Wow! I mean seriously, wow! The DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts was absolutely rocking. Rocking still doesn’t represent the actual atmosphere. It was insane. Last night at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, I was able to witness the growth of Treaty Oak Revival. Over the years, they have commanded the stage more dominantly than the last. I will say, when they played “Boomtown” at Country Calling, it was an out-of-this-world experience. If you are new to Treaty Oak Revival, during this song, the crowd loves to launch their beers and cups toward the stage. The band encourages it, which is a shift from the mainstream in this behavior. It’s a fun experience...unless you are in the line of fire and take a whole beer to the face; then you probably aren’t too happy. Bring a raincoat, I suppose.
Treaty Oak Revival plays no games when they hit the stage. It’s immediate energy. We are talking about country music here, right? As a huge country music fan, I even admit that most of the genre is just "chill out and drink High Noons while enjoying the show" type of concerts. There are, of course, some exceptions, but Treaty Oak Revival crushes those expectations. Sam Canty, the vocalist, describes their style as “a rock band with a country accent.” This is my third time seeing Treaty Oak Revival. The first time I witnessed their greatness was when they opened up for Koe Wetzel at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut in 2024. Last year, I got to enjoy them at Country Calling Festival down in Maryland. Both times were just an amazing experience. They shined as openers, and I knew that they were going to headline arenas one day. That day has come for them.
Let’s fill you in on Treaty Oak Revival. They are from West Texas. Odessa, to be exact and all came together in 2018. The current lineup consists of Sam Canty (vocals), Lance and Jeremiah Vanley (guitars), Cody Holloway (drums), and newest member of the band Dakota Hernandez (bass), whom replaced Andrew Carey in 2025 at the height of their biggest year. The band’s name comes from a tree in Austin, Texas named Treaty Oak, a massive oak tree that Native American tribes consider sacred.
Starting as a cover band in 2020, Treaty Oak Revival played all the dives around West Texas that they were able to get into. With the release of their first single “No Vacancy” in 2020, their rise to the present was fast-moving. It’s almost like I didn’t hear about them until they were on Koe’s tour, and at that point, the national buzz was already there. Not to say they didn’t put the work in, they did, but between 2021-2024, their popularity absolutely exploded. The band went from West Texas bars to the Grand Ole Opry to headlining festivals and arenas. Well done, guys!
Now, back to the show. For the first act of the night, we had Huser Brothers. I checked them out when I saw the tour released, and I thoroughly enjoyed their music. I am glad that Treaty Oak Revival had them as an opener. The guys brought out a laid-back energy to the venue at the beginning but quickly started setting the tone for the night. They have raw talent, and they were great to hear live. The DCU Center was a huge stage for them, so they had to be a bit nervous to come out to an arena for the first time, but they handled it like pros. Their harmonies were on point and the vibes were groovy throughout their performance. The way they feed off each other’s energy made the whole set feel personal. I am interested to see their rise in the country music scene.
Wade Forster was second up for the night. Forster calls himself "The Australian Cowboy" and hails from, you guessed it, Australia. As a more traditional country type of musician, if people came for some hootin' and hollerin' country, you got it with Forster. Forster has a very unique voice. It brings you back to the older generation of the genre. He is a great singer and guitarist. His energy was more than the Huser Brothers, which I did not expect. It was a pleasure to watch and totally different than what we were about to experience with Treaty Oak Revival. Wade Forster had the crowd hyped for Treaty Oak Revival. Wearing a Drake Maye shirt added to the love he got from the sold-out arena.
I am usually on top of the rising stars coming up in country but Treaty Oak Revival hit me hard and caught me off guard. I wish I knew of them prior to 2023, but now I am all caught up on the music, and it doesn’t disappoint. Their streaming numbers from 2022-2024 jumped to almost 850 million streams. That is totally insane, impressive, and unbelievable. Their red-dirt country blended with rock influences helped them appeal to audiences larger than just the country fan base. "Missed Call" from their first album, No Vacancy, is one of my favorite tracks. “Boomtown” is also on that album.
