Kacey Musgraves Rides Disco Balls, Mourns Dolly Parton, and Remains Unbothered at MSG: Review + Setlist

Kacey Musgraves is a real one, y’all. Her “Middle of Nowhere” tour stop on Monday night at New York’s Madison Square Garden wasn’t just a testament to her star power, it was a reminder that Musgraves is a particularly unique star — one who rejects the carefully composed image that her genre demands and instead does whatever the hell she wants. “This is what happens when nobody tells me no!,” Musgraves said as she rode testicle-shaped disco balls during a rendition of “Rhinestoned.” Why rein her in when she’s having this much fun? Even with the ballsy flyovers, the merry-go-round stage, and a select few cover songs, Kacey Musgraves’ new tour is more down-to-earth than the social media clips would have you believe. It is grounded in a literal sense — Musgraves laid down hay on the floor for the walk from her motel-esque entrance stage to the main one, which was fashioned like a rodeo ring straight from her native Texas. But more symbolically, in a time where country music is seeing an unprecedented level of national attention while bringing up very real dilemmas about authenticity in the genre and its political implications, Musgraves is a breath of fresh air. She knows she doesn’t h...