Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Lauren Daigle: 12/9/23 “It’s as if Scrooge and the Grinch smiled together upon me granting the gift of one last non-holiday show to end my year at Greenville’s Bon Secours Wellness Arena Saturday evening. Lauren (‘the Christian Adele’) has been a hot ticket since the day the event went on sale back in March, and not altogether a cheap date either ($52-166.50 plus fees —always tack on at least a third). Majorly behind the times, I had only learned recently that the Grammy, Billboard, and American Music Award winning singer is primarily a Christian artist. Being familiar mostly with her pop crossover hit ‘You Say’ how would I have known until I recently noticed ‘These Are The Days’ climbing the charts in the Christian circuit. Putting my hat in the ring this week, I entered Magic 106.3’s contest for a pair of tickets and to my surprise won. Needless to say I was thrilled as I had been following the event from the very beginning. The Greenville show marked the 30th and final date of her 2023’s Kaleidoscope Tour which ended in a whirlwind of three shows in three cities in three days. With 4 studio albums, 1 EP, 42 charted singles including 8 number ones, the show was expected to lean heavy on material from her 2023 eponymous album which had been released in two volumes over the space of three months. The album itself which compiles two years of studio work, is in one man’s opinion, a neo-soul masterpiece worthy of more than just a casual listen-over. The show was an as expected sell-out save a few seats that opened up last moment on the lower sides (sections 105 and 111) with restricted views. My seats were upper bowl side stage slightly toward the front, four rows above the bowl divider. Arriving early I made my way to the stage front for a close up revealing an orange carnival curtain tent semi-circled backdrop concealing all but keyboards and percussion instruments in the forefront allocated for the opening artist’s set. The Kaleidoscope logo shone on the curtain with a walkway extending out more than halfway into the floor sections that ended in a lighted circular B-stage. A row of floor lamps covered the entire length of the stage floor from left to right. During the performance the main artist’s full band could be seen partially hidden just above a lower barrier of curtaining with video screens placed in between upper and lower curtains to the far left and right ends of the stage. The whole atmosphere in the building could be summed up as warm and inviting. At 7:30 promptly the lights went down for Lauren’s opener Victory Elyse Boyd aka ‘Victory’ to take the stage for a 25 minute / 4 song set. It was her eighth performance on the tour which utilized three different opening acts at different phases. One of nine siblings from Detroit, the singer who began her career as a New York busker which led to an appearance on ABC’s Morning Show and a songwriting credit on Kanye West’s ‘Closed For Sunday’, she excelled vocally throughout the performance. Backed by a four person band her soul fused honey rasp vocals proved the perfect recipe necessary to set the stage for the oncoming of the main performer. Drawing three songs from her 2023 release ‘Glory Hour’ she added in one Christmas song, ‘O Holy Night’, to cheers from the audience. ‘Listen it’s December ninth and I don’t remember a year where it’s gotten this close to Christmas and I don’t have the Christmas feels.’ One fan in the floor section responded with a commandingly loud, ‘Merry Christmas!’ Victory responded, ‘Thank you I needed that’, it was the only Christmas song of the evening. Following what felt like forever for a simple stage turn, the lights dimmed once again as the stage curtains illuminated with flashes of lightning and the sounds of an electrical storm over the main sound system. At 8:50 p.m. Lauren Ashleigh Daigle 32 from Lafayette Louisiana took the stage, true to her LA roots with a three piece brass section (trumpet, trombone, saxophone) leading the way down the catwalk for a 2 hour and 5 minute / 20 song set. Beginning with her currently #29 on the charts single from the new album ‘These Are The Days’, the first three songs all from the 2023 release set the pace of the evening with a staggering dozen songs from the new album —consisting of sixty percent of her total material. ‘My name is Lauren, I’m so glad to see y’all tonight, this is like the joy of my heart, I love it so much, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it.’ Marching up and down the walkway, reading signs, and interacting with the audience all along the way her simple mannerisms combined with a pure joy was contagious especially to those adjacent to the runway. It was of note that there was no pit, everyone was seated in proximity to the runway and somehow it unexpectedly fostered a more intimate artist/fan interaction. Calling selected fans up onto the stage, she staged an unmiked—unamped screaming competition to which a fan by the name of Alyssa was the clear winner. Another Daigle fan ‘Amy Erlanger’ conjectured up some free dance moves front and center stage that were both uninhibited and unbridled, Lauren commenting, ‘I just like a good sheer ruckus!’ The Louisiana horns were strong on ‘New’ and the number one single ‘Trust In You’ brought the sextet of three background singers and three horn players out onto the circular end stage while the backing musicians remained on the main stage. Each member of the 12 piece band was dressed all in white, shirt, pants, and sneakers accentuated in Kaleidoscope colors, Daigle herself wore pants covered in a daisy print featuring every color of the rainbow. ‘He's Never Gunna Change’ was performed with purple and white starlight projected onto the stage curtains and was perhaps Daigle’s best vocal performance of the evening. Prior to the singing of ‘Valuable’ a personal favorite of mine, Daigle explained the concept of the Kaleidoscope Tour. ‘It only happens one time, you’ll only see that image one time and one time only. The second you put it up to the light something beautiful comes on the other side the view, it’s pretty miraculous. Some of you came with incredible joy. Some of you came with the weight of sorrow. We all come in here with our stories… portraying this beautiful thing that God has put inside of each one of you —a story’. The hit’s continued with chart toppers ‘Hold On To Me’ and ‘Rescue’ and the complete band was brought out to the b-stage for a traditional Nashville styled writer’s round for ‘Saint Ferdinand’, ‘Inherited’ (a song about family) and ‘How Can It Be’ her very first single from 2014’s EP. There were however some lulls in the action which left more fast-paced folk such as myself feeling a little antsy. An audience member called out, ‘We got all night’ as Daigle quantified, ‘I like slowing time down. I think it’s a good thing to have to be still for a second.’ I couldn’t help but ask myself multiple times throughout the course of the evening ‘Is she really that simple and innocent a soul? If so, how in the world had she been propelled into such a status of stardom?’ My conclusion, ‘Yes, and that sheer authenticism is something we all long for, something we both crave and desire. The evening’s opener Victory was brought back onstage for a semi-traditional rendering of ‘His Eye Is On The Sparrow’ in duet form. The party in the streets atmosphere was not altogether done as each singer was introduced and everyone returned to the main stage for colorfully upbeat renderings of ‘Kaleidoscope Jesus’, ‘Turbulent Skies’, and the number 4 hit ‘Still Rolling Stones’ all performed in tandem. As the concert was winding toward its conclusion it was obvious that three nights of performing in a row had begun to take its toll on the singers voice, though it never slowed her down for a moment physically. It seems to me that many seasoned performers have eventually learned to schedule days off between dates in order to deliver their very best, maybe we’ll just chalk that up to her still being young in her career. Daigle however saved the best for last with her all time cross-genre number one ‘You Say’. With lights dimmed she was found standing on a small one person b-stage all the way to the rear of the auditorium to the right of the mixing board to the delight of her fans who remained content all evening located far from the main action. Dismounting the stage mid-song she made her way back to mid arena shaking every hand extended in outreach. In an exhibition of sheer gratitude for her fans she could not stop thanking folk for coming out, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much for being a part of our night. We love you so much!’ The Kaleidoscope Tour was an event to be experienced not just a concert, one that will never be reduplicated again as such that I was grateful to have been a part of. Even though it left less room for many of her number ones with a scattering of them missing from the set, the entire vibe was something especially unique. Lauren’s music career began by singing in her church choir. She paid for her own vocal lessons with money earned by scrubbing toilets. After being bedridden for two years with an autoimmune disease and two failed attempts at American Idol she learned to not rush the process, describing it in her own words, ‘There was this trust that [God] started to build in me. I started realizing that God was trying to connect some dots.’ ’If I want my purest worship to come out, I have to have unhindered expression’. At thirty-two she has found her voice and loves her sound. There are no signs of letting down, and with a fan base consisting of folk from all walks of life she has become a solid musical force, one to be reckoned with!” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #844)

