Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Breaking up was hard to do for Brooks & Dunn, who at this point have spent more time reunited than they did apart, and following 100 minutes in front of a capacity crowd at the Allstate Arena, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were clearly always meant to be together.

In their absence, it turns out a whole new wave of country artists and beyond gleaned influence from the best-selling duo, even going so far as to collaborate with the originators on the “Reboot” and “Reboot II” collections, whose track listings mainly made up the new “Neon Moon” Tour, named after the now classic single on two separate occasions.

Granted, studio guests such as Morgen Wallen, Kacey Musgraves, Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson didn’t join them, but Brooks & Dunn, alongside their trusty band, were all anyone needed once they blasted into “Brand New Man,” “My Next Broken Heart” and “She’s Not The Cheatin’ Kind.”

The amount of hits the pair amassed throughout the neo-traditional boom of the early 1990s through the 2000s was staggering, including “Mama Don’t Get Dressed Up For Nothing,” “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone” and “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You.”

Brooks & Dunn also took a nostalgic cruise down the “Red Dirt Road,” tipped their cowboy hats towards the “Hard Workin’ Man” (and woman), then stayed wholeheartedly committed to “Play Something Country.”

Their textbook, harmony-driven style continued during the gentle “Neon Moon,” when a crescent-shaped one suddenly emerged in the sky above, in addition to the rowdy “Rock My World (Little Country Girl),” though the guys are of course no stranger to crossing over on numerous occasions.

“My Maria” was one of the tunes that made Brooks & Dunn a household name and remains a paramount crowd pleaser, plus the beloved “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” practically kicked off the entire line dancing craze.

Come “Little Miss Honky Tonk,” openers David Lee Murphy and Molly Tuttle contributed extra vocals and energy, followed by the patriotic finale “Only In America,” which featured a few members of the military and first responders being honored on stage, simultaneously sending everyone home with the hope for a brighter tomorrow and happy to have seen these long lost friends again.

For additional information on Brooks & Dunn, visit Brooks-Dunn.com.

For a list of upcoming Live Nation concerts, visit LiveNation.com.

Upcoming shows at the Allstate Arena include Los Tucanes De Tijuana (Apr. 12); Theo Von (Apr. 25); Viva El Jaripeo (Apr. 26); Charli XCX (Apr. 28); Sturgill Simpson (May 9); Chelo (May 10); Billy Strings (Jun. 6-7); Hombres G and Enanitos Verdes (Jun. 28); Ghost (Aug. 1); Jorge Medina and Josi Cuen (Aug. 02); Disney “Descendants” & “Zombies” (Aug. 6); Shinedown (Aug. 16); Babymonster (Sept. 2); Ramon Ayala (Sept. 20); Sleep Token (Sept. 28); Lainey Wilson (Oct. 17) and Los Tigres Del Norte (Nov. 14). For additional details, visit Rosemont.com/Allstate/.

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