Photo Credit: Dillon Matthew (@dillonmatthewc)
Monday, October 12, may not be the most obvious night for a concert, but that didn’t stop fans from packing Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix for a sold-out show on ROLE MODEL’s CHUCK ON TOUR. The tour celebrates the release of his latest record, Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye) follow-up, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, which dropped in August. Blending indie folk, Americana, pop, and rock with a little more country influence on the new record, ROLE MODEL brought a setlist featuring nearly every track from the album, alongside fan favorites from his earlier catalog. With the U.S. leg of the tour wrapping up in Berkeley, California, on October 18, and the UK and European dates kicking off in February 2027, Phoenix was one of the final chances to catch the show stateside. Fans were wrapped around the building long before doors, and the merch stand outside drew a crowd of its own as concertgoers eagerly picked up tour mementos. Inside, the room was filled largely with women, many of whom had spent the preshow chatting about ROLE MODEL’s reputation for putting on a great live show. After seeing the performance for myself, I can confirm they knew exactly what they were talking about.
Opening the night, Samia delivered a relaxed, vocal-driven set that had the crowd listening closely from the start. Her beautiful vocals carried the performance, with occasional dancing around the stage adding to the laid-back feel. The setlist featured tracks like “Triptych,” “Bovine Excision,” “Big Wheel,” and “Pool,” along with “Needle In My Eye,” an unreleased track that offered fans a preview of what may be coming next. During “Big Wheel,” Samia repeated the lyrics “I got bad news but I didn’t fight,” before explaining as the song ended, “that song was about how I got bad news but I didn’t fight,” drawing a laugh from the crowd. A fan could be heard shouting, “you’re amazing!” and honestly, it was hard to disagree. Samia also introduced her band, thanking the crowd and saying, “We love Role Model, thanks for being so nice.” The audience gave her a warm reception throughout the eight-song set, and her voice was easily one of the highlights of the evening. If you haven’t listened to Samia yet, she is absolutely worth checking out.
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Between sets, the crew prepared the stage for ROLE MODEL’s entrance, with a few details offering a glimpse into the personality behind the production. Words and phrases were scrawled across the stage in chalk, including “guitar guy,” “other guitar guy,” “bass god,” “piano man,” and “stand here for dramatic effect,” with arrows pointing to various spots onstage. A tally tracking the days on tour was also written out. Nearby, friends posed for photos in matching shirts and pink wigs, adding to the excitement building throughout the room. The preshow playlist continued playing, and fans seemed perfectly content waiting for the headliner. Then, at 8:30 p.m. sharp, the lights dropped mid-song and “Chuck’s Mantra” began to play. The room immediately erupted into deafening screams as ROLE MODEL took the stage.
Opening with “High Hopes 3000,” “Song Is All You Get,” and “Look at That Woman,” ROLE MODEL wasted no time getting the crowd on its feet. Backed by a five-piece band, he delivered an impressive performance with strong vocals, plenty of personality, and stage production that added a visually stunning element to the show. Sweeping lights moved across the stage, shifting between dramatic effects and warm lighting that complemented the music. The visual display was fantastic, though the intense lighting effects may be difficult for those with photosensitivity. Throughout the night, ROLE MODEL danced, shook his hips, and leaned into the country-inspired feel of his newer material. He told the crowd, “Phoenix, I came to dance, I don’t know about you,” and the audience made it clear they were more than ready as he grabbed his belt buckle and waved his arm around like a cowboy.
The show featured tracks from Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, including “Service Receipt,” and “Chasing Midnight,” alongside songs from Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye) like “Superglue.” ROLE MODEL slowed things down for “Good Thing,” with fans holding their phone flashlights in the air, before picking up the pace again for “The Dinner.” During “Love I You,” he made his way down to the barricade, sharing a back-and-forth sing-off with a fan. After several songs on the setlist, the lights would drop, and the crowd would begin chanting “Chuck, Chuck, Chuck,” eager for the next track. ROLE MODEL played into the anticipation, using pauses between songs to let the excitement build.
Despite the packed room and the crowd’s excitement, ROLE MODEL joked that he was getting “Monday vibes,” adding that he didn’t know Phoenix had Mondays. He also acknowledged fans seated high up in the 300s, joking that he was worried about them and encouraging them to stay seated. The audience, however, was having none of that, with fans on their feet and singing along throughout the show. After asking whether everyone was still feeling alive, he launched into “Writing’s on the Wall,” and the crowd went absolutely feral. The opening chant echoed throughout the theatre as nearly every voice joined in.
One of the funniest moments of the night came when ROLE MODEL revealed that Phoenix was one of the only cities on the tour that had never gotten a “Sally,” referring to the onstage moment associated with “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out.” The crowd immediately went wild at the possibility, only for him to shut it down moments later. “We’re three songs in, everyone calm down,” he said, explaining that they still weren’t going to have a Sally. He assured the audience they weren’t missing anything and joked that it was special to be one of the few cities that had never gotten one. Unfortunately for Phoenix, he stuck to his word, and the crowd would have to settle for the song itself later in the set.
ROLE MODEL also spent time interacting with fans, turning the show into something that felt personal despite the size of the venue. He asked for the house lights to come up so he could see everyone, checked that fans who had been waiting outside all day had stayed hydrated, and even posed for a photo with a fan holding an old picture of him. “I’m learning how to do crowd work, it’s very important,” he joked, name-dropping Imagine Dragons as an example of a band that does this well. Later, just as he was preparing to launch into the next section of the set, a medical emergency occurred in the pit just as he had finished saying he wanted to make sure everyone was feeling “safe and sexy.” ROLE MODEL acknowledged the situation, joking that he had unfortunately jinxed it, and the band paused while staff and those nearby made sure the fan was safe. Before continuing, he checked in with the audience, reassuring everyone that they would stop again if needed and encouraging fans to help one another.
The emotional high point came during “Some Protector,” which ROLE MODEL introduced as his favorite song. He told the crowd that the show no longer belonged to him, but to them, encouraging everyone to think of someone in Phoenix they wanted to sing the song to and give it everything they had. The crowd delivered, singing passionately as the spotlight shifted toward the audience. After moving into “Sally When the Wine Runs Out,” ROLE MODEL closed the night with “Harmony,” thanking everyone for spending their Monday evening with him. “Phoenix, I love you, I’m sorry you never got a Sally,” he said before leaving the stage, drawing one final reaction from the crowd.
ROLE MODEL is a fantastic performer, and CHUCK ON TOUR is absolutely worth catching live. With strong vocals, an entertaining stage presence, great visuals, and a crowd that sang along to every last word, the sold-out Phoenix show was a memorable night from the start. The U.S. leg wraps up October 18 in Berkeley, California, with only a handful of dates remaining before the tour heads overseas next year. If you’ve been thinking about grabbing tickets, now is the time!
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://shop.heyrolemodel.com/pages/tour .
Photo Credit: Dillon Matthew (@dillonmatthewc)
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