concert-prep
Every Opening Act on the Dandelion Tour, Ranked by Whether to Show Up Early
Five different opening acts rotate across the Dandelion Tour. Here's who they are, what they sound like, and which ones are worth getting to the venue at doors.
The Dandelion Tour has five different opening acts rotating across its 16 dates. If you've never seen any of them, this is your cheat sheet — sorted by which ones make showing up at doors actually worth it.
Sound: Smoky, blue-collar country baritone. Think the love child of Chris Stapleton and a 90s honky-tonk record. Live, his band is genuinely tight — not just a hired Nashville rhythm section. They've been touring together for three years.
Watch for: "Tennessee Don't Mind" (his biggest streaming hit), and his cover of George Strait's "The Cowboy Rides Away" which he closes most sets with.
Verdict: This is the opener worth being in your seat for. Don't grab a beer during his set.
Plays on: Toledo, St. Louis, Pikeville, Cary, N. Charleston dates.
Sound: Red-dirt Oklahoma country with an attitude. Closer to Sunny Sweeney or Lori McKenna than to mainstream country. Writes everything herself, has actual things to say.
Watch for: "She's Using" — the song that put her on Nashville's radar two years ago — and "Pretty Girls," which is the one your friend who's not into country will text you about.
Verdict: If you like the Ella songs that are about something real, Kaitlin will hit you the same way. Worth showing up for.
Plays on: OKC, Independence, Pikeville, Austin, Corpus, Fort Worth.
Sound: Texas honky-tonk traditionalist with a vocal range that's bigger than her studio recordings let on. She lets it out live in a way she doesn't on the records yet.
Watch for: "Bones" (the closer she's been doing this tour) — bigger live than on the album.
Verdict: Underrated. She's where Ella was three years ago. Catching her opening for Ella now is the kind of show you'll later tell people about.
Plays on: Estero, Savannah, Salem, Wilmington, Austin, Corpus, Fort Worth.
Sound: Newer artist, still finding her sonic identity. Pop-country leaning. Has some great songs, has some songs that feel like Nashville-by-numbers.
Watch for: "Tin Roof" is the one to listen for. Skip if she opens with one of the more polished singles.
Verdict: Worth catching the second half of her set, especially if she's playing the deeper cuts. Not worth rushing dinner for.
Plays on: Toledo, St. Louis, OKC, Independence, Gilford, Canandaigua.
Sound: Younger brother of Kameron. Country-pop with mainstream radio aspirations. Solid songwriter, hasn't hit his commercial moment yet. Live show is fine but not the standout of the bill.
Watch for: "Mind on You" — his current radio single.
Verdict: It's not that he's bad. It's that he's playing on the same nights as his brother often is, and Kameron is better. If both are on the bill (only happens once or twice), see Kameron, miss Dylan.
Plays on: Estero, Savannah, Salem, Wilmington, Gilford, Canandaigua.
The Dandelion Tour has the deepest opening-act roster of any country tour this summer. Wallen's stadium dates have bigger names, but they're more established. Ella's openers are the next class up — these are the names you'll see headlining their own arena runs in 2028-2029.
If you're going to a show, plan to be in the venue when doors open at 6:30. The five-act bill is worth the early arrival.
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