A sold out crowd experienced the best concert of their lives on Wednesday at STL’s Enterprise Center. I was fortunate enough to be in attendance along with 18,000+ others for the Beautifully Broken Tour. This is and always will be more than a concert. It’s a safe space for anyone and everyone. A family reunion. The love is felt the moment the lights drop. The parking garage attached to the venue sold out an hour before the show, and the crowd was still shuffling in even after the show began.
Jason Bradley DeFord (we all know him as Jelly Roll) began his career more than 20 years ago in nearby Nashville. It was 2022’s release of several hits, including “Son of a Sinner,” that injected him into everyone’s soul. Between the deeply relatable lyrics and his beautiful life being shared on TikTok, his success has sky rocketed. He has since collaborated with numerous artists including , but not limited to, Post Malone, MGK, and many more.
Wednesday night was special as a hometown independent musician opened the show. Waterloo, Illinois’ very own- Alexandra Kay. TikTok has changed so many lives and tonight we witnessed one of the biggest success stories of music enthusiast turned music star. She has a classic country sound with a side of Miranda Lambert’s attitude. Her music was refreshing, relatable, and all around crowd pleasing. The crowd was still trickling in during most of her set which was a shame. I assure you this isn’t the last you’ll hear of her name. In fact, she will be headlining at STL Music Park on June 20th next summer, so go see her!
Alexandra Kay at Enterprise Center 10/23/24 – Mick Lite Photography
Mick Lite Photography
The next TikTok sensation who graced our ears was Warren Zeiders. This man is a hybrid of rock and country with a dollop of story telling and a stage filling entertainer being the cherry on top. His larger than life attitude matches his stage energy, and by the surrounding attendees, never missed a word to his lyrics. It is always a beautiful moment to watch someone be so indulged in an artist I am new to, and how much they must have been influenced by that artist.
Zeiders was riding the lightning and his energy is ridiculously infectious, yet electric! You’ll be buzzing from the moment he sets foot on stage – get ready to join the club, because once you experience him, there’s no turning back!
For the main event, we get a lovely hype session from the arena rockers on this tour (DJ CHILL & HYLYTE). They bring up another TikTok local (@alexholem) and he does his infamous party trick of drinking a beer from his boot. The crowd ate it up and I’m sure he gained some new followers.
TikTok – Make Your Day
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I love live DJ’s between sets and usually they hype a crowd to get em ready, but tell me how hype men can prepare a sold out crowd for the biggest hype man in existence?
A giant countdown clock above the stage began to tick away as 9pm approached. The crowd started the count down at ten seconds and BOOM! Lights drop and the crowd went feral. As everyone was focused on the main stage, it was a small stage , right at the soundboard where the action began. Jelly, his wife, and Noah (Jelly’s son making his first appearance ever at a show), began making their way to the secondary stage while a spotlight tracked their progress through the crowd. Upon arriving at the small stage, Jelly received a kiss and a hug from his wife and son and made their exit toward the main stage. Jelly performed “I Am Not Okay,” from the new Beautifully Broken album which recently dropped, underneath a frame of a burning house that lowered from above.
The performance of this emotional song was a spectacle to behold and the first live track off the new album. The attention shifted to the main stage as Jelly made his way up there. The stage was absolutely a crowd pleaser. Two cat walks deep into the floor section, a main stage featuring a huge wrap around screen assuring no matter your seat, you seen what was happening. Jelly and his crew make sure we’re more than spectators, we’re part of the show. BUBBA WE ARE FAMILY HERE. Though Jelly is technically a solo artist, he continues to show love and support to his band during each song. Jelly Roll kept up this love for songs throughout the night. He brought Alexandra Kay back out for a little throw back to the 90’s that made us all. “Should’ve been a Cowboy”, “Man, I Feel like a Woman” and “Good Riddance” it was a great moment for everyone in the audience. We were part of a jam session. During “She”, Jelly Roll performed sitting next to a flaming grand piano as his keyboardist played it.
For his final song “Save Me,” Jelly once again took to the side stage and set the house frame a blaze once more. When the song flowed into its outro, the flaming house was extinguished by rainfall, as Jelly Roll lived out his Flashdance fantasies . After he literally soaked in the moment, he took a couple more minutes to wave and connect with the fans before leaving the stage.
Jelly Roll at Enterprise Center 10/23/24 – Mick Lite Photography
Mick Lite Photography
The one thing I took from the night was the magic. The magic this man brings with every word spoken or sang. His dedication to remain authentic. I can’t possibly review every moment of this concert or else I’d have to publish a novel. You HAVE TO SEE THIS IN PERSON.
I do know the one thing I was happiest to see was a local named Derek got to finally meet Jelly. Their banter on TikTok is nothing less than heartwarming. Months and months of commenting back and forth, and Jelly made his dreams come true.
TikTok – Make Your Day
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It just goes to show that this man and his crew go above and beyond on and off stage. This is the realness that makes him what he is. He’s real, he’s been in our shoes, and he is the inspiration for everyone. It’s not often we get such a raw artist willing to stand up for the common folk, and I will never miss another opportunity to support this man and his entourage.
Side note: I hope one day he can support my craft and let me tattoo him and his posse. Hit me up! https://www.instagram.com/wickedwitchofstl 
Melissa O’Rourke aka WickedWitchofSTL is a jack of all trades. By day she’s an established tattooist and piercer, by night a mother to her amazing son (who is a hell of a guitarist). Melissa has a musical background and can often be found at a local karaoke joint, or a concert when she’s not driving across the country for an adventure. This social butterfly always welcomes conversation so come say hi! See y’all at the next gig!
