From the dusty plains of Stillwater, Oklahoma, Wyatt Flores has emerged over the last few years as a quietly powerful voice in Americana and red-dirt country, steadily building less by flash and more by honesty. Starting out with the single ‘Travelin’ Kid' in 2021, he caught ears when ‘Please Don’t Go' from his 2022 EP The Hutson Sessions cracked the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Since then, he released Life Lessons (2023) and Half Life (2024), both EPs that revealed a songwriter unafraid to explore vulnerability — grappling with fame, home, family, and mental health — all against a backdrop of rootsy instrumentation and a red-dirt heart. Last year's full debut album, ‘Welcome to the Plains' was nothing short of a triumph meaning those records, along with his growing grassroots following, has helped Flores carve a space as one of the genre’s most sincere and promising young voices.
On stage, Flores’s strength lays in how those personal threads translate live: the intimacy of a storyteller, the rough edges of someone who’d lived the songs he sang, and a connection to the crowd that went beyond performance. His Birmingham set, with Flores joined on stage by an acoustic guitar player and a very talented dude playing keys, harmonic and mandolin, felt like a victory lap — a moment where the small-town troubadour met his growing audience halfway. As a support act, he didn’t just warm up the room; he left a mark of his own, proving how far he’d come and how much further he’s destined to go – which is made all the more remarkable given most of Flores' touring band was at home in the USA! This was Birmingham, on a Saturday night – a time and a place where I have heard the crowd talk through most support artists' sets. Here – you could have heard a pin drop, Flores had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
Wyatt Flores walked onto the Birmingham stage with just two bandmates, bathed in a single white light. No big fanfare, no intro — just three musicians and a quiet confidence that said, “Let the songs do the talking.” And they really did.The set opened with a new song that might be called ‘Use Me Up,' which instantly set the tone — earthy, emotional, and beautifully raw. The harmonica solo was superb, almost spiritual, bleeding perfectly into Wyatt’s vocals as he sang with every ounce of himself. The phrase “Use me up” became a kind of mantra, echoing through the room as the trio locked into a stunning acoustic groove.
Next came ‘West of Tulsa,' and you could feel the crowd starting to warm up, singing along to that unforgettable line — “I just wanna be somebody to somebody else.” The keys gave the song extra weight and atmosphere, while Wyatt’s voice carried a kind of longing that hit right in the chest. Without pausing, they flowed straight into a cover of Tyler Childers’ ‘Jersey Giant.' It was incredible — a harmonica solo that brought a rural Springsteen vibe, then a switch to mandolin in the final third that gave the song new life.
By ‘Running Out of Time,' the trio were flying. The harmonies? Pure magic — think Eagles-level. Still, Wyatt hadn’t said a word to the crowd yet, just pouring it all into the music. When he finally did speak, it was to introduce a brand-new song that instantly stood out. It was a lush, heartfelt ballad — complete with the line “I die a little slower on the train to Birmingham.” The whole room reacted — the Birmingham, UK crowd clearly loving the lyric even though it was about Alabama.
Then, Wyatt cracked open a can, smiled, and asked everyone how they were doing. The ice officially broke. He introduced himself with a story about his dad — funny and sweet — leading into ‘When I Die.' What started gently turned into a full-on jam session, all three musicians just going for it. You could see how much fun they were having.
After that, Wyatt loosened up even more, joking around with the audience. “How many of you don’t know who the hell I am?” he laughed, getting a huge cheer. He promised some songs they hadn’t even played in the States yet, then delivered a moody, aching new one — possibly called ‘The Way I Feel.' It was dark, emotional, and beautifully performed.
Then came ‘Milwaukee,' and honestly, it might’ve been the highlight of the whole set. The haunting whippoorwill intro, the gorgeous keys, Wyatt’s gravelly voice — everything just clicked. You could’ve heard a pin drop until the chorus, when the crowd joined in softly. His cover of ‘How to Save a Life' was one of the most emotional moments of the night. Before singing, Wyatt talked about how much the song meant to him, especially after losing his grandpa to suicide. You could tell it was hard for him to share, but that honesty made it even more powerful.
The mood lifted again with ‘Oh Susannah,' which balanced intensity with a kind of big, anthemic energy. The guitarist got a moment to shine with a killer solo, and the whole song built up to this huge finish where Wyatt screamed, “I was the problem!” — it was electric.
From there, it was ‘Please Don’t Go,' and the crowd took over, singing along word for word. Wyatt and the band gathered centre stage, all smiles, clearly loving every second. Between songs, they joked, drank and teased about staying on too long, threatening to extend their set into 49 Winchester's time because they were having so much fun amongst themselves.
Then came ‘Drunk in Love' — a foot-stomping, Springsteen-esque tune that Wyatt admitted he forgot the words to halfway through, but it just made everyone love him more. He laughed it off and carried on like a pro. He closed with ‘Losing Sleep,' and it was the perfect ending. Lines like “Summer’s gone and I’m all alone” and “Did you think of me? It was you all along” hit hard, and the song built into another jam session that left the crowd buzzing.
Wyatt Flores’ set was everything live music should be — passionate, real, a little rough around the edges and full of heart. Stripped back to just three musicians, his songs felt even more alive. From the harmonica solos to the heartfelt stories, this was one of those support sets that people will still be talking about long after the lights went up.
Setlist: 1. Unknown 2. West of Tulsa 3. Jersey Giant 4. Running Out of Time 5. Train to Birmingham 6. When I Die 7. The Way I Feel 8. Milwaukee 9. How to Save a Life 9. Oh Susannah 10. Please Don't Go 11. Drunk in Love 12. Losing Sleep Venue: O2 Institute Birmingham Date: 11th October 2025