Dave Matthews Band: 11/8/23 “Based primarily on my ongoing concert shenanigans, my motto for years has been ‘I’d Rather Be At A DAve Show’, however I had yet to see DMB LIVE until now, better late than never. When the opportunity presented itself back in September I jumped on the presale, scoring my seat in Bon Secours Arena’s upper bowl, row two. I was more concerned about taking in the entire experience rather than being close up, not to mention my wallet took a considerably less hit. Not being a classic jam band disciple I took advantage of the two month wait to familiarize myself with the essentials. The Grammy award winning band from Charlottesville VA came into town Wednesday with 10 studio albums, 30 charted singles including 9 number ones and too many live releases to list out. Aside from Matthews, founding members Stefan Lessard (bass), and Carter Beauford (drums) remain since its inception in 1991. In addition, onboard since 2009, are guitarist Tim Reynolds (a solo artist in his own right with 13 of his own studio albums) and Jeff Coffin on saxophone (formerly Bela Fleck), with Rashawn Ross on trumpet since 2006 who has worked with too many session musicians to list out. In 2018 keyboardist Buddy Strong (formerly Usher) took a permanent place in the band. Billed the ‘DMB 2023 Fall Tour’ the 8 city tour began in Savannah and concludes in New York, New York. The mini-tour was likely a dry run for their upcoming South African run and subsequent European tour which begins next month. Greenville’s show was only the second date so there were no prior set lists to follow along with, not that they would do any good since each gig is different with its own respective set. As one would expect the event was a sell out save a few restricted view seats behind the mix and on the upper side stage corners that opened up on Ticketmaster’s map once the band had set up. In typical fashion I was sure to arrive early for a close up peak of the stage set which majorly was an open concept. Keys were to the left, drums in the middle and horns to the right which included trumpet and four different saxophones set up on stands directly in the forefront. Four stage height light towers enclosed in three large video screens taking up the entire stage length. The top lights which could be raised, lowered, and pivoted at will were enclosed in frames which doubled as LED screens giving the stage a multi-dimensional appearance. Psychedelic patterns were most often displayed during the performance when individual close ups of band members were not shown on the screens. A nearly filled to capacity pit covered a full third of the floor. Despite an ‘Important Message’ appearing on social media stating, ‘Dave Matthews takes the stage at 7:30 PM, no opening band, get there early’, the Wednesday crowd was slow to trickle in. At 7:51 David John Matthews 56 from Johannesburg South Africa with band took the stage for a 2 hour and 35 minute / 19 song performance beginning with a pair of obscure 90’s cuts: ‘Spoon’ from the ‘Crowded Streets’ album and ‘One Sweet World’. Dave who had few words to say most evening long broke the silence by welcoming the crowd, ‘Thank you very much for spending your Wednesday evening with us this evening. What we will do is what we planned to do and um hopefully y’all have a good time.’ With that, the band started the opening notes of their #5 ‘Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)’ to cheers from the crowd. A loud ‘Thank you Dave’ shout could be distinguished as some folk, although not all, were there to hear the hits. After ‘Joy Begin’ Dave began to address his activities during the pandemic and the same boisterous fan yelled out ‘Don’t get depressing’. Dave kept it lite though, ‘I found myself quite often along with many other things, I ate a lot of mushrooms, (then he qualified what he meant to laughter from the audience) Shiitake and other ones, Lion’s Mane and ah, I think I wrote a song about it.’ The song ensuing was the title cut from his latest album, the psychedelic ‘Walk Around The Moon’ one of three songs peppered in throughout the evening from the new release. The hits were also peppered in although not the majority of them, with ‘Grace Is Gone’ coming next featuring some great pinky slide work by Tim and ending with some impressive improve jazz by Buddy on keys. ‘You Never Know’ a deeper cut from ‘Busted Stuff’ followed, it’s performance had a distinct 1970’s Genesis concert-like feel in both sound and lighting (heavy on the keys, heavy on the drums), come to find out in a later read that Peter Gabriel has been one of Dave’s big inspirations. The next song, introduced by Dave as being ‘from the olden times’ was 1994’s ‘Jimi Thing’ which turned into an all out jam as the make up and composition of the original version no doubt entirely supports. Dave took a back seat to let Rashawn take lead vocals on a cover of Commodores ‘Brick House’ after which he introduced the original members of the band. ‘Me and Stefan and Carter been playing music together for going on now going on pretty close to thirty-tree years, feels like two hundred and thirty years!’ By inserting 2001’s #1 ‘The Space Between’, Dave broke an otherwise quieter lull in the set and fired up the near 13,000 person crowd into an all standing position once again.’ Shake Me Like A Monkey’ from the ‘Big Whiskey’ album came across with as much of psychedelic feel that you’d catch in a vintage Pink Floyd show. And just like that, it was hard to believe that over two hours had passed and Dave was thanking us once again for coming out on a Wednesday evening as 1995’s ‘Ants Marching’ ended the regular set. The audience sang along to every word, ‘Take these chances, place them in a box until a quieter time, lights down you up and die.’ With Dave and band exiting the stage and all the lights down the audience kept the decibel levels up non stop (as loud as I’ve heard in quite a while) all the while illuminating the darkened arena with cell phone lights until he appeared back on stage. Dave came back out for a two song encore beginning with a solo performance of Pearl Jam’s ‘Just Breathe’, just he and his custom Rockbridge SJ Sunburst six string. The song was a perfect match for his vocal range and arguably the best song of the evening vocally. With the band members having all returned to accompany Dave, the septet finished out the evening with 97’s ‘Two Step’ from the Crash album. It was a perfect ending to complete an evening filled with instrumental riff and run cross genre folk-rock-fusion fun. The only thing in my opinion that would have made things better would have been to see the set performed in a smaller venue, some place like Atlanta Symphony Hall where every seat could have been closer up, somewhere that had the capacity to showcase the sound quality which DMB delivers. Notably missing from the set were the #1’s ‘Too Much’, ’Stay’, ‘Everyday’, ‘Where Are You Going’, ‘Funny The Way It Is’, ‘Mercy’, ‘American Baby’ a #2, and ‘Grey Street’ a #5. Raised as a Quaker, Matthews a pacifist left South Africa facing possible military conscription. Working for IBM and bartending in the States prior to his career take off Matthews is presently living the American dream with no signs of letting down, all thanks to the power of rock ’n’ roll!” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #837)

