Don't Miss

Alan Jackson’s Final Georgetown Bow: A Honky-Tonk Rebellion at Two Step Inn 2025

By Larry Philpot on May 3, 2025

The stars hung low over San Gabriel Park on April 5, 2025, as the Two Step Inn Music Festival’s first day reached its crescendo. The air was crisp, a chilly north wind sweeping through Georgetown, Texas, after a scorching day prior. But the crowd—70,000 strong, buzzing with Lone Star pride—didn’t care about the cold. They were here for one man: Alan Jackson, the neotraditional country legend headlining the Big River stage. This was no ordinary set. It was part of Jackson’s “Last Call: One More for the Road” tour, one of six final shows before his retirement, and his last-ever performance in the Austin area. Your notes painted a vivid scene: Jackson, eyeing the wide-open photo pit, declared it a waste of space when fans could be two-stepping there. When they followed his call, chaos ensued—security scrambled, the show paused, and a honky-tonk rebellion unfolded. For me, this night was pure Alan Jackson: heartfelt, defiant, and unforgettable, a fitting Texas farewell from a country icon.

File Photo: Legendary Alan Jackson performs in Georgetown, Texas at the Two Step Inn Festival on April 5, 2025. (Photo Credit and Copyright; Larry Philpot/SoundstagePhotography.com)

Background and Bio: Born October 17, 1958, in Newnan, Georgia, Alan Jackson rose from humble roots to become a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee (2017). His neotraditional sound—honky-tonk heart with a modern polish—defined ‘90s country. Since his 1989 debut album Here in the Real World, Jackson has sold over 75 million records, with 50 Top 10 hits, 35 No. 1s, and 66 charted singles on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs. His catalog includes anthems like “Chattahoochee,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” (with Jimmy Buffett), “Gone Country,” “Livin’ on Love,” and the poignant “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).” His 2003 album Greatest Hits Volume II is certified 7× Platinum, and Drive (2002) spawned four No. 1s. Jackson’s TV appearances include performing on The Tonight Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and multiple CMA Awards broadcasts, notably his 1999 protest performance of George Jones’ “Choices” after Jones was sidelined. He starred in the 1994 TV special Alan Jackson: Good Time and had a cameo in Home Alone (1990) with his song “Home.” Awards include two Grammys (Best Country Song for “Where Were You” in 2002, Best Country Collaboration for “As She’s Walking Away” with Zac Brown Band in 2010), 16 CMA Awards (including three Entertainer of the Year titles), and 17 ACM Awards. In 2021, Jackson revealed his diagnosis of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, a neurological disorder affecting mobility, prompting his 2022–2025 farewell tour.

Performance Review: As Jackson took the stage, his lanky frame and signature cowboy hat cast a familiar silhouette against the festival lights. The crowd roared, knowing this was their last chance to see him in Central Texas, as noted in festival press releases. The photo pit set the stage for the night’s defining moment. Early in the set, during “Good Time” (2008), Jackson paused, eyeing the large, cordoned-off area in front of the stage. “That space is too big for pictures,” he drawled, his Georgia twang thick with mischief. “Y’all should be two-steppin’ down there!” The crowd erupted, and dozens took it as an invitation, clambering over barricades to dance in the pit, as captured in viral TikTok clips.

File Photo: Legendary Alan Jackson tosses T-shirts into the crowd as he performs in Georgetown, Texas at the Two Step Inn Festival on April 5, 2025. (Photo Credit and Copyright; Larry Philpot/SoundstagePhotography.com)

The energy was electric—fans two-stepping, beers raised, smiles wide. Jackson egged them on, chuckling, “Come on, they ain’t gonna bite me!” But security wasn’t amused. The pit, meant for photographers (though Jackson’s team banned pit photography but relegated us to the soundboard, the pit is a safety zone for medical and security access. As fans filled the space, organizers halted the show after “Good Time,” cutting Jackson’s mic for 10–15 minutes to clear the area. Fans booed, venting on social media: “C3 cuts Alan’s mic mid-show? Not a good look,” one wrote. Another fumed, “Let people have a good time!” When Jackson returned, he doubled down, saying, “I guess they don’t like a good time!” before launching into “Chattahoochee,” the crowd roaring louder than ever.

The security pause captures Jackson’s rebel spirit, a hallmark of his career—whether defying ACM’s backing-track rule in 1994 or championing George Jones in 1999. The setlist was a masterclass in storytelling, blending hits and deep cuts, as reported by setlist.fm. He opened with “Here in the Real World,” its wistful chords setting a nostalgic tone. “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” followed, a nod to his early dreams. The Texas crowd ate up “Dallas,” a lesser-known gem from 1991, and “The Older I Get” (2017), which hit harder given his CMT battle. “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” hushed the park, its 9/11 reflection drawing tears, though the security pause followed, briefly breaking the spell.

A highlight was “Remember When,” when Jackson’s wife, Denise, joined him onstage for a slow dance, celebrating her upcoming birthday. The moment left “few dry eyes,” as Saving Country Music noted, a tender contrast to the earlier chaos. Jackson’s humor shone in “I thought it’d be hotter than a hoochie coochie,” riffing on the unexpected cold, per Saving Country Music. He closed with “Mercury Blues” and an extended “Chattahoochee,” the festival flashing a thank-you note onscreen: “Alan, thank you for your music.”

The set, though shortened by the pause, was a testament to Jackson’s enduring power. His voice, weathered but strong, carried every note, backed by his Strayhorns band’s tight fiddle and steel guitar. The crowd’s energy, as Ticketmaster reviews echoed from his Orlando show, was “awesome,” with Jackson’s storytelling weaving decades of hits into a Texas-sized farewell.

Final Thoughts: Alan Jackson’s Two Step Inn performance was a bittersweet triumph, blending heart, humor, and a defiant honky-tonk spirit. Your note about the photo pit rebellion captured his essence—urging fans to two-step, consequences be damned. The security pause, while disruptive, only amplified his legend, echoing his career-long fight against music industry nonsense. As one of six final shows on his “Last Call” tour (following Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, Fort Worth, Orlando, and Milwaukee), this Georgetown night was a historic farewell. Under the Texas stars, Jackson gave us one more for the road, leaving San Gabriel Park with memories as enduring as his songs