As Cameron Whitcomb took the stage at The Van Buren in Phoenix on October 8th, there was a steadiness in his demeanor. It’s the kind that comes from learning hard lessons and turning them into something worth sharing. Every lyric, grin, and guitar strum carried intention, and the crowd fed off it to fuel their explosive excitement. Beyond just being a showcase of music, Whitcomb’s The Hard Way Tour is a celebration of survival, healing, and the joy of being alive to tell the story.
If there’s one thing to know about the way Cameron Whitcomb performs, it’s that he doesn’t work the stage like a man chasing the spotlight. Instead, he moves across it with a deep sense of gratitude, sincerity, and purpose that, these days, is rare among other artists his age. At just 22 years old, the Canadian country singer is reaching out with open arms to people struggling with personal battles, regardless of who they are, and building a name for himself in the process.
Whitcomb opened the night with “Hundred Mile High,” the high-energy track setting the tone for an incredible night to come. As he transitioned into “My Expense” after this, he grinned and shared with the crowd that it was written with Evan Honer. This quick mention brought a wave of cheers from fans who were familiar with Honer and his Arizona roots. The duo collaborated on the song earlier this year, uniting two of the strongest rising voices in the country and folk scenes.
By the third track, “Shoot Me Dead,” Whitcomb had already leapt from the stage and into the photo pit, leaning over the barricade to sing directly to fans in the front row. The response was pure joy in the form of screams, laughter, and the kind of awe that can only come from having your favorite artist sing your favorite songs to you, face-to-face. When he climbed back on stage, the energy only ramped up from there. Within the first 23 minutes of the set, Whitcomb had performed a total of five backflips (we kept count)! To my own surprise, this never took away from his vocal performance, showcasing the time he’s invested into preparing for his shows off-stage.
One of the night’s most unexpected turns came in Whitcomb’s performance of “The Devil I’ve Seen”. The mid-song piano line gave the track a saloon-like quality, tapping into an old-country sensibility that Whitcomb embodied with ease. It was a testament to his range as both a songwriter and performer, as well as a reminder that behind the youthful energy and charm lies an artist with a deep admiration for every facet of his genre.
After a high-energy run of songs, the room quieted down as the young singer grabbed his guitar and approached the microphone with a calmer demeanor. “People ask me what keeps me sober,” he told the crowd, his voice steady but soft. “And to tell you the truth, it’s you guys. I don’t know if I’d be here if it wasn’t for you.” The crowd erupted in cheers, which only grew louder as Whitcomb shared that he had recently celebrated two years and fourth months of sobriety.
The rest of the night showcased the full breadth of Whitcomb’s sound, leaning into some grittier country-rock styles with “Bad Apple”, “Pretty Little”, and “Wreckage”.
With The Hard Way Tour, Whitcomb solidifies himself as one of country’s most compelling new voices. He’s already proven that his journey, one of recovery, honesty, and relentless hope, is worth following wherever it leads.
