About a month ago now, I put on my cowboy boots and flare jeans and headed to Zimmerman’s, Different Night Same Rodeo tour at Abbotsford’s Rogers Forum, and the night was unforgettable. I’ve never seen that much energy come out of one person, and I have his passion for music –– and severe ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) –– to thank for it.Â
After the tour’s openers, Canadian rising country artists Blake Whiten and Hudson Westbrook, finished their sets, the crowd was immediately pumped by a disembodied announcer who sounded like a mix of a rodeo emcee and a heavy metal vocalist. Then Zimmerman blessed the stage with a “wow” worthy entrance by popping out from a raised platform and flying to the main stage on a giant rope swing. Dripped out in his signature, pristine all-white denim, he charged into the set with sick pyrotechnics and flashing lights that matched his chaotic stage presence.Â
From his Different Night Same Rodeo (2025) album, he opened the show with his banger collaboration with Luke Combs, “Backup Plan.” I branded it as one of his most meaningful songs because of the message at its core. Zimmerman has built his musical identity around a simple mantra: never give up on your dreams, never quit on what you want, and always get back up when something knocks you down or someone tells you you can’t. It may sound like cliche advice, but it’s a tried-and-true message that still matters –– and I stand by him completely. His inspiring, motivating nature is one of the biggest reasons why I love him, both as a musician and as a person.Â
There were just as many moments throughout the show where he paused to thank his fans and it was genuinely cool to see how we’ve helped him reach his wildest dreams. For his OG listeners, he sang a surprising number of older, iconic tracks like “Never Comin’ Home.” Off his debut studio album Religiously(2023), I loved hearing him perform one of my favourites, “You Don’t Want That Smoke,” “Rock and a Hard Place,” and “Fall in Love.”  Â
I truly loved his stage setup. It was super satisfying to watch how every song came with its own lighting design, and some even had smoke blasting from the stage during badass guitar solos. I became seriously nostalgic when glimmering gold waterfall sparks rained down during his cute dance breaks in the instrumentals of “Lost” in collaboration with The Kid LAROI, and “New To Country” (Taylor Swift’s music video for “Picture to Burn” comes to mind).Â
What had me laughing was when he plunged himself into the crowd of obsessive fans –– including one who got a little too close and would’ve taken him down if he hadn’t kept running. Watching his security guards try to keep up with him was pure quality entertainment. I got serious goosebumps when he moved to a smaller, more intimate stage to perform “Holding On,” “Holy Smokes,” and even his own version of Miley Cyrus’s “The Climb.” His gritty voice gave the song a tone I didn’t expect to like, and you could feel every person in that arena connect in a way that felt like home.Â
While rocking an Abbotsford Canucks jersey, Zimmerman closed out the show with “All The Way,” his collaboration with BigXthaPlug, all while risking his life balancing on the crowd railing. He followed it with one of his best songs “Where It Ends” –– but let’s be real, they’re all his best. Something I’ve never seen another artist do is spend as much time with fans after a show as he did, and on the actual floor rather than a private area outside the stage. He took his time signing everyone’s t-shirts, and hats, with his own shirt nowhere to be found. Classic Bailey.Â
Even if you’re not a country fan, I’d still recommend seeing Bailey Zimmerman live if you get the chance. He pours everything he has into a performance and leads with his heart, creating a meaningful experience that leaves you feeling fulfilled, celebrated, and like you’ve gained another family in the process.
Veronica is a Staff Writer at The Cascade. She loves to travel and explore new places, no matter how big or small. She is in her second year at UFV, pursuing the study of Creative
Writing.