the crowd. He did it the last time I saw him, when he played the song Gary and I’m glad to see him still doing it.

Another highlight was opening the song Calico Creek with a snippet of Stars by the band Hum. The Lone Bellow came back out to accompany Stephen on Grief Is Only Love. Afterwards, he said that he got caught up in that and it almost choked him up.

At this point in the set, he was about to play his song Gary but he spotted superfan Oakley in the crowd. It was Oakley’s birthday, so Stephen sang Happy Birthday to him. Afterwards he claimed to not know the words and so he did  a jazz version.

While introducing the song Gary, Stephen said that the song was about blue collar folks; the kind who can fix just about anything. “A.I. isn’t going to fix your plumbing. But if a guy named Gary shows up, you’re in pretty good hands.” To the surprise of the crowd, Stephen extended the song for close to 20 minute, stepping off the stage and wandering through the audience, eventually making his way to the grassy area in the back. Some might call it a Garython. On his way, he stopped to play for the kids sitting right in front of me. This song is what drew the family (especially those kids) to Stephen’s music. They had a dog named Gary who had recently passed. It was a magical moment; one that those two kids will remember forever.

The show ended a few songs later and some of the crowd left. That’s too bad because Stephen reemerged from back stage with his dog, Freida. He gave her a few snacks so she’d be good (I couldn’t tell if they were Dentastix or not). He played a two song, solo encore and it was over…almost.

The house lights came on and most of the crowd left. But not everyone. About 200-250 people hung around to try and get an autograph. And Stephen Wilson Jr. did something that solidified his place as one of the best people making music today. He stayed and signed every last piece of merch that was presented to him; down to the last person. I know because I was that last person. So thank you, Stephen Wilson, Jr. I will be at every show you play in the area, from now until you stop. “I’ve Never Known Better”

Setlist

• Preacher’s Kid
• Billiam (Billy)
• Cuckoo
• Patches
• The Devil
• Father’s Son
• I’m A Song
• Robots
• Stars/Calico Creek
• Grief Is Only Love (w/The Lone Bellow)
• Happy Birthday (to Oakley)
• Gary
• Year To Be Young 1994
• American Gothic
• Hometown
• Holler From The Holler

Encore

• Werewolf
• Stand By Me

Here are some more photos of Stephen Wilson Jr. performing live at Pier Six Pavilion on July 25, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Marc Shea.