Aerosmith concert was postponed a last minute a $19 Groupon ticket for NeedToBreathe provided me with some degree of consolation. My seat was upper bowl row, top row, side stage —you get what you pay for, but don’t you just love a bargain! Not to worry, I watched my Ticketmaster map and moved down to an unoccupied resale ticket in the very bottom row by showtime. Heading up I-85 North to the Bilo Center Saturday evening for my second concert in three days I couldn’t help but muse to myself how different the two headliners of those two nights were from each other: JellyRoll (Country/Hip Hop) vs. NEEDTOBREATHE (Christian/Alternative). As odd as it seemed, both artists in their own way carried a similar message of hope to their respective audiences —and two different audiences they were! It was my second time seeing the Grammy nominated band from Seneca South Carolina LIVE, a near exact two years between shows, the first occurring on October 16, 2021, same venue and near exact same seat. It was the second show into the band’s twenty-five date ‘The Caves Tour’ named after the title of their ninth studio album released less than a month ago. The album has proved itself an instant success already reaching number one on the US Christian Charts. With 9 studio albums and numerous EP’s producing 63 charted songs including 3 number ones NTB has crossed over multiple genres on eight different charts including rock, christian, adult, and alternative. With that much material and the tour just starting out the setlist was up in the air as to how it would play out. The band still features William ‘Bear’ Rinehart (lead vocals, guitar and piano) and Seth Bolt (vocals and bass) since the very beginning in 2001; with Josh Lovelace (vocals, keys) since 2011; Randall Harris (drums) since 2012; and Tyler Burkum (guitar) since 2020. NTB clearly knows how to choose openers picking Switchfoot the last time they were in town, and this time they chose strong support once again with Judah & The Lion. At precisely 7:40 p.m. the alternative folk/rock duo from Nashville Judah & The Lion took the stage for a 50 minute / 9 song set beginning with an uncharted single ’Take A Walk’ from their newest release ‘Revival’. I was super-excited to see Judah LIVE for my first time but where was the Lion? Turned out that ‘the lion’ Brian Macdonald (vocals and mandolin) remained at home in the den. His wife had recently given birth making some fans ponder why the band (which at one time was a headliner at the same arena) chose to embark on the tour. Judah Akers (vocals and guitar) along with a no frills four person band wasted no time taking control of the situation. ‘Let’s be family tonight, okay? Even if you don’t know our band we give you the permission to have fun to our set, our goal is to bring joy to whoever is here with us tonight! We’re gonna give you guys everything we’ve got.’ Drawing from the band’s four studio albums Judah moved through the singles plus some covers. For 2017’s #4 he danced about the stage ‘like David danced’ ending up on the floor of the stage playing solo guitar, I don’t know when I’ve recently been entertained by a performer with such athleticism and energy. He introduced a cover of Lit’s #1 ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ by saying, ‘We’re going to play a song you might know in effort to see how much energy you want to give back to us.’ For ‘Spirit’ a 2020 non-album single he traded out his multicolored mostly pink and yellow Telecaster for a same color and patterned mandolin which he waved back waved back and forth like a baseball bat in between licks holding it by it’s neck. There was a walkway out into the audience for NTB which was apparently off limits to Judah, a pair of monitors blocked his path but that didn’t stop Judah! On the final song of the set 2016’s #1 ‘Take It All Back’ Judah was escorted through the audience making his way up and down the isles of the floor singing. Returning, he literally leaped over the barrier for a journey into the pit then jumped back onto the main stage. The lion may have slept it out, but at the end of the day it was Judah who roared! After a half hour stage turn NeedToBreathe’s set (which had been majorly concealed in black sheeting) was uncovered, and a fine set it was! There was a large drum and background vocalist riser split down the middle with an LED screen face. Six six sided lighted bar towers stood on each side of the riser descending in height, each tower had a spotlight on top. The drum head had the band’s name with an image of a skull wearing a fedora (like ‘Bear’ does) and holding a rose in it’s teeth. A walkway ending in a mini polygon shaped performing area with floor length light bars on each angle separated a pit on each side. There was a large video screen in the background and two additional side screens. At precisely 9:02 p.m. the band took the stage in a cloud of smoke from an open gate that separated the risers. Opening with ‘The Cave’ the title cut from the ‘Caves’ album the band performed a massive 27 song / 2 hour and 10 minute set featuring a total of six songs from the recent release! After moving through 2011’s hit ’State I’m In’ and prior to 2016’s single ‘Let’s Stay Home tonight William Stanley Rinehart III ’Bear’ 43 addressed the nearly full arena. Aside from rows K and upward in the far end of the back recesses and some restricted view seats behind the mix the performance was a sell out for the local performers. ‘The band got it’s start in this town. We played some really small places, then we played the Handlebar which was down the street back in the day [audience laughter]. I still consider this a home game for us [audience cheers]!’ After a sting of hits, ‘Drive All Night’, ‘Hard Love’, ‘The Outsiders’, ‘Who Am I’, and ‘Riding High’ the band’s frontmen took to the end of the walkway for a harmonica/guitar solo on ‘Wasting Time’ from the new album. Four stools, a keyboard, and a mini drum kit were brought out to the end of the walkway and the band sat down for a four song acoustic set beginning with ‘Everknown’ a single release from the new album. Bear addressed the audience, ‘I see your faces and it reminds us of the old days.’ He spoke of a Coffee shop ‘Carpenters Cellar’ in town some 20 years ago when playing to a hundred people was a big deal. Recalling the first time he brought an electric guitar into the coffee shop, a ‘dude’ halfway back told them to never do that again. Bear laughed calling out that gentleman by name, ‘The jokes on him… Ralph wherever you are!’ ‘My family’s here tonight’ Bear assured us, to which each member of the band responded one by one the same identical sentiment, the last member driving home the point, ‘All of our families are here tonight.’ Returning to the main stage Bear was given a break as the spotlight turned to guitarist Tyler Burkum who sang a rendition of The Who’s ‘Baba O'Riley’. Running up the walkway he delivered a solo that made the acoustic set seem like an event from a far distant past and quickly reenergized the audience. Bear returned to perform 2015’s #1 ‘Brother’ while walking the entire perimeter of the floor section shaking hands, hugging folk, patting them on the back and stopping for selfies. It was the perfect song for its chorus emphasizing our interdependence on one another, ‘Brother let me be your shelter never leave you all alone. I can be the one you call when you're low, be the one to light the way.’ Realizing he had expended most of the song towards the rear of the floor he hustled back up to the main stage to finish the song on cue. The female of the band’s two background vocalists took the lead in 2014’s worshipful #4 single ‘Multiplied’ in a strong and moving vocal performance. A cover of Oasis’ ‘Don't Look Back In Anger brought the energy levels back up to the top of the thermometer as the regular set began to wind down, but wait there was more, not only one but two encores. For the first, a mini two song set, Bear brought Judah back out on stage as they handpicked audience members, both men, women and children to dance on the walkway platform and invited the audience to join in and ‘go wild’ for the chorus of ‘Dreams’, another from the new album. At the second encore, another two song mini-set Bear surmised ‘I’m sure we’re way over time’ to a roar from the crowd. It was past 11 p.m. already, the band concluding with 2009’s #7 ‘Something Beautiful’ and 2008’s #1 ‘Washed By The Water’. They saved the best for last! The entire evening was a SOLID performance: the lighting, production, and even the sound quality was superb for a hockey arena! Making the drive back home and into bed during the early hours of the morning knowing I had to be up early for church services I had no regrets that I stayed for entire performance!” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #830, 831)

