Tyler Childers brought his Snipe Hunt Tour to Hersheypark Stadium with plenty of anticipation already surrounding his arrival. The 11-time Grammy-nominated singer had originally been scheduled to play Hershey in June, but the show was postponed as his wife, Senora May, was expecting the couple’s second child. By the time Childers finally reached the massive stadium, his fans were more than ready for him.
The rescheduled show took place on Augus 14, with Childers touring in support of his seventh studio album, Snipe Hunter. The record has earned four Grammy nominations, including Best Contemporary Country Album, and its heavier, more experimental sound would loom large over the evening.
As anyone familiar with Hershey knows, traffic can be formidable when tens of thousands of people descend on the area for a show. Security faced a particularly large wave of arrivals around the time opener Evan Honer was scheduled to appear, pushing the start back about 15 minutes. But when Honer finally took the stage at 6:45pm, the Arizona-born independent artist quickly settled into the evening.
Honer, who founded Cloverdale Records in 2023, has experienced a rapid rise in popularity, particularly after his cover of Childers’ unreleased song “Jersey Giant” went viral. He entered the stage with an almost timid energy before gradually opening up, eventually leaping around and finding a way to bridge the gap between his warm, intimate sound and a 30,000-capacity stadium.
One of the most moving moments of Honer’s set came with “Mr. Meyers,” a quiet reflection on his grandfather navigating life alone. Later, the crowd erupted into a singalong when Honer inevitably closed with “IDK Shit About Cars.” He proved to be a fitting opener, bringing an earnest warmth to the stage that perfectly prepared the crowd for Childers.
Watch the official music video for “Mr. Meyers” by Evan Honer on YouTube:
Just as the sun was setting around 8pm, Childers emerged behind his seven-piece backing band, The Food Stamps. He briefly asked the crowd how they were doing, said he was doing all right himself, and immediately launched into the grunge-inspired “Eatin’ Big Time,” the opening track from Snipe Hunter.
The visual presentation immediately distinguished the show from the more static staging often associated with arena and stadium country concerts. A massive LED screen behind the band displayed dishes and silverware to match the theme of “Eatin’ Big Time,” while warm reds and energetic live camera work moved with the rhythm of the music.
The integration of traditional bluegrass instruments with heavier rock percussion gave The Food Stamps a dense, powerful sound that I loved. The instrumental chemistry was a marvel to witness. The rhythm section laid down a steady groove while the guitars, fiddle and pedal steel engaged in a fascinating interplay, joining traditional Appalachian music with a much heavier rock sound. Dual keyboards added subtler textures underneath it all.
Childers’ voice soared above the mix. He moved effortlessly from the gritty delivery of “Dirty Ought Trill” to the far more vulnerable “Shake the Frost,” demonstrating just how much ground his music can cover without ever losing its identity.
Watch Tyler Childers perform “Shake the Frost” for Red Barn Radio back in the day on YouTube:
The absolute high point of the night came with “Jersey Giant,” Childers’ unreleased song that has since been covered by artists including Sam Barber and Elle King. Childers explained that he never thought all that much of the song until he heard a young artist cover it — and then invited Evan Honer back onto the stage.
Honer and Childers traded portions of “Jersey Giant,” creating a rare meeting between the young musician whose version helped revive interest in the song and the songwriter who created it. Their contrasting voices gave the performance its own character, while the crowd erupted and sang nearly every word with them.
Childers changed the scale of the evening again midway through the show when he moved to an acoustic B-stage. Stepping away from the enormous sound of The Food Stamps, he suddenly stood alone in the middle of Hersheypark Stadium.
For a few songs, the sprawling venue somehow felt more like a front porch.
Childers delivered stripped-down versions of “Lady May,” “Nose on the Grindstone” and “Follow You to Virgie,” allowing the emotional weight of the songs to take over. His acoustic guitar was joined by thousands of voices singing the words back to him, creating one of those rare stadium moments that somehow felt genuinely intimate rather than manufactured.
Watch Tyler Childers perform “Follow You to Virgie” for OurVinyl Sessions on YouTube:
That balance ultimately defined the evening. Childers and The Food Stamps could fill Hersheypark Stadium with thunderous folk-rock one moment and reduce it to the intimacy of a small room the next. By combining deeply personal storytelling with Appalachian tradition, bluegrass instrumentation and an increasingly adventurous rock edge, Childers demonstrated why his music continues to resist easy categorization.
Even with 30,000 people surrounding him, Tyler Childers made the night feel personal.
Here are some photos of Tyler Childers performing live at Hersheypark Stadium on August 14, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Caden Forrester.
Here are some photos of Evan Honer performing live at Hersheypark Stadium on August 14, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Caden Forrester.
