In a concert rarity, the opening act, Green River Ordinance, took the stage a minute or two ahead of schedule. The lead singer, flanked by only two of the Texas-based band’s four other members, joked that they would be playing a toned down set with only “three-fifths of the band.” He went on to say that they usually produce a much louder show.
Despite the missing band members, Green River Ordinance proceeded to set the tone for the night with plenty of humor thrown in between – and sometimes during – songs, a set list that was serious about music and the ability to get the crowd to sing along. They plugged through a modest six song set full of harmonies and toe-tapping melodies, and wrapped up with an unexpected few verses from Savage Garden’s “Truly Madly Deeply.”
It wasn’t long before Matt Nathanson, joined by his band, graced the stage with his hair standing on end and a smile almost permanently plastered to his face. He certainly continued the evening’s humor by taking every opportunity possible to crack a joke, including quips about the need to tone down his show to be G-rated for the younger audience.
Nathanson gave his band a mid-show break, which allowed him two songs all to himself. This gave him the opportunity to show that he is a talented guitarist in his own right. Overall, the set list contained many original tunes, including his radio hit “Come On Get Higher,” and a sizable side dish of cover songs, from bits and pieces of Rick Springfield’s 80’s jam “Jesse’s Girl” to Prince’s “Starfish and Coffee.” In their final song, the band took the audience back 28 years to Journey’s prime in the song “Don’t Stop Believing.” By the way the crowd sang along, you’d never know that most of them weren’t even alive when the hit came out.
Just shy of 10:30, the house music turned off, the stage went completely dark and Ray Charles’ “Georgia” began playing as the six-piece Zac Brown Band took the stage to wild cheers from a packed lawn. Drummer Chris Fryar, multi instrumentalist Clay Cook and Zac Brown himself proudly showed off their Converse College T-shirts before kicking their set off with “Different Kind of Fine.”
Three songs in, they belted the second single off their latest album, “Whatever It Is,” before transitioning into one of their seemingly reggae inspired songs, “Where the Boat Leaves From” (with a little taste of Bob Marley’s “One Love” splashed in the middle). Any tension in the crowd that may have lasted through the first two bands melted away as the Zac Brown Band continued their set. Though the temperature dipped low enough that you could see the singer’s breath, the atmosphere felt much more like a beach party than a freezing April night.
About midway through the set, the band played their trademark version of the Charlie Daniels Band classic “Devil Went Down to Georgia.” If Jimmy DeMartini’s fiddle playing skills weren’t evident enough before this point, it was impossible to ignore them now.
As guitarist/organist Coy Bowles and Cook switched freely between instruments, the band continued the party vibe with several more favorites from albums both new and old. While the band took a few seconds to tune their instruments, Brown gave a brief, heartfelt speech to the crowd, thanking fans for the support that brought them to the latest highpoint in their collective career. Then they quickly transitioned into their thank you gift, the band’s recent number one hit, “Chicken Fried.” The audience rocked with the band, singing every word as if they truly meant it.
The band returned for a one-song encore, but the somberness of the encore could not match the power of the previous song. Lucky for them, nothing they said or did at this point could take away from the undeniable talent of every single band member or the amazing chemistry they have as a group.