JellyRoll: 10/12/23 “‘What’s a JellyRoll’ a friend recently asked me referring to the 38 year Country/Hip Hop artist who rolled into town with his posse Thursday for a sold out show at Greenville’s Bilo Center. A man of controversy, a talented singer, both? If you follow social media you’ll find everything from commendation to denunciation: ‘His music has helped our family heal from our lowest parts’; ‘I listen to [his songs] when I really go through it n I’m lost’; and then there’s, ‘If ppl would praise Jesus as much as they praise Jelly Roll….’ For me, it was my kind of concert and my kind of people and there was no better time to see ‘The Trailer Park Tornado’ from Nashville than now in the heat of his musical career breakout. After selling out Bridgestone Arena in December of 2022 and the release of his new album ‘Whitsitt Chapel’ Jelly embarked on 2023’s 44 city 'Backroad Baptism Tour'. Thursday was the 42nd date as he winds it all up in a three day blitz completing the tour in Jacksonville and Tampa the following two nights. To the surprise of many JellyRoll is no stranger to the music scene, with 18 studio albums (a number of them compilations) and hits crossing over six different music genre charts his recording career began all the way back in 2011. I picked my ticket (one of only a handful of $32 single seats) back in June and was situatied in the upper bowl, side stage and slightly to the front. The evening started out with Struggle Jennings step-grandson of Waylon Jennings and longtime friend of JellyRoll (country/rap). The Tennessean who began his music career in 2016 after being released from prison (serving 5 years of a 13 year sentence) took the stage at 7 p.m. for a 30 minute / 7 song set beginning with the title cut off his 2021 release ‘Troubadour of Troubled Souls’. The full bearded Struggle (William Curtis Harness Jr.) dressed in a black outlaw hat, black sunglasses, a black and blue western jacket with blue suede shoes that matched the color of his jacket. He drew from a mix of old and new songs displaying his distinctive style and sound which included a rendition of Perkin’s ‘Blue Suede Shoes’. He brought out rising Nashville star Caitlynne Curtis on vocals for his ‘God We Need You Now’ and her ‘Cries Of The Crusaders’. Sharing with the audience experiences from the prison cell he sang and spoke from the heart leaving us with parting words that set the stage for what would become an interwoven theme all evening long: ‘You see, you can’t let your past define you, you got to make it refine you. Everything you’ve gone through, everything you’ve been through, it’s been strengthening you, getting you better for something greater. Don’t lose sight!’ Next on the evening’s line up was Chase Rice, it was his first evening opening for JellyRoll. The Singer/Songwriter, Survivor contestant, Tar Heel Linebacker, and NASCAR pit crew member from Ormond Beach FL had first gotten notoriety writing Florida Georgia Line’s number one ‘Cruise’. Coming into town with 6 studio albums and 11 charted singles Rice and his five person band took the stage at 7:45 p.m. for a 48 minute / 11 song set beginning with ‘Way Down Yonder’ from his latest release. The solid musical performance included the majority of his singles including number #5 ‘Ready Set Roll’, ‘Bad Day To Be A Cold Beer’ (prior to which he cracked open a cold beer), ‘Lonely If You Are’, 2018’s #1 ‘Eyes On You’, and ended the set with his biggest hit ‘Drinkin Beer. Talkin God. Amen’. A highlight of his performance was calling on an audience member, Kaitlyn from Easley SC, to help him sing John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home Country Roads.’ Climbing down off the stage he extended her the microphone asking, ‘Can you sing?’ She did a stellar job following his lead to the delight of the local audience. After Chase the crew came out in full force to clear the stage of all support artist clutter leaving plenty of room for the headliner to move about. With set lists tapped to in place on the floor an image of an old church marquee shown on the video screen reading ‘WHITSETT CHAPEL’ with changing captions such as: ‘SOMEBODY SAVE ME’, ‘EVEN ANGELS CRY’, ‘GOD DON’T LET ME GO’. The crowd began to chant ‘Jelleeeeee! Jellllllly! JELLY!’ The fully turned stage revealed the entire top and sides enclosed with lights. There were three risers in the rear, the left reserved for pedal steel and a DJ deck (yes, a pedal steel and DJ together), the middle held the drum kit, and the right keyboards. The risers doubled as light boxes with pressurized flame boxes positioned all along on top. A row of rotating spotlights filled the entire back stage on the floor all touching each other like soldiers standing at attention. At precisely 9:04 p.m. the now smoke filled stage illuminated all in red highlighting a giant crowned skull on the stage length screen as Jelly’s 7 person ’36 Hour Band’ took the stage one by one. With the sound of an uproar from the crowd and the plucking of a banjo the 5’6” 300 pound rapper, husband to Bunnie XO, former convicted drug dealer and felon Jason Bradley DeFord took the stage with a commanding charge, ‘Let’s Go’ for a 1 hour and 40 minute / 19 song performance beginning with Whitsitt Chapel’s ‘The Lost’. The song’s chorus set the tone for the rest of the evening which was as much a religious experience as it was a concert: ‘I've been known to find my kind of people that ain't at home underneath church steeples. You'd be surprised the places I find Jesus, that ain't the regular crowd!’ Dressed in a black Industrial uniform shirt with orange flame accents and black boots and his black cap worn backwards, the words ‘Bad Apple’ on the shirt front and ‘Halfway To Heaven And Halfway To Hell’ on the back clearly identified both him and his audience as works in progress. Immediately shifting gears to the hip hop heavy ’The Hate Goes On’ from 2017 then back again to country’s ‘Halfway To Hell’ (which featured the first of many rising flames of fire) the audience fed off the energy of the diverse listening experience. Jelly cried out with commanding authority, ’I can promise you that tonight’s show will not only be a show, tonight’s show will be a revival. We will celebrate the losers finally winning in life. Tonight we celebrate the outcasts, the have-nots, the rejects, the ones that came from the bottom and found their own way!’ Moving through ‘Dead Man Walking’ then ‘Son Of A Sinner’ the raw emotion and goosebumps we were all experiencing were legitimately real. Jelly paused to talk about his musical upbringing, how his Mama listened to all the country outlaws, his sister the rock and roll greats, and his older brother gangster rap. With that he busted out into a medley of 90’s country which showcased his vocals as he sang Toby Keith and Alan Jackson in pure country form. An old school hip hop medley followed, we could all feel the upper bowl seats shaking as folks jumped and danced to ‘Lose Yourself’, then he held his microphone out into the singing crowd during ‘Mrs. Jackson’. Things were about to get real as an image of Jesus on the cross appeared on the video screen while he introduced 2015’s ‘Smoking Section’. ‘This is not a concert, this is not a show, this isn’t even a tour, what’s happening tonight in this arena is a family reunion of people healing together. I have faith, I believe in God, and I also believe in my heart that heaven has a smoking section and an open bar for sinners like you and me.’ Mid-song he took time to introduce the band: there was his 10 year long guitarist and producer Casey Jarvis, ‘Uncle’ Rosevelt on steel guitar, DJ Chill on the deck, Cody Ash ‘the nastiest and the trashiest’ on drums, Alex ‘Power’ Howard on bass guitar, and ‘hangover’ Jack Fowler on lead guitar. Prior to ‘She’, a ballad to those lost to addiction (admittedly one of his hardest songs to perform), Jelly slowed things down to spotlight and read various signs sprinkled throughout the audience, some honored individual’s years of sobriety, some the loss of loved ones to addiction. ‘Everybody knows a he or a she in their life. I hope this song helps somebody tonight.’ During the song a video of a woman in the last stages of addiction ran on the screen with the caption ‘No One Is Too Far Gone’. He waved his cap in salute to additional images of others on the screen which highlighted their years of sobriety. There were literally people hugging clutching and clinging to their loved ones seated alongside them. Jelly commenting to those sober, ’On behalf of the other fourteen thousand, we celebrate with you!’ His charisma and connection with the audience was real, it felt somewhat of a mixture of an altar call, a 12 step meeting, and a revival all at once. ‘Dancing With The Devil’ another track from ‘Whitsett Chapel’ followed, in fact he performed a total of six songs from the critically acclaimed number one album. Although admittedly a smoker of marijuana which he labeled ‘the fragrance of freedom’, he took the time to lamb baste big pharmaceuticals and their trillions of profits each year when introducing ‘2020’s ‘Bottle And Mary Jane’. As the song neared it’s end he left the stage leaving the band to carry on and was found by the mix in the rear of the floor section on a small square stage to perform ‘(I Only Talk To God When I) Need A Favor’. It was one of only seven times during the entire tour a second stage had been used. While performing ‘Nail Me’ he was escorted back up to the main stage through the audience down one of the side isles. Winding down the set was ‘Fall In The Fall’ with Struggle Jennings joining him on stage. If he hadn’t made his message of pain, addiction, redemption, and hope clear heretofore he took the opportunity once again to drive it home. ‘If you’re going through something, you just gotta keep going baby. You gotta go forward. I want you to focus on progress not perfection. I want you to poke your chest out, I want you to lift your chin up… I’m here to share some good news with you tonight, I’m here to tell you that who you were is not who you are. I’m here to tell you that people change… we can do better. I’m also hear to tell you, listen to me close, that the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason. Everything we go through in life is seasonal, just like the weather it changes, ups and downs, highs and lows, but just like the weather it’s gonna change!’ Chase Rice was brought back out on stage for a duet cover of ‘Simple Man’ as a tribute to both Shinedown (who Jelly had previously toured with) and Lynyrd Skynyrd, once again showcasing Jelly’s strong vocals. The audience sung along to every word! In a round of thanks he concluded the evening by saying, ‘I broke generational curses because of y’all in this arena’ and shared a raving review for Group Therapy’ on Falls Street. The band and crew had spent five hours celebrating an end of tour party there. The chorus of the final song ‘Save Me’ was sung to a shower of falling sparklers and ended in a stage full of smoke and fire. Nobody left the arena until the final note was sung and Jelly left the stage. The show was by far the best production of all the concerts I’ve seen this year with only Greta Van Fleet being a close runner up. My only question is, now how’s he going to top it? A side note for those who have a weak constitution for the ‘F’ word beware —you may want to sit this one out. From being arrested at age 14 and selling his own hip hop mix-tapes out of his car JellyRoll (the nickname that his mama gave him) was only recently invited by Craig Morgan to play the Grand Ole Opry in July of 2022, and it all took off from there. Thank you Mr Craig Morgan!” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #829)

Elevation Worship: 7/20/23 “Thursday evening was slated to be my first ever all Contemporary Worship concert and I was determined to be completely objective and transparent about my experience from the get go. The event just happened to take place in the middle of a three-night run beginning with Boy George in Charlotte and ending with Suzy Bogguss (traditional country) in Gainesville. I penciled the late addition into my concert calendar thanks to a little coaxing from a $22 lower bowl ticket special. Everyone knows I’m an all genre concert attender and all I’ve ever heard are good things from anyone who has attended an Elevation show. It’s not that I’ve not seen Christian artists or individual worship leaders LIVE, I have —think Hosanna’s Paul Baloche, Bob Fitts, Darrell Evans… (in fact I’ve even met all three) it’s just the opportunity never presented itself for a large scale Hillsong or Bethel or Vineyard or Elevation experience. The evening advertised as ‘Elevation Nights’ would feature a word from Pastor Furtick and I wasn’t sure how that’d go, my infatuation with large scale preachers and evangelists sailed some long time ago. Twenty-four times through the Bible will do that to you, but on to the show! My seats were in section 115 directly center on the lower bowl side, perfect to not have to stand the entire evening and enjoy a good view of the stage. The first thing I noted was the pre-show music playing on the main sound system —it was all secular. There was The Cars ‘Let The Good Times Roll’ then The Who’s ‘Baba O’Riley’ (it’s only teenage wasteland, they're all wasted)! The stage itself was set in all orange lighting while smoke hovered amidst the lower portions of the arena. There were six rows of rectangular lights to shine outward and illuminate the audience, four of which were rigged above the video screens, one below and one on the stage floor. Pivoting spotlights were positioned between each rectangular light along with two towers side stage left and right and four spotlights on the stage floor each side giving the appearance of a complete ‘surround-sight’. The video screens were five in number, the three highest in the center with the center most top reserved for song lyrics to be displayed. At 7 p.m. Elevation Rhythm (the teams youth coalition of members) took the stage with Joe Barnes in the lead for a 5-7 song (with medleys included) quick set. ‘Greenville are you ready to party with us tonight?’ The nine member team marched through their newest 2023’s ‘Praises’ and 2019’s ‘Echo’ complete with a shower of streamers then confetti. Mixed into the medleys were ‘Great Are You Lord’ and ‘My Testimony’. The team was edgy and the music often played in a world rhythm beat. The course of the evening’s line up would be include speaker breaks i.e. music/speaker/music/speaker/music/speaker/music with a total of a two hours/20 selection song-time and a near full 45 minute Word from Pastor Furtick. Elevation Worship themselves (a ten member team) played next in two sets. Holly Furtick bridged the two together with a word of welcome. At 8:35 the first set commenced with a countdown clock, bright flashes of orange light, and a crescendoing drum beat culminating in a cry out, ‘Greenville do you see what I see?’ The majorly filled arena responded in reply with a shout as the team performed their 2022 ‘What I See’ in a kaleidoscope of color on the video screens. ‘Greenville can we get a little crazy about our praise tonight?’ signaled the start of the song ’Praise’. There was something for everyone, the band drawing mostly newer material from their 2007-2023 catalogue. There was ‘LION’, a #2 in 2016 ‘O Come To The Altar’ with stained glass window images portrayed on the screens, ‘Jireh’, and ‘More Than Able’ with enlarged video wording taking up the entire screens ‘ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE’. The final song, 2021’s Worship Song Of The Year ‘Graves Into Gardens’ set the stage for Pastor Steven to take the stage, not a soul to be found seated with nearly all hands lifted high in surrender. In fact with most folk standing the entire evening the speaker breaks became an oasis of relief to the more seasoned folks such as myself. ‘This is where me and Holly started our ministry together’ Furtick informed us to the delight of the South Carolina audience. The word he would bring forth ‘The God Of Hezekiah’ proved both timely and challenging. ‘I feel like preaching on a Thursday in Greenville, I feel like turning this concert into a revival service!’ ‘I’ve been worship stalking you all night. I like to watch people worship and make up stories in my head about what they’re going through.’ In the Biblical narrative, Israel’s enemy had come against God’s people through intimidation. ‘Everybody in this room tonight has your own Sennacherib’ Furtick assured us. ‘Some of us we spread everything on every other social media sight but we don’t take it to God in prayer, and that’s part of why we’re anxious and that’s part of why we’re depressed.’ The story didn’t end there, God turned what the enemy meant for evil into a victory for His people and the same hope extends to us via the Good News. The music didn’t end there either, the team saved the best for last taking the stage for a final three song set but only after Pastor and family pronounced the blessing over us. The team indeed saved the best for last: ‘The Blessing’ 2020’s #2 song, ‘Do It Again’, and 2021’s #1 ‘RATTLE’! An individual would be hard pressed to exit Bon Secours on this evening discouraged, downcast, or downtrodden after that. Ironically the personal highlight of the evening for me was not the music but it was something Pastor said. Steven pointed yonder to section 103 in pure joy, ‘Y’all give it up for my friend Pastor Perry Noble in the house!’ With a rousing cheer from the crowd the story of Hezekiah and Sennacherib suddenly became alive in real time. The naysayers who have not ceased to stalk Pastor Perry online suddenly became the intimidated minority and all Greenville cheered for a true to life comeback story! Overwhelmed with the joy of the Lord I suddenly felt invincible to the Enemy experiencing a living hope that The Best Is Yet To Come!” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #801)

