Anne Wilson with Jordan Rowe @ State Theater | 10-17-2024
Review & Photos by Joey Reichhoff
My twelve-year-old daughter is a huge Anne Wilson fan, so when we saw her “Rebel Tour” stopping in Minneapolis, we knew we had to get tickets immediately! I’m so glad I did because the show sold out fast! We waited for what seemed like an eternity until October 17th came around. Finally! We ate an early dinner, drove to Minneapolis, and walked to the State Theater on Hennepin Avenue for our biggest Daddy-Daughter Date of the year. The night was full of energy, emotion, and fun.
Jordan Rowe, a young country artist from Georgia, opened the night. His act was simple: just himself and a fellow guitarist. He played a mixture of his songs and some of his favorite covers. I thoroughly enjoyed it. His set was about 40 minutes long, and then a speaker introduced a charity called World Vision. He shared pictures from Africa and asked concert-goers to sponsor children.
After a lengthy intermission, Anne opened strong, kicking things off with a one-two punch: “Rebel” and “God & Country.” Right away, you could tell she was on fire—her voice, stage presence, and vibe all shouted the confidence that comes with knowing and embracing who you are. I’ve been listening to Anne Wilson for a few years now, but I am a forty-year-old who doesn’t spend much time on the internet, so I wasn’t in tune with “Hey Girl Nation” until this evening. Wow. Anne connects and interacts with her fans, especially the countless young girls who look up to her. She had everyone clapping, singing along, and captivated by her vulnerable stories.
Anne shared her personal story of loss—how she’d lost her brother and how that tragedy pushed her to start singing as a way to cope. It doesn’t take long to see how genuine she is. The middle part of the show brought out the depth of her music. She stripped things back for an acoustic set that highlighted her storytelling. "Dirt Roads In Heaven" hit hard, as did her versions of “My Father’s Daughter,” “Milestones,” and “What A Beautiful Name.” Anne is passionate about writing and performing catchy country music but is even more passionate about sharing the hope she has found in Jesus. A highlight of the night was a surprise performance with Jordan Rowe on “Country Gold.”
The big finale? Anne took the show to another level. She brought the house down with “Songs About Whiskey,” “The Cross,” and “Devil,” and you could feel the entire room shift. People were up on their feet, arms raised, entirely in the moment. Her encore was a powerful performance of “My Jesus.” I have seen many shows, mostly rock and metal, but this one was extra special because I watched my daughter’s eyes light up and hear her sing along to her favorite songs. Anne Wilson didn’t simply play another show; she created an atmosphere for a spiritual experience, and I am thankful for the memories my daughter and I can look back on for years to come.
Setlist:
Rebel
God & Country
Sunday Sermons
Hey Girl
Happy Birthday
Strong
Dirt Roads in Heaven
My Father’s Daughter
Rain in the Rearview
Milestones
Red Flag
What a Beautiful Name
Country Gold (with Jordan Rowe)
Songs About Whiskey
The Cross
Devil
Encore:My Jesus
