Review: Miranda Lambert Brings Fire, Hits, and Cowgirl Swagger to Miami Fans

At 8:17 p.m., the lights dropped inside Hard Rock Live, and Miranda Lambert strode onstage to a roar from the crowd, kicking off the night with the fiery “Fastest Girl in Town.” Fans leapt to their feet, singing along as the country star launched into a high-energy set that balanced arena-sized hits with intimate acoustic moments.

Lambert’s stop at Hard Rock Live was one of the early shows in her 2026 run of concerts and festival appearances across the United States, giving South Florida fans a rare chance to catch the set — part of a series of performances that’s more about the music than a formal tour.

The stage design was simple but effective. Most of the band performed on a raised platform two levels above the main stage, with the drummer positioned stage right, leaving the center open for Lambert. The stripped-down setup kept the focus squarely on the singer and her tight seven-piece band, including a backup vocalist, proving that you don’t need flashy production to command a room.

Dressed casually in jeans, dark cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat, Lambert wore a Lainey Wilson T-shirt with fringed sleeves, accented with silver-and-turquoise jewelry, including a matching belt buckle and long drop earrings that mirrored the shirt’s colors.

Early in the set, the fiery “Kerosene” had the crowd singing along, while Lambert played much of the night on her signature Gibson Bluebird acoustic guitar. “How’s everyone doing tonight?” she asked. After performing her 2009 hit “White Liar,” where fans swayed and sang as she held the microphone toward the audience, she checked in again: “How is everyone in Florida tonight? Any cowgirls in the house tonight?” After thanking the audience for coming out, she launched into “If I Was a Cowboy,” keeping the momentum rolling with the upbeat anthem.

Lambert treated fans to a “little buffet” of songs she loves from other artists, covering hits by Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, and Ella Langley

The set moved seamlessly between high-energy songs and heartfelt ballads. During “All Kinds of Kinds,” arms swayed throughout the venue, while “The House That Built Me” became one of the night’s biggest sing-along moments as Lambert urged, “Come on, y’all.”

One of the quieter highlights came with “Tin Man,” performed solo on acoustic guitar, allowing Lambert’s voice — clear, steady, and edged with her signature Southern grit — to take center stage.

Later, Lambert treated fans to a “little buffet” of songs she loves from other artists, covering hits by Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, and Ella Langley — a playful detour that showcased both her influences and her ability to make the songs her own.

The energy ramped up again with the upbeat “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” performed downstage with her backup singer, followed by “Geraldine,” where Lambert set aside her guitar for a tambourine to enthusiastic cheers.

“Mama’s Broken Heart” had the crowd dancing, while “Little Red Wagon” highlighted the precision and power of Lambert’s band, which sounded tight and impeccably rehearsed throughout the night.

Lambert closed the 90-minute show with the explosive “Gunpowder & Lead,” as fans sang loudly through the final chorus and cheered her off the stage. The three-time Grammy winner is also the most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history, and Thursday night’s performance showed exactly why Lambert remains one of country music’s most compelling performers — a favorite for many, myself included — more than two decades into her career.