Kenny Chesney: 4/27/23 “There were exactly 55 days to go before sweet Summertime kicked in but one would never know by the likes of the Greenville crowd Thursday evening at The Well around 7:30 p.m. Despite the all day heavy rains with temperatures in the 50’s everything did get hotter when the sun went down! The ‘No Shoes Nation’ filled the house in anticipation of a great evening of country music which promised close to 30 songs on the list. Coming off his 2022 NFL stadium tour the 55 year old singer/songwriter/superstar decided to take his music to fans who exist beyond the major stadium markets. Hence the call for the ‘I Go Back 2023 Tour’, a 24 date circuit across America beginning in Virginia and ending in Iowa, and South Carolina was exactly halfway between —stop #12. This being Kenny’s 18th major tour the ‘King Of The Road’ has it down with every stop at least a full day away from the next to ensure a quality experience. With 19 studio albums, 30 million in sales, 70 singles, 30 of them reaching #1, it was obvious that some would be missing but that was a-okay for me. It was my first time seeing Chesney live and I ready to soak in the experience. My view, not too bad and reasonably priced on the presale was upper bowl, row F, straight on, purposely steering myself clear from the upper corners and their bouncing echos. The arena was set in 270 Standard in contrast to the Well’s usual 180 Standard utilizing 8 additional full sections to accommodate the sold out crowd. Upon arrival a black and white No Shoes Nation skull and crossbones image on a large screen initially concealed my view to the stage set up. Showtime would reveal an open concept stage in the shape of a horizontal ‘H’ with small pits or ‘sandbars’ left and right between the open areas of the ‘H’. The packed pits couldn’t have held more than 75 individuals each. A full stage length video screen ran left to right with a double triangle overhead lighting rig contained in a stage sized rectangular box. Three hanging rows of lights each side illuminated a set of 8 Marshall amps with palm tree images on the speaker boxes. Five steps up would provide access to the drum level where an aquamarine Gretsch kit was placed stage left while an organ sat stage right. The guitarists (3 of them) would spend the majority of their time in the forefront of the stage along with the star of the show. At precisely 7:30 29 year old Kelsea Ballerini opened with a 45 minute / 11 song set. With 4 studio albums, 15 singles with 5 #1’s the Opry member/singer/songwriter/musician from Kenny’s hometown showed out to be the perfect choice to support him on the tour. Beginning with last year’s #4 ‘Heartfelt’ she moved quickly into ‘Hole In The Bottle’, ‘Are you ready to put a hole in the bottle with us tonight?’, she called out. Mid-song she paused to introduce and feature each member of her super-talented 7 person band. Next in her own words, she then took ‘a quick little trip down memory lane’ (at the sound of which I had to chuckle) with a medley of 2014-2016 songs. Proving herself a guitar player as well as a singer she strapped on a sparkling pink telecaster to match the same colored top and pink and orange pants she was wearing. A version of The Chicks ‘Cowboy Take Me Away’ was mixed in with her own 2022’s ‘Love Is A Cowboy’ to the delight of her fans. A pedal steel solo was featured on the honky-tonk driven ‘You’re Drunk Go Home’. 2023’s ‘Penthouse’ was a highlight, Ballerini introducing the song by recalling her personal struggles. ‘I started writing songs when I was twelve because my parents got divorced and I’m an only child, the gift of songwriting fell into my lap and it’s been the truest love of my life ever since.’ ‘I got back to the little girl that just had to write about her feelings. If you’re here and you’re going through a heartbreak or a break-up or a divorce, hang in there you’re gonna be okay, you’re gonna be happier when you get to the other side.’ In my opinion Kelsey was one of the most listenable and entertaining newer country music openers I’ve seen perform in quite a while. One would never know she admittedly struggles from PTSD being a witness of the Knoxville Central High shootings back in 2008 the way she handles a crowd at one point kneeling down on the walkway while taking selfies with fans cell phone cameras. She interacted just as any seasoned veteran of the stage would. She’s grateful as well, ‘To be able to just warm up his (Kenny’s) show every night and call him a friend and have a song with him, it means the world to me., thank you for showing up early to hang out with us tonight.’ During the intermission the skull and crossbones logo was swapped out for a ‘WHO LIVES LIKE WE DO’ No Shoes Nation logo on the screen as beachballs began making an appearance int the floor sections with a t-shirt toss ensuing from a front the stage. At 8:45 the lights went down to a N.S.N. video intro after which the Knoxville native Mr. Kenneth Arnold Chesney took the stage for a 2 hour and 10 minute / 29 song set opening with 2014’s #1 ’Til It’s Gone’. Mid-song Kenny addressed the South Carolina audience, ‘Believe it or not Greenville it has been eight years since we have been in this building and this city and for that I do apologize. For the next couple of hours we are going to do our best for every second of those eight years!’ Dressed in his trademark Bangora straw hat and a black tank top (which didn’t take long to become sweat drenched) Kenny moved around the stage left to right like a duck in a moving target carnival game. The entire arena stood to their feet all evening long. The evening proved to be full of surprises as well as number ones (19 of them in total), too many to list out! In only the second song ‘Beer In Mexico’ he let the six person band loose to jam all across the stage. It wasn’t all number ones though, Kenny slid a few number twos in as well, ‘I Go Back’, ‘Big Star’, and ‘Young’. They might just as well have been number ones or number tens for that matter as far as the audience was concerned as we sang along to every word. Prior to 2018’s ‘Get Along’ Kenny jestingly noted, ‘We realize most of you have something to do tomorrow and if it makes any difference Kenny will write you a doctor’s note.’ During the song’s solo, Danny Rader came to the forefront with a gorgeous double neck guitar/banjo as the cameraman zoomed in for every pick and grin. Then there here was ‘The Good Stuff’, Kenny filling us in ‘this song in particular we have not done on tour in ten years and it feels really good to do it again.’ During ‘When The Sun Goes Down’ he introduced the band: Danny Rader on guitar, Nick Buda on drums, Ms. Harmoni Kelley (a fan favorite) on bass, Wyatt Beard on keyboards, and also on guitars both Kenny Greenberg and Jon Conley. He brought Kelsey back on stage for three songs sung as duets, ‘Wild Child’, ‘You And Tequila’, and ‘Half Of My Hometown’ at which point he brought out his mother who was in town stating that it’s ‘not every day you get your mom on stage’! With mom in center holding hands and hugging the two she helped the duet sing Ballerini’s number one single. Kenny added two songs to the evening’s setlist stating, ‘When we started the night this song was not on the set list.’ It was his #2 ‘Do It’, a song about losing someone close to you which he sang in honor of a buddy/songwriter Keith Gattis who had died earlier in the week. ‘The Boys Of Fall’ was the second song he added to the set in honor of his friend USC Coach Lincoln Riley and his buddy and our very own Dabo Sweeney who were both in attendance. The encore’s first song was ‘Anything But Mine’ with the fans already singing the words before he even took hold of the mic, and ending it with his guitarist playing the solo back to the floor. ‘Don’t Happen Twice’ wound down the evening with Kenny hand picking a lucky female fan out from the sandbar to come up on stage with him and receive a hand autographed guitar. Folks, shows like this just ‘don’t happen twice. As fans streamed out of the arena into the cold and dark evening rain somehow things just seemed to be sunny and bright once again! Review and photo by DAve (Concert #773)

Greta Van Fleet: 3/12/23 “Confessions of an aging rock ’n’ roller who admittedly is behind the times… When I first heard that an artist named Greta Van Fleet was selling out major arenas my first thought was ‘What’s a female opera star doing playing big time, she must have won one of those TV reality shows?’ I have so much to learn! A friend recommended I give this newer band a listen and the first song I heard was ‘Heat Above’ I thought to myself ‘a Rush wanna be’ based on the vocals, after a further dive I said to myself ‘a mere Zeppelin imitator’. I wanted to hate them but went back again and again, thank you Ryan for the tip. The Kiszka brothers Josh (vocals), Jake (guitar) and Sam (bass/keys), plus Danny Wagner (drums) are uniquely what they are, mid-western American hard rock at it’s best. Two albums and an EP have produced twelve singles, five of them #1’s, that’s no argument when it comes to success. Postponed from an original date Oct 19, 2022 after frontman Josh ruptured an ear drum during a show on the 8th the ‘Dreams In Gold Tour’ had finally made it’s way to The Well in Greenville. Upon entrance to the venue I made my way to my seat in executive Suite 120 (thank you Don) where I got my first glimpse of the near full arena. Only some newly released upper bowl corner seats remained available at showtime. There stood a seriously-awesome white background themed stage set with two massive hanging light panels on each side, each panel had 4 squares of 16 lights each (64 total each side), along with eight posts with futuristic circular rounded lights resembling antennas, plus fire spewing towers and caldrons. Stage R to L: Keys (Hammond XP, Nord, Mellotron) bass, stack of Acoustic 360 amps, platformed drum kit (sun ray on the drumhead), stack of Marshall amps, guitar, each station was covered with front facing individual spotlights facing the audience. Everything was hidden behind a curtain with the symbols of ‘The Battle Of Garden’s Gate’ album engulfing the stage and concealing the set until showtime. A total 70’s glam rock feel (think Queen)! There was an undeniable sense of anticipation as fans were allowed to line up outside the venue since 7 a.m. for a chance at the best general