Old Dominion at Stir Cove in Council Bluffs, Iowa on August 22, 2025.
Photos and Review by The Pit Magazine Contributor, Bob DeHart Photography
It was a special night for Old Dominion in Council Bluffs on August 22nd, first they were playing the first of two nights at the Stir Cove, this one was completely sold out. And their brand new album, Barbara, was also released on this day. That made it extra special, and they took advantage of playing many of the new songs on this night. Which for a veteran band, a lot of the times, the fans only want to hear the classics. But all the new songs went over very well and got a great reception from the crowd.
As for the show itself, Old Dominion showed why they are one of the top touring artists in country music at this time. Great song after great song, lots of energy, and they got the crowd involved in a few sing a longs, which the crowd was more than happy to accommodate those requests. Lead vocalist Mathew Ramsey knows how to work the room. He keeps the crowd moving and even invited a fan and her mom to come and sit on the couch on stage. The set list was all over the place, as I mentioned earlier, they played quite a few off the new release. They also took a few requests from the audience. A few highlights for me was Hotel Key, Memory Lane, and Song for Another Time.
Overall, it was just a great night of music. I don’t cover a lot of country shows, so this was a little different than my normal fare. But first and foremost I am a music fan. And Old Dominion has the songs and talent to get a guy like me to take notice. I had a friend tell me that this was a band that I needed to see and even with my rocker roots I would come away happy. She was not wrong. I loved the show and the songs were all great. It’s nice to step outside the norm and see what else the world of music has to offer. Old Dominion has quite the fan following, and now I can see why. I’d say if you haven’t checked them out before, now is the time. See them on this tour if you can, and also the new album Barbara is amazing!
Photos by The Pit Magazine photographer, Bob DeHart Photography in York, Nebraska. ©2025.
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