LOS ANGELES — "Every single thing in this song is fucking true," Kacey Musgraves stressed, as if the sold-out audience at The Wiltern needed reminding, before performing the autobiographical "Dime Store Cowgirl," a banjo-laden crowdpleaser.
Not one to conform to what's popular on country radio, the progressive singer loaded her set with traditional country vibes — twangy vocals, acoustic strings and small-town tropes — fused with modern themes about same-sex makeouts, marijuana and misogyny.
Leading into "Dime Store Cowgirl," the 27-year-old recounted a pre-teen moment when someone's mother said she looked like a "dime store cowgirl" at a Texas talent show. "I was like, 'I'm 12; what the fuck does that mean?'" Musgraves remembered.
Like many of her songs, it's about her roots but fashioned in a deeply relatable way for the masses — similar to her career-launching "Merry Go 'Round."
"Merry Go 'Round," which earned her the Grammy for Best Country Song in 2014, was a bold debut in 2012 because it wasn't the typical cheery first single in a genre overflowing with party anthems. On this night, under a distracting disco ball, Musgraves' band left the stage to let her deliver the track alone with just a guitar in hand and boots on feet.
The "Merry Go 'Round" solo demonstrated how compelling Musgraves is, even without the flashy bells and whistles often added to fellow female artists' concerts. No half-naked dancers. No annoying confetti. No random fire blasts.
This isn't to say her backup band, The Runner-Ups, lacked a bonus flair. Their pink suits adorned with mini light bulbs — like a cotton candy-colored Christmas tree — resembled characters from Tron whenever the house lights dimmed or faded to black. Their skills and personalities shined as bright as their outfits throughout the 22-song set.
Vocally, Musgraves sounded as pure as she does on studio tracks from Same Trailer Different Park and Pageant Material, yet her longest and strongest note came while transforming TLC's 1999 hit "No Scrubs" into a hand-clapping country jam.
As for originals, "Die Fun" stood out with her delicate, breathy delivery of reflective lyrics ("What if I'm just gonna stay drunk on all the years that I just wish would slow up?") and one hell of an instrumental crescendo. Other tracks from Pageant Material, which debuted on the Billboard 200 albums chart at No. 3 in June, also emerged as highlights.
"It ain't that I don't care about world peace, but I don't see how I can fix it in a swimsuit on a stage." Nosey neighbors got the cold shoulder on singalong hit "Biscuits," while "Family Is Family" drew laughter when she sang, "Yeah, family is funny, they'll ask you for money, even though they know you ain't got no money."
The girl-on-girl kissing reference in "Follow Your Arrow" — "So, make lots of noise, kiss lots of boys, or kiss lots of girls if that's something you're into" — is reminiscent of Katy Perry's early hit "I Kissed a Girl" but tailor-made for the less LGBT-friendly genre of country. Perry notably took notice of Musgraves, and in 2014 they performed "Follow Your Arrow" (below) and their other hits together on CMT Crossroads.
Under the venue's sunburst art deco ceiling, she also covered Miranda Lambert's "Mama's Broken Heart" (a single Musgraves co-wrote) and closed with a two-song encore of Nancy Sinatra's 1966 classic "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" and Roy Rogers' 1940s tune "Happy Trails" (done a cappella alongside The Runner-Ups).
For "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," Musgraves stepped into her light-up boots, like she did for Yahoo's Artist Spotlight series in August (below).
The band, tamed for the majority of the concert, ratcheted up for "Stupid," winding it into full gear like a stadium anthem as Musgraves hopped around as though she were on an invisible pogo stick. On "Blowin' Smoke," they were at their loudest, with Musgraves' tambourine replacing her guitar and smoke machines adding urgency to the rebellious banger.
Still, Musgraves was at her best on her all-too-real ballads "Die Fun," "Merry Go 'Round" and the self-described depressing "It Is What It Is," weaving personal experiences and every day reflections into intricate phrases, during Friday's "Western Rhinestone Revue" tour stop.
BONUS: Kacey Musgraves and Willie Nelson's 'Are You Sure'
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