Re: The Zac Brown Band
Posted: April 7, 2011 12:31 pm
I just saw ZBB last night for the first time. My boyfriend and I decided last week to go and had been checking ticketmaster daily for good seats. We also had been keeping an eye on Craig's List. I was leary of buying from Criag's List but found 2 GA floor seats that had been listed on 4.2.11. Jay emailed the guy and asked him if he would take $80 for the pair. The guy had paid $125 with all the fees. We finally settled on $100 and I went to meet him. He brought the receipt and the tickets looked legit.
Later in the day we headed to the show and arrived about 45 miutes before the opening act. I was nervous about the GA floor seats as I am quite short and knew if there were alot of people there, I would have a horrible view. As luck would have it, we were able to get a good view 3 rows back from the stage and just shy of center stage. (on a side note - does anyone remember the days when there was little to no barrier in between the stage and the seats). Anyway, we chatted up the people around us (knowing we would need to go to the bathroom at some point). Everyone was awesome (only one drunk in the crowd).
The opening band Blackberry Smoke started right at 7pm. They were awesome and I kept saying- I'd go to just see these guys at some point! They were kind of a cross between the Allman Brothers and Black Crows! Southern Rock at it's finest! I bought one of their tshirts after the show. They played for about an hour total.
After a quick set change, ZBB came out and played a couple of songs that he said "are off the new album". I didn't recognize them but have one of the ACTUAL setlists at home that I will post later. He quickly kicked into a the songs everyone knows and the crowd was having a blast. He played Free and a bunch of people had brought in American Flags. It was a very patriotic moment. He reminded the crowd that he was promoting "letters to soldiers". If you stopped by in the lobby, they would give you this cool postcard where you could write a thank you letter to a soldier on the spot. If you did so, they gave you a free CD.
At one point he thanked the crowd for coming out and said "I know what it's like to spend your hard earned money to come out to a show, so I'm going to give you your money's worth tonight!" I think he must have played every song he has every recorded and then some. He threw in a covers including "Crazy Love" and "Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison. About midway he played a new song that they had just written. He said "we have never played this song live". I recorded it with my iPhone and will post it on youtube later today. It was a slower song entitled "Annie" ( I think). It was great and featured his vocals. Near the end he brought the other band back out on stage and said they were going to do a few more songs together. He also brought out a female singer songwriter and said "This is Sonia Leigh a new artist - y'all are going to be hearing alot more out of her in the future!" She had a Loretta Lynn type of voice. By then the family in front of us had a tired little boy and decided to leave (ZBB had been playing for almost 3 hours and the opening band was an hour). So four hours was enough for the little one - however he did get to hear his favorite song "chicken fried" and made it to the big screen before leaving. The family allowed us to move up and take their spot on the front row for the last 5 or 6 songs.
Then ZZB along with Blackberry Smoke did a few covers including "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty and "Isn't she Lovely" by Stevie Wonder". After about 3 songs the other band left and ZBB did a few more of their songs including "As she's Walking Away". Finally they left the stage and came back to do one encore - my prediction- "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". If ANYTHING was worth being in the front row - this song was it! It was AMAZING. The fiddle player (who looks like the kid from Almost Famous) was incredible. They put all they had into that one song and I was so excited. AS they left, Zac said "thank y'all! Come see us again!" It was so humble! And as they walked off the stage the drummer chunked out his drumsticks and my boyfriend Jay caught one. We also asked for one of the setlist and was given one.
What was even more impressive was Zac's willingness to share the spotlight with others. He let his guitar players take the lead vocal for about 4-5 songs. And at one point ( I think it was his body guard) came out and did a rap with him. The crowd went WILD. He also shared the spotlight with young singer songwriter and the opening band. All in all ZBB was A CLASS ACT. I went frmm being a mediocre fan to an avid fan! If you get a chance to see ZBB this summer - GO! You will be blown away!
Later in the day we headed to the show and arrived about 45 miutes before the opening act. I was nervous about the GA floor seats as I am quite short and knew if there were alot of people there, I would have a horrible view. As luck would have it, we were able to get a good view 3 rows back from the stage and just shy of center stage. (on a side note - does anyone remember the days when there was little to no barrier in between the stage and the seats). Anyway, we chatted up the people around us (knowing we would need to go to the bathroom at some point). Everyone was awesome (only one drunk in the crowd).
The opening band Blackberry Smoke started right at 7pm. They were awesome and I kept saying- I'd go to just see these guys at some point! They were kind of a cross between the Allman Brothers and Black Crows! Southern Rock at it's finest! I bought one of their tshirts after the show. They played for about an hour total.
After a quick set change, ZBB came out and played a couple of songs that he said "are off the new album". I didn't recognize them but have one of the ACTUAL setlists at home that I will post later. He quickly kicked into a the songs everyone knows and the crowd was having a blast. He played Free and a bunch of people had brought in American Flags. It was a very patriotic moment. He reminded the crowd that he was promoting "letters to soldiers". If you stopped by in the lobby, they would give you this cool postcard where you could write a thank you letter to a soldier on the spot. If you did so, they gave you a free CD.
At one point he thanked the crowd for coming out and said "I know what it's like to spend your hard earned money to come out to a show, so I'm going to give you your money's worth tonight!" I think he must have played every song he has every recorded and then some. He threw in a covers including "Crazy Love" and "Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison. About midway he played a new song that they had just written. He said "we have never played this song live". I recorded it with my iPhone and will post it on youtube later today. It was a slower song entitled "Annie" ( I think). It was great and featured his vocals. Near the end he brought the other band back out on stage and said they were going to do a few more songs together. He also brought out a female singer songwriter and said "This is Sonia Leigh a new artist - y'all are going to be hearing alot more out of her in the future!" She had a Loretta Lynn type of voice. By then the family in front of us had a tired little boy and decided to leave (ZBB had been playing for almost 3 hours and the opening band was an hour). So four hours was enough for the little one - however he did get to hear his favorite song "chicken fried" and made it to the big screen before leaving. The family allowed us to move up and take their spot on the front row for the last 5 or 6 songs.
Then ZZB along with Blackberry Smoke did a few covers including "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty and "Isn't she Lovely" by Stevie Wonder". After about 3 songs the other band left and ZBB did a few more of their songs including "As she's Walking Away". Finally they left the stage and came back to do one encore - my prediction- "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". If ANYTHING was worth being in the front row - this song was it! It was AMAZING. The fiddle player (who looks like the kid from Almost Famous) was incredible. They put all they had into that one song and I was so excited. AS they left, Zac said "thank y'all! Come see us again!" It was so humble! And as they walked off the stage the drummer chunked out his drumsticks and my boyfriend Jay caught one. We also asked for one of the setlist and was given one.
What was even more impressive was Zac's willingness to share the spotlight with others. He let his guitar players take the lead vocal for about 4-5 songs. And at one point ( I think it was his body guard) came out and did a rap with him. The crowd went WILD. He also shared the spotlight with young singer songwriter and the opening band. All in all ZBB was A CLASS ACT. I went frmm being a mediocre fan to an avid fan! If you get a chance to see ZBB this summer - GO! You will be blown away!
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