Yungblud at Stir Cove in Council Bluffs, Iowa on August 4th, 2026.
Photos by Tom Pallant
Review by The Pit Magazine Contributor, Bob DeHart Photography
So, I’m not always good with keeping up with the latest trends in music. I am more like an old dog who doesn’t want to learn new tricks. I stick to the tried and true. But every once and awhile something comes along that is to bug to ignore. It gets your attention and you just have to go and see what it is all about. That is what Yungblud has been to me. He released his first music in 2018, but it wasn’t until 2024 when I first heard of him. Someone sent me a link to hear his cover of the Kiss classic, “I Was Made For Loving You”. I liked it and enjoyed his take of the song. And then, it was obviously hard to not notice him during Ozzy’s last show. His star has been rising pretty quickly since that show.
Which brings us to now. I saw that he would be playing in Council Bluffs at the Stir Cove and thought it would be a great time and place to go and see what the hype was all about. And this is what I discovered…this was not a concert. This was an EVENT! The sold out crowd came in force. Some spending the 24 hours before the show waiting outside the venue. Through the elements…it did not matter. This was one of the best crowds I’ve ever seen at a show.
They were all in from the second the lights went down. And the real reason that everyone was there, the music, did not disappoint. The songs kept the fans on their feet and singing at the top of their lungs throughout the set. One lucky fan even go to come on stage and play guitar for the song Fleabag. It was a great show from beginning to end. My expectations were exceeded in many ways.
I will say that I know that not everyone has embraced Yungblud. Some see him as the “savior of rock and roll”. While others seem to dismiss him. What I can say is this, the crowd that came to the show was as eclectic as I have ever seen. You old and young. You had people in Black Sabbath and Ozzy t-shirts. You had young star struck fans. What Yungblud has shown is that he transcends genres and is an artist for the masses. So you can be with him or against him, but it’s getting really difficult to ignore him.
Follow The Pit Magazine on Facebook, Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram, and Spotify!
Listen to The Pit Magazine Pitcast on Amazon, Apple, Deezer, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Spotify, iHeart OR right here in The Pit!
Subscribe to The Pit Newsletter today!
Support this and other fine local & touring artists, dig and buy their music, and get some merch!
