INDIO, Calif — Luke Combs closed out the night with a headlining set that perfectly captured the festival’s spirit, blending country tradition, heartfelt storytelling, and a few unforgettable surprises along the way for the official finish line of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival on Sunday night.

Taking the Mane Stage for his fourth Stagecoach appearance and second time headlining, Combs was visibly moved as he addressed the packed crowd when first arriving. “This is pretty unbelievable,” he shared early on. “I’m very appreciative of the life I get to live, and I know that’s because of each and every one of you. It means the world to me that you spend your time and money to come out and listen, not just to me, but to everybody playing this weekend.”

From the opening notes of “1, 2 Many,” Combs had the audience locked in, powering through a setlist that some of his greatest-hits: “When It Rains It Pours,” “Cold as You,” “Doin’ This,” “Beautiful Crazy,” and “Hurricane,” among others. He also leaned into some of his biggest love songs, joking, “There was a period when people said I had too many love songs, but I happen to love writing them.”

The crowd sang and danced along to every word, especially during emotional favorites like “Forever After All” and “Better Together.”

In true Stagecoach fashion, Combs brought some unexpected guests to the stage. Bailey Zimmerman, one of country’s fastest rising stars, joined for a performance of their collaboration “Backup Plan,” while pop-punk icons Good Charlotte appeared for a high-energy run through their hit “The Anthem.” Before launching into it, Combs recalled, “I met these guys a few years back at the Greek Theatre, I’m a huge fan, and they were gracious enough to come out tonight.”

But the biggest surprise of the night came in the final moments.

Setting up the crowd, Combs said he wanted to do something special to end his set and began strumming the opening lines of Garth Brooks’ classic “Friends in Low Places.” Just as fans were belting along, Brooks himself walked out onto the stage, sending the Empire Polo Club into a frenzy.

It took a few beats for the crowd to fully register what was happening, but once it hit, the energy was on fire. Brooks and Combs traded verses, then turned the mic to the audience, grinning as thousands of voices took over the iconic chorus.

As the song wrapped, Combs shouted, “It’s Garth Freaking Brooks, everybody!” — not that anyone needed the reminder.

Before the night was over, Combs shared a heartfelt reflection that felt like the perfect way to close up the evening. “I am living proof that if you want to do something, you can do it. Because if I can do this, each and every one of you can do anything you put your mind to.”

He then introduced “She Got the Best of Me,” a song he wrote at 24 years old as a college dropout working two jobs, a reminder of just how far he’s come.

Fittingly, Combs also paid homage to one of the songs that shaped his musical journey, delivering an emotional cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” “I never would have imagined recording this song,” he said. “It changed my life when I first heard it. We cut it on a whim one day in the studio — and I’ll be damned if it didn’t become one of the biggest songs of my career too.”

As fireworks lit up the sky and Combs took his final bow, it was unmistakable that fans had witnessed a set that honored country music’s roots, embraced its future, and reminded everyone why Luke Combs is one of the genre’s biggest stars today.

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