No Vacancy went RIAA Certified Gold. Their follow-up album, Have a Nice Day, was released two years later in 2023, and that album also went RIAA Certified Gold, although not reaching as higher in the charts than their debut. In 2025, we were blessed with their stardom and newest album release, West Texas Degenerate. The album currently has demolished the charts with its highest chart position than any of their albums. 21 so far has been its peak, which is not too shabby for a band coming out of West Texas or anywhere for that matter.
The crowd on a Thursday was more like a mob, it was incredible. You could feel it in the air, which I'm not just saying that to say that either. You felt it. Maybe it was the dry winter air creating some static electricity. It was something. I blame it on the band and the anticipation they were about to bring. The attendees were of all ages, but heavily in the early twenties was majority of the concertgoers. That is a party age, and party they came to do. I love the younger crowds. They just absolutely know how to let loose of all personal issues they are having and just be in that moment, which is rare these days.
Concerts and music have a way of just bringing people together from all walks of life in a small space and share a common bond over a band. It really is something to see and play out in front of your eyes. We always see kids these days on their phones and so disconnected from reality, and concerts bring it all home for me. Granted, they all still have their phones in the air, but that’s so they can keep those memories forever. So I understand and approve that. Enjoy it, people. We all need music in our lives. The weather outside may have been in the single digits, but inside it felt like a fire.
When the lights go out and you know the headliner is moments away, there becomes either the quietness of anticipation or the screaming of lunatic fans. You never really know what you are going to get until it organically happens. Well, it wasn’t quiet, I can tell you that. People were just too excited. This was the opening night of the West Texas Degenerate tour, and of course, the crowd had to set the tone for the whole tour. Indeed, my hometown did. I was proud. I am still getting goosebumps from it. It was truly an awesome experience.
I am so glad this band is where they are today. They deserve it and did it all with hard work, even losing a member of the band due to the grueling nature of constant touring. All of the loss and gains collectively added up to this moment. They had to deliver, and deliver they did. Being very familiar with their songs, I tried critiquing every song of the show, listening for something off. I am pleased to report that it was damn near perfect. I am sure their nerves were on edge for the first show, but after the first verse of “Port A,” all the jitters were gone.
These fans knew all the lyrics. Not just the chorus. Not just the TikTok part. They knew the second verse. The bridge. The last line. Every line. Non-stop singing, and it was LOUD. To be honest, I get screaming out every word of your favorite band, but sometimes, just sometimes, I would love to hear the artist without having to somehow drown out the 18-year-old next to me screaming her head off. Is it annoying? Yes. Is it also a special moment that showcases a fan’s love for the band? Yes. I think sometimes the latter part is more important. Just please yell on-key. Canty commented multiple times on how great the crowd was and how Worcester set the tone. I know he wasn’t just saying that. The fans were really awesome.
The long awaited “Boomtown” was song 9 of the setlist and the fans were ready. I saw one fan with roughly 30 cups already stacked, ready to launch and launch they did. It really is something seeing that moment. I tried capturing it on camera, but it doesn’t do it justice. Canty brought out Wade Forster and Huser Brothers on stage to help throw some beer back at the crowd. It was a great moment.
Coming out of a dry spell of shows in January, this was the perfect concert to ring in 2026. I couldn’t ask for another band or show to be this year’s first. The new tour was explosive, loud, enjoyable, fun, and just too damn good! The music was perfect throughout the night. The banter with the crowd was great. This show was unbelievable. Treaty Oak Revival hits different than other country acts. The songs are great, the lyrics are relatable, and the music just knocks you off your feet onto your backside. The energy is real, chaotic, and electrifying. You cannot help but feel it. I found myself sucked right into the show all night, forgetting all about life’s problems. In that hour-and-a-half slot of time, nothing else mattered but being in that very spot. You have to see this tour. If it’s hitting anywhere near you, BUY. THE. TICKET.
