Jelly Roll at TD Garden – September 26, 2024

Rapper turned southern rock/country-crossover singer-songwriter Jason Bradley DeFord, better known as Jelly Roll, is having a huge year in 2024. His new album, Beautifully Broken, is out October 11th, and he’s on his first arena tour, which visited Boston’s TD Garden at the end of September. 

Hershey, Pennsylvania’s new man on the country scene, Warren Zeiders performed before Jelly Roll, and was very engaging with the audience, and had a great stage presence.

Jelly Roll came out like an NBA champion, high-fiving his fans as he ran out towards the arena, along with his wife Bunnie XO. He wore a Celtics jacket, and immediately made his way to the “B” stage at the soundboard. After giving a quick smooch to his wife, he started performing, moments into the first song of his set, “I Am Not Okay.” Quickly after the first notes, a metal frame of a house was enshrouded in flames – it was quite the spectacle to be up front for, and warm. 

After that first song, he made his way to the main stage, and performed the remainder of the show from there. He showcased many of his musicians that would run up and down two stages that ran down each side of the arena. Adorning the stage was a gigantic skull on its side, which later illuminated and had fire in its eyes. 

While Jelly Roll commanded the stage, for a few songs he brought out opener Alexandra Kay to perform a few songs; covers of “Friends in Low Places,” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” He emphasized supporting independent artists, as well as independent women. Later on in the set he also brought out Massachusetts native Joyner Lucas, who Jelly Roll considers one of his favorite rappers, to perform Lucas’ “Best for Me,” which Jelly Roll is featured on. 

The show was entertaining. There were a majority of country fans in the crowd that have embraced his newer style of singing more than rapping. It appears this tour has been successful, and basing it on the TD Garden show, he knows what he’s doing, and it can only get better from here. He’s a success story, someone who had to dig out from a hard life to have something better, and it’s working.