▣BJCC | Birmingham, AL  ▣Friday, February 6th 2026
▣Photographer/Journalist: Dani B.

Cody Johnson has a way of making a big room feel familiar. As if you and the audience somehow all ended up in the same place on purpose without intentionally doing so. When he stepped onstage, the reaction was loud, immediate, and full of recognition. But this first night (of a two-night show) at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) wasn’t about flashy lights or large spectacle. No, it was about songs people already carried into the venue with them before they ever walked through the doors. However, before I get into the details of Cody’s set, I must tell you about the two class acts that opened for him: Emily Ann Roberts and Ian Munsick.

Emily Ann Roberts kicked off the night by getting the crowd’s energy sky high. Roberts brought things close to the heart, and you could just tell by the way she carries herself that she cares deeply about her work. Emily notably showed appreciation for the women who paved the way for her in country history as she performed a stellar rendition of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”. Her voice carries grit and honesty, and she leaned into songs that felt personal without trying too hard to sell the emotion. She connected easily, letting the music do most of the talking, and the crowd met her there.

Ian Munsick kept the beat alive with a set that felt wide open and restless in the best way. I thoroughly appreciated how his sound has a Western sweep. With an evenly split influence of both modern and old school Western music, it translated beautifully in front of a live audience. But Ian is no stranger to being in front of a crowd, as he has been performing since the age of 10, when he was with his father and two brothers in The Munsick Boys. The group notably went on to win “Group of the Year” at the Academy of Western Artists awards. With Musick’s solo music, this night showed that he creates songs with deliberate movement, the kind that makes you want to lean in instead of checking your phone. By the end of his set, it was clear he wasn’t just warming up the crowd; he earned it.

By the time Cody Johnson took the stage, the room was more than ready. The first few notes of “That’s Texas” filled the concert hall and the place erupted — not because it was surprising, but because it was exactly what everyone came for. A pleasant treat was Cody presenting his state of Texas tattoo, abraised on his chest, mid song. Johnson sounded solid and steady, delivering songs with the kind of confidence that comes from years of doing it the hard way. Not rushing, no over-singing, just letting the stories land.

One of the strongest parts of the night that I really loved was how natural everything felt. Johnson talked to the crowd like someone who still remembers what it’s like to stand on the other side of the barricade. His comments were simple, grateful, and unpolished, which only made them feel more sincere. There was an ease to the show that made it clear he trusts his songs — and his audience — to carry the moment.

Now, the band behind him made it clear they were not there to mess around. They were tight (without being showy) and were giving the songs room to breathe. There were moments when Johnson stepped back and let the crowd sing, and those were some of the loudest parts of the night. But it wasn’t forced or cued; it just happened, the way it does when people actually care about the lyrics they’re shouting back. As the set went on, the emotional weight of the night started to settle in. These weren’t just songs for passing the time — they were about hard lessons, steady love, and the kind of faith that gets tested before it sticks. Cody doesn’t dramatize those ideas; he just tells them straight, and that honesty is what keeps people listening.

When the night finally wrapped up, it felt less like an ending and more like a long exhale. With strong openers in Ian Munsick and Emily Ann Roberts and a headlining set that stayed grounded, the show delivered exactly what it promised — nothing flashy, nothing fake, just a room full of people singing along to music that feels like it belongs to them.

Check out our contributor photographer, Dani B. photos now!

EMILY ANN ROBERTS

IAN MUNSICK

CODY JOHNSON

Check out the band websites for more info –

Emily Ann Roberts

Ian Munsick

Cody Johnson

SETLIST

That’s Texas
Me and My Kind
Dance Her Home
How Do You Sleep at Night?
With You I Am
Dear Rodeo
Nothin’ on You
Long Haired Country Boy (The Charlie Daniels Band cover)
Human
Georgia Peaches
The Fall
People in the Back
I’m Gonna Love You
God Bless America (Irving Berlin cover)
Dirt Cheap
The Painter
‘Til You Can’t

Encore:
Travelin’ Soldier (Bruce Robison cover)
Diamond in My Pocket