Tyler Childers // o2 Arena London

A setlist filled to the brim with modern country classics

★★★★★ (5/5)

Tyler played London as part of the “On the Road” tour

Triumphant, that was the undeniable tone of Tyler’s Childers show at the O2 Arena. From playing at a now-quaint, in comparison, Slaughtered Lamb pub eight years ago, the intervening years saw Childers become one of the largest and most acclaimed acts in modern country music.

From the moment Childers and his band played the opening to ”Eating Big Time”, the title track from his latest album, the assembled thousands were enchanted by his distinctive blend of Appalachian soul and country. Throughout the set, it became clear why he has long been celebrated for his raw lyricism, through which he frequently tackles stories of love, struggle and redemption.

From there, the band refused to let the audience catch their breath, as they kept on chooglin’ through a set that showed why Childers commands such loyalty and fervour from his fans. On each song Childers fully showed his iconic Kentucky holler, delivering touching professions of love and chewing out adversaries with equal conviction. His ability to deliver studio-quality performances is truly outstanding and, alongside his exceptional backing band, helped to make the cavernous arena feel like an intimate performance.

The stage production helped to evoke the songs through a visual experience that combined dazzling lights, atmospheric smoke and large screens that delivered accompanying visuals.In contrast to this bombastic show, Childers performed three songs from a sparsely lit B-stage in the middle of the arena. Which stripped away the arena spectacle and allowed his troubadour charm to shine on fan favourites “Lady May” and “Follow You to Virgie”.

The evening's setlist spanned Childers' extensively acclaimed discography. His latest album, the delightfully varied “Snipe Hunter”, made up the majority of the set. With new tracks like “Bitin’ List” receiving some of the largest crowd reactions of the night, showing Childers' continued ability to deliver fan favourites and chart toppers. Fiddle-driven instrumentals and bluegrass-infused arrangements helped the London-based audience embrace the Americana roots of these songs, while being removed from the Kentucky heat.

A pleasant welcome surprise came from a rendition of the Childers-penned “Jersey Giant”. The wistful lyrics reverberated around the expansive venue as the audience embodied a choir of catharsis. Then through a touching back-to-back performance of “All Your’n” and “In Your Love” Childers provided a doe-eyed demonstration of his songwriting prowess.

There were also plenty of energising highlights, such as a rousing performance of “Whitehouse Road” that had the audience on their feet and two-stepping, while the beautifully expansive “Universal Sound” served as a poignant note towards the end of the set.

To close, Childers and his band brought out a real barn burner on “House Fire”. This delivered a cutting intensity which capped off a night of country music perfection.

For the thousands of fans in attendance, it had been a chance to witness a modern-day legend on a grand stage, Tyler Childers delivered a career-spanning performance with unflinching raw honesty and undeniable grace.

Tyler Childers returns to the UK and Ireland next year:

March 3rd 2026 - Glasgow

March 6th 2026 - Manchester

March 8th 2026 - Dublin

You can purchase tickets: Here

Review By: Sam McNaughton