Briston Maroney proves that he is worth keeping an eye on at Truman show last Wednesday

October 15, 2024

Zoe Strohm, Haley Mullenix,

Briston Maroney // Photo by Haley Mullenix

Briston Maroney w/ Annie DiRusso
The Truman
Wednesday, Oct. 9

Briston Maroney played his first Kansas City show ever with Wednesday night’s stop of the Ultrapure Part 2 Tour at The Truman. The Knoxville alt-rocker showed us what we’ve been missing and left us craving more.

Fellow Tennessee based rocker Annie DiRusso joined Maroney, greeting the crowd with her garage band sound and killer energy. With the success of songs “Nine Months” and “Coming Soon” on TikTok, it came as no surprise to see many concert goers singing along in the audience. With the rapid rise in DiRusso’s following, I expect to see her headlining her own show at The Truman in the near future.

I saw Maroney open for Noah Kahan at Red Rocks in July of 2023, ahead of the release of the tours namesake album Ultrapure. I was a fan before, but that short opening set had me itching to see him again. With the April announcement of “Ultrapure Part 2,” there was no question in my mind about buying tickets.

Annie DiRusso // Photo by Haley Mullenix

After DiRusso’s electric opening, the crowd was warmed up and ready for Maroney to take the stage. Starting with “Body,” he kicked off the set on a high note, amping up the crowd and setting the tone for the rest of the show. With the glittering stage set up and constantly changing lights, it was like watching an art piece and concert at the same time.

During the song “Sunshine,” fans began holding up their flashlights and swaying to the song. As the song finished, Maroney stated, “I think that’s the first time anyone has ever done that at our show. I was scared I was gonna mess up, because every time a light popped up, I got excited.”

The appreciation and pride Maroney has, not just for his fans, but the music he creates is admirable. He is a jack-of-all-trades, jumping from guitar to keyboard, then over to drums with ease. The setlist represented a little bit of each album and EP Maroney has released, as well as a taste of future projects to come with a performance of unreleased track, “Real Good Swimmer.”

During the show, a friend said, “He’s going to be one we brag about seeing at The Truman in a few years when he blows up and we’re fighting to get tickets,” and I couldn’t agree more. Over the last few years, I have watched Maroney go from a tiny name at the bottom of festival lineups to sitting just under the headliners. Briston Maroney is a name to watch, and I hope we don’t have to wait as long to see him in Kansas City again.

All photos by Haley Mullenix:

Briston Maroney