Turnpike Troubadours brought their Wild America Tour to a close Saturday night at Mesa Amphitheater, capping the run with a stacked bill that highlighted both the genre’s future and its torchbearers. With support from Wyatt Flores and Noeline Hofmann, the night felt less like a tour stop and more like a snapshot of where Red Dirt and Americana continue to grow.
Opening the evening was Noeline Hofmann, making her first-ever appearance in Arizona. Just 21 years old and hailing from Southern Alberta, Canada, Hofmann carried a quiet confidence well beyond her years. Between songs, she shared that opening for Turnpike Troubadours—her all-time favorite band—was “a pretty unreal way to cap the year.” Her set leaned into narrative-driven songwriting, including fan favorite “Purple Gas” and a song inspired by the late Guy Clark, grounding her performance in tradition while signaling her place in the next generation of storytellers.
Wyatt Flores followed, continuing a steady ascent that’s made him one of country music’s most compelling new voices. The Oklahoma native struck a balance between humility and humor, joking that he never imagined Turnpike Troubadours would one day serve as his guitar techs—or that he’d ever share a stage with them. His set included the beloved “Wildcat,” which he admitted was written about being the school mascot, and his cover of The Fray’s “How to Save a Life.” Before launching into his final song, Flores laughed, “If you haven’t liked anything we’ve played so far… you probably won’t like this one either,” drawing an easy rapport with the crowd that’s become a hallmark of his live shows.
Turnpike Troubadours closed the night with a confident, career-spanning set that showcased their staying power as one of the genre’s defining bands. As the final stop of the Wild America Tour, the performance carried a sense of closure without losing momentum. Among the highlights was the live debut of their recently released cover of Todd Snider’s “Just Like Old Times,” a nod to one of the band’s longtime influences.
With the tour now behind them and another busy year ahead, Turnpike Troubadours’ Mesa performance reinforced what’s kept them at the center of Red Dirt country for nearly two decades: strong songwriting, steady musicianship and an ability to bring new voices along with them as the genre continues to grow.
