The guy in the Raiders ball cap, baggy blue jeans and a button-down, short-sleeved shirt can really pack a stadium.
Luke Combs drew an Allegiant Stadium record of 70,921 at Saturday night’s “My Kinda Saturday Night” tour kickoff. The figure was announced on the Allegiant Stadium and AEG Presents Las Vegas Instagram pages late Saturday.
The event also marks the largest indoor attendance for any concert or event in Nevada history, with Allegiant Stadium the highest-capacity indoor venue statewide.
That figure surpasses the official crowd of 70,482 for the Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford boxing bout in September 2025.
Combs’ show surpasses any Raiders home game, Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024 (61,629), and either night of WrestleMania last year (124,693 over two nights).
The country star has also outdrawn such artists as Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Garth Brooks, the Rolling Stones (two shows), BTS (four shows), Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar, Billy Joel with Sting, Beyoncé (four shows in two tour stops), Morgan Wallen (two shows) Metallica and Imagine Dragons at Allegiant Stadium.
Combs’ performance was set in the round, similar to the boxing configuration, to maximize the number of tickets available for sale. Combs and his fierce backing band performed on a rotating stage (clockwise and otherwise throughout the night), with the frontman taking mic positions at the end of four runways.
Lasers flashed and pyro frequently burst from the set in the middle of the crowd.
He held a red Solo-style cup for most of the show. This everyman prop was purportedly filled with Jack and Coke. The move followed the lead of the late Toby Keith, who recorded the 2011 anthem “Red Solo Cup.”
Combs, who turned 36 on March 2, unleashed the tour title song and “Hurricane” to kick off the show. His latest album, “The Way I Am,” was released Friday. His set list borrowed from the new, 22-song record. “Sleepless in a Hotel Room,” “Tell ’Em About Tonight” and the love ballad “Be by You” closing the night.
The audience response was often ear-piercing for the late-blooming artist, who 10 years ago had no record deal and no No. 1 singles. As Combs said at a news conference from the Flamingo, site of his Category 10 honky-tonk opening, set for October, “Where else would we start this tour but Las Vegas?”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.