Margo Price is a firecracker, and she burned the house down in her recent appearance at the 9:30 Club. She brought the true spirit of outlaw country, tough and defiant, and unabashedly political. Her show was raucous and rowdy, but also intelligent, passionate and deep. It was one of the finest nights of music I’ve seen this year.
Last year, Price released her fifth album, Hard Headed Woman. It’s a return to the style espoused on her first two records, Midwest Farmer’s Daughter and All American Made. Like those early records, it’s absolutely a country album, but one that rocks hard, finds plenty of grooves, and is downright funky at times. She wears her debt to the Outlaw movement of the ’70s on her sleeve in songs like “Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down.” That one was inspired by the words of encouragement Kris Kristofferson offered to Sinead O’Connor when she was booed at the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert at Madison Square Garden in 1992.
That indebtedness is even more direct on “Kissing You Goodbye,” written by Waylon Jennings about his lawyer/drug dealer’s girlfriend. Another cover on the album, George Jones’s “I Just Don’t Give a Damn,” is a pure slice of honky-tonk goodness.
Watch Margo Price perform “Kissing You Goodbye” live at Farm Aid on YouTube:
Songs from the album made up the biggest chunk of her set at 9:30 Club on Feb. 17. Opener “Wild At Heart” was a perfect mood setter and a description of her ethos. She has a softer side, too, which she pivoted to with the next couple songs. “Don’t Wake Me Up,” recorded as a duet with Jesse Welles, is about find peace and solace in the midst of troubling times, and the tender “Close to You” finds that solace in a bar. “Love Me Like You Used To Do” is a brokenhearted ballad in the classic country tradition.
Price’s husband and frequent cowriter, Jeremy Ivey, joined the tour for this night’s show. They did one his songs, “Edge of Darkness,” which was where the set started to get political. There was a lovely section of the evening where the two did a couple of songs, just the two of them, firing shots at our current president with Blaze Foley’s “Oval Room” and Bob Dylan’s “The Time’s They Are A-Changin’.” Ivey prefaced the latter with, “Now here’s a real song.” They came back to Bob to finish the evening with “Maggie’s Farm.”
The broadsides came fast and furious on Tuesday night. Introducing “Tennessee Song,” Margo quipped, “Kid Rock is my neighbor, unfortunately.” (I recently referred to him as Detroit Allan Coe, but one might also call him Discount Allan Coe, and after he lip-synched at the Turning Point USA half-time show, I’ve heard Hillbilly Vanilli. I also just came up with Methamphetamine Culkin.) But one thing she loves about Nashville is all the talented artists, like Logan Ledger, who plays in her band; she let him take over to play his “All the Wine in California.”
Watch Margo Price perform “Tennessee Song” live for KEXP on YouTube:
Price gave a shout-out to the good people at the 9:30 for taking care of her, and I wanted to second her comments. I’m dealing with a pinched nerve, and I’m on pain meds. One of the staff noticed I seemed out of sorts, and they got me a stool in the ADA section by the stage. It was very much appreciated.
Sean Thompson’s Weird Ears, who also served as Price’s backing band, opened the show. I was mildly disappointed that, as far as I could tell, Sean’s ears were perfectly normal. When I hear “weird ears,” I expect to see something like the Ferenghi from Star Trek. I was similarly disappointed when I went to see Big Head Todd & The Monsters, and Todd’s head was perfectly average, and no one in the band was the least bit monstrous. That being said, this is a good band, and their set was a lot of fun.
The whole evening was fun. The music was great, and Margo sang her ass off. She personifies Kristofferson’s adage about country being the white man’s soul music. Her attitude and outspokenness were very welcome as we navigate these difficult times. I grew up around whip-smart women with strong opinions who weren’t afraid to express them, so Margo touches a special place in my heart. In the face of all the slop that the mainstream Nashville tries to push, she’s a breath of fresh air, a one-of-a-kind talent. And she’s truly one of the finest, most dynamic live performers in music today, of any genre. There are few who can match her intensity and energy. Getting to cover this show was a privilege and a rare treat. I left the 9:30 Club with my spirits lifted and my soul full of joy. I can’t recommend catching Price’s live show strongly enough.
Here are some photos of Margo Price performing live at 9:30 Club on Feb. 17, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Steve Satzberg.