admission spot on the floor. In fact I had attended a show the night before at the same venue and there were already a number of tents set up on a pedestrian bridge nearby wherewith fans would weather the overnight rainstorm. The lights went down as we could hear Josh Kiszka speak the lyrics to ‘Weight of Dreams’ in a prayer or poem-like fashion. At 9:03 the curtain dropped in front of the stage and GVF tore into a 12 song (including a drum solo) / 2 hour 10 minute set beginning with their #6 ‘Built By Nations’ from the newest album performed all in red light. They wasted no time utilizing the fire cauldrons, first ignition was immediately following the first guitar solo. Josh dressed in a white jumpsuit open at the chest with dragon patterns performed barefoot. His vocals all evening long were near exact to the studio recording but even more dynamic, if that’s even possible. Twenty second resounding melodic screams became a repeated normal. Jake dressed in a black suit with similar gold dragon patterns and his ’61 Les Paul commanded authority. Sam all in white with an open jacket with green Fender P in hand was forefront whenever he wasn’t running the bass pedals with his feet. He also eventually went barefoot at some point. The set was heavy on the new album featuring half of its songs. Next up was ‘Black Smoke Rising’ and the #1 ‘Safari Song’ Josh calling out, ‘You know what I like? Sounds like it!’ Every good rock show must have a drum solo, but a nine minute powerhouse pounding with fire shooting up immediately behind the kit deserves a gold medal. Josh gave the command to commence, ‘Do it Danny do it, Danny’s gonna take us in the air, the gate’s gonna open when we walk in.’ Mid-solo Josh was to be found carried around on the floor via a roadie’s shoulders handing out long stem white roses till he ran out, then he hook hands until he was replenished via another roadie. He did that stage left, then stage right, before being lifted back op on stage. Winding down the solo Josh gave Danny the cue, ‘On a voyage on a trip on a trip, do what you gotta do, bring it home.’ Next in the set were ‘Caravel’ and ‘Heat Above’ beginning with opening words by the frontman, ‘I’d ask you how you’re doing but I’ve got a pretty good idea.’ ‘Now tonight as you know is a celebration we’ve all made, it’s a happening, thank you for coming here and being here with us. We feel safe in your care. Life is a celebration of love and where there is love we will live on and so in that philosophy let’s sing our a$$es off for this next one.’ ‘Light My Love’ began with a Gershwin intro by Sam, ‘Play it again Sam’ and ended in an amazing rainbow lighting ‘ROY G BIV’ from top to bottom on the large side panels. Josh set the mood for Broken Bells’, ’Tonight should be a night of healing so if you’re holding on to anything that’s bothering you it’s alright to acknowledge that, you’re always on the mend, you’re always on the mend.’ The song began with an acoustic guitar and Jake on a stool and ended with a heavy on the whah standing electric extravaganza! For ‘Age Of Machine’ the band proved they can get really heavy turning a 6 minute 54 second song into a quarter hour experience (more or less), I wish I would have timed it. When finished, Josh jested, ‘I hope we passed the audition!’ Last song of the regular set was ‘The Weight Of Dreams’ referred to by Josh as ‘one of the better songs we’ve written’ and ‘the thesis of this dreams in gold circus that we’ve been on.’ Sam now had his shirt off and the fire towers became smoking towers filling the entire arena with thick smoke. Josh grabbed a tambourine and started dancing like a man possessed and finished his gyrations by tossing it out like a frisbee into the crowd. The encore was ‘Age Of Man’ with more fire, and the Number One ‘Highway Tune’. Mid-song the band broke into a jam of the Black Key’s ‘I Got Mine’ and a single lyric from ‘The Lemon Song’. ‘Champagne, caviar anyone?’, said Josh, then he downed a single shot bottle holding it in his mouth and tilting his head back. I noticed that Danny was now shirtless as the whole band let loose. Jake broke into a harmonica duet solo with Josh matching the notes with his vocals and a version of Elvis’ ‘That’s Alright’ was underway. It got quiet, ‘Hey Jake where the f*** we’re we? (Jake plays a note), ‘Ah that’s it, that’s it’, and we were back on track with a reprise of Highway Tune rounding out the evening. Noticeably missing from to set, a somewhat surprise were the #1’s ‘My Way Soon’ ‘When The Curtain Falls’ and ‘You’re The One’. Beginning the evening was a surprisingly strong choice of an opener. Guitar/vocalist Robert Finley (blues/soul) got things off to an energetic start with a relatively short 5 song / 25 minute set. The 69 year old legally blind Luisianian who released his debut album at a ripe age in 2016 both demanded and received respect as he pantomimed crop picking gestures during his ‘Sharecropper’s Son’. A second opener Houndmouth (alternate blues/rock) known as a major festival band played a 9 song / 42 minute set. The band from Indiana put on the maps for their 2015 #1 ‘Sedona’ performed well despite two stoppages due to medical emergencies on the floor. We missed at least one song due to the delay, ‘We’re gonna skip ‘My cousin Greg’, he’s doing okay, could we play ‘Darlin?’ The mellower styled set in my opinion didn’t quite sit perfectly between Finley and GVF however the sound was great, all members of the band shared vocals and one could make out every word sung. The vibe of the show as a whole was retro. Many fans dressed accordingly in colorful patterns, denim, and 70’s inspired apparel, one female fan wearing a shirt ‘I’m Here For Danny’. It seemed like female fans on the floor outnumbered the gents at a 3-1 ratio. The pyrotechnics were amazing, fire, smoke, explosions with strobes, one could feel the heat all the way across the arena, it must’ve been impressive to those lucky fans on stage level. Yes Greta Van Fleet proved themselves to be a true rock spectacle, one to be experienced live.” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #759)

The Judds (Wynonna, Martina McBride with Tanya Tucker) 2/16/23 “It was a girl’s night out, one that even the boys could enjoy at The Well in Greenville South Carolina. Thursday evening marked the 10th show of the 2nd or 2023rd leg of what was billed as ‘The Final Tour’ of The Judds. When Wynonna stated that she’d honor the initial 10 date commitment of the tour in 2022 (announced on April 1st prior to her mother’s untimely passing), I honestly wasn’t sure what she’d be able to give. It was to have been Naomi and Wynonna’s first tour in a decade. Frankly when the second leg was announced I avoided my ticket purchase curious to see which special guests would be penciled in for the South Carolina date. My reasoning was primarily due to my seeing Wynonna twice in the last 4 1/2 years, as recently as 7/3/21, each time in a small venue (436 and 637 seat theaters respectively). Things changed however with the announcement of support from Tanya Tucker (my first time ever seeing her) and a $22 ‘One Country Promo’ floor seat! Mind you Wynonna really ‘brought it’ both times I had seen her but I entered the venue this evening with some reservation due to the nature of the show. Those reservations were soon shattered and my skepticism proved completely unfounded. The 16,000 seat arena had most of the upper bowl sides curtained off leaving only the best views available for the 7,000 or so fans that were lucky enough to have exhibited the faith to purchase tickets. Spotting some friends on the floor closer than me with an empty seat adjacent I took the opportunity to upgrade myself, thanks Rick, Kelli, Pam, Gina & Randy! At precisely the scheduled start time ‘Very Special Guest’ Martina McBride took the stage. It was my 3rd time seeing Martina, the first being in 2015 at the top of her vocal game, the second in 2021 with Blake Shelton. In complete transparency, the 2021 performance was not good, and it wasn’t just my say so, her pitch was off and she kept playing with her ear monitors. I honestly felt so bad for her. Needless to say I went into the set with much trepidation. This time around the 56 year old (already warmed up from earlier tour dates) stepped up her game and performed well. The 50 minute / 11 song set beginning with ‘My Baby Loves Me’ included most all the hits excluding ‘Concrete Angel’ and ‘Safe In The Arms Of Love’. McBride addressed the audience, ‘I fell like one of our jobs tonight is to love and support Wynonna and one of the ways we can do that is to have a damn good time!’ Moving through ‘Wild Angels’ and ‘Blessed’ she substituted her own ‘I’m Gonna Love You Through It’ exchanging out ‘You Ain’t Woman Enough’, the 1966 Loretta Lynn classic she had been performing previously on the tour. Next there was ‘Love’s The Only House’, ‘This One’s For The Girls’, and a rendering of ‘A Broken Wing’ which was so powerfully performed that any vocal challenges prior to were completely lost and forgotten. She showed her appreciation to the fully roused audience, ‘I gotta say, I hate to call besties but I’m just saying’, and to the seven person band which had remained mostly in the background up to that point, the spotlight majorly positioned on her alone. ‘By the way, how ‘bout a hand for this fabulous band I have with me.’ At last came ‘Independence Day’ which after struggling through the first chorus she extended the microphone to the audience for assistance on the second. Everything rounded out as an all-in-all solid performance! After a half hour intermission the second half commenced with a 1.23 hour / 18 song set from Wynonna and Company beginning with ‘Had A Dream’ in a backdrop of stars and smoke. The stage set had a retro feel to it that I would imagine an 80’s concert would have had (prior to my days of discovering country music). There were warmly lit hanging light bars extending out from the stage with the classic Judds logo on the left and right side screens. Wynonna’s famous white guitar and a pedal steel added to the atmosphere. On the floor we couldn’t see it but there was a projected image of an acoustic guitar top on the stage floor that was visible from time to time on the side screens. Her eight person band which included her husband/drummer Cactus Moser were super-tight the entire performance. The evening itself was creatively broken up into segments and not just your typical average concert set. Moving into ‘Give A Little Love’ Wynonna addressed the audience ’Is this really happening. Oh my goodness look at you, I’m so glad to be here in South Carolina.’ Early in the set (third song) she brought out the ladies for ‘Girl’s Night Out’, ‘Well ladies and gentlemen, Martina McBride and Tanya Tucker’. Next up was ‘Rockin With The Rhythm Of The Rain’. Here is where The Texas Tornado Miss Tanya Tucker took charge, you’d never know the two of them had not played together live prior to the evening. Sixty-four year old Tanya dressed in a Judds shirt with huge blinged sunglasses walked across the stage and handed Martina a pair, Wynonna in wonderment pondering, ‘She was so nervous at soundcheck.’ Next the duo performed ‘Love Is Alive’, ‘I can’t believe she’s (Tanya) here to sing harmonies, what a blessing this is.’ TT replied, ‘It’s an honor.’ ‘Wynonna assuring us, ‘You learn who your true friends are when you’re going through a tough time. She’s (Tanya) blinged out tonight more so than me but okay.’ Tanya in reply, ‘Hey, I did this myself I blinged The Judds, sure did’. One would swear the interaction was all pre-planned they both worked and sung so well together. At the line in the song, ‘Here by me’ Wynonna extended her hand and grabbed Tanya’s. Tanya slid over close and kissed Wynonna’s hand. Wynonna finished the song line ‘yes indeed’! Mid-set a curtain came down illuminated all in red for a scaled down set featuring guitar, mandolin (played by Cactus), upright bass, and dobro on ‘Guardian Angel’, ‘Flies On The Butter’, and ‘Young Love’ (with the addition of pedal steel). Curtain up and Tanya joined in again for ‘Born To Be Blue’, Wynonna turning to Tanya addressing again her apparent nervousness at soundcheck, ‘You been faking all day!’ Other songs included, ‘Tell Me Why’, ‘Turn It Loose’, ‘She Is His Only Need’ and ’No One Else On Earth’. Of note, the set list was scaled back from earlier dates which featured up to twenty-four songs possibly due to her dizzy spell last week in Dayton or it could have been just the change in special guest appearances. The regular set ended with a truly moving ‘Love Can Build A Bridge’. With her hand extended Wynonna led a sentiment of prayer and acknowledgement of gratitude. ‘Thank You Lord again for healing me today and all the days of my life so that I can be with my family of choice, my fans. I’m so grateful that I didn’t cancel. I’m so grateful that you’re here and that I’m here and yes there’s always hope. You just got to show up and show out!’ The song featured a video backdrop showcasing a half screen of Naomi singing her part directly facing Wynonna on the other half screen singing her part live. You had to be there, Naomi’s presence could be felt in the room! An encore trifecta featured Wynonna solo on ‘Mama He’s Crazy’, then ‘Granpa Tell Me Bout The Good Old Days’ followed by ‘Why Not Me’ with full band. It was a special and moving evening indeed. Wynonna commenting in an interview with regard to her second leg of the tour summed things up, ‘There will be tours and concerts, but this is something that is between a memorial and a celebration of life!” Review and photos by DAve (Concert #746, 747)

The Judds (Wynonna, Martina McBride with Tanya Tucker) 2/16/23 “It was a girl’s night out, one that even the boys could enjoy at The Well in Greenville South Carolina. Thursday evening marked the 10th show of the 2nd or 2023rd leg of what was billed as ‘The Final Tour’ of The Judds. When Wynonna stated that she’d honor the initial 10 date commitment of the tour in 2022 (announced on April 1st prior to her mother’s untimely passing), I honestly wasn’t sure what she’d be able to give. It was to have been Naomi and Wynonna’s first tour in a decade. Frankly when the second leg was announced I avoided my ticket purchase curious to see which special guests would be penciled in for the South Carolina date. My reasoning was primarily due to my seeing Wynonna twice in the last 4 1/2 years, as recently as 7/3/21, each time in a small venue (436 and 637 seat theaters respectively). Things changed however with the announcement of support from Tanya Tucker (my first time ever seeing her) and a $22 ‘One Country Promo’ floor seat! Mind you Wynonna really ‘brought it’ both times I had seen her but I entered the venue this evening with some reservation due to the nature of the show. Those reservations were soon shattered and my skepticism proved completely unfounded. The 16,000 seat arena had most of the upper bowl sides curtained off leaving only the best views available for the 7,000 or so fans that were lucky enough to have exhibited the faith to purchase tickets. Spotting some friends on the floor closer than me with an empty seat adjacent I took the opportunity to upgrade myself, thanks Rick, Kelli, Pam, Gina & Randy! At precisely the scheduled start time ‘Very Special Guest’ Martina McBride took the stage. It was my 3rd time seeing Martina, the first being in 2015 at the top of her vocal game, the second in 2021 with Blake Shelton. In complete transparency, the 2021 performance was not good, and it wasn’t just my say so, her pitch was off and she kept playing with her ear monitors. I honestly felt so bad for her. Needless to say I went into the set with much trepidation. This time around the 56 year old (already warmed up from earlier tour dates) stepped up her game and performed well. The 50 minute / 11 song set beginning with ‘My Baby Loves Me’ included most all the hits excluding ‘Concrete Angel’ and ‘Safe In The Arms Of Love’. McBride addressed the audience, ‘I fell like one of our jobs tonight is to love and support Wynonna and one of the ways we can do that is to have a damn good time!’ Moving through ‘Wild Angels’ and ‘Blessed’ she substituted her own ‘I’m Gonna Love You Through It’ exchanging out ‘You Ain’t Woman Enough’, the 1966 Loretta Lynn classic she had been performing previously on the tour. Next there was ‘Love’s The Only House’, ‘This One’s For The Girls’, and a rendering of ‘A Broken Wing’ which was so powerfully performed that any vocal challenges prior to were completely lost and forgotten. She showed her appreciation to the fully roused audience, ‘I gotta say, I hate to call besties but I’m just saying’, and to the seven person band which had remained mostly in the background up to that point, the spotlight majorly positioned on her alone. ‘By the way, how ‘bout a hand for this fabulous band I have with me.’ At last came ‘Independence Day’ which after struggling through the first chorus she extended the microphone to the audience for assistance on the second. Everything rounded out as an all-in-all solid performance! After a half hour intermission the second half commenced with a 1.23 hour / 18 song set from Wynonna and Company beginning with ‘Had A Dream’ in a backdrop of stars and smoke. The stage set had a retro feel to it that I would imagine an 80’s concert would have had (prior to my days of discovering country music). There were warmly lit hanging light bars extending out from the stage with the classic Judds logo on the left and right side screens. Wynonna’s famous white guitar and a pedal steel added to the atmosphere. On the floor we couldn’t see it but there was a projected image of an acoustic guitar top on the stage floor that was visible from time to time on the side screens. Her eight person band which included her husband/drummer Cactus Moser were super-tight the entire performance. The evening itself was creatively broken up into segments and not just your typical average concert set. Moving into ‘Give A Little Love’ Wynonna addressed the audience ’Is this really happening. Oh my goodness look at you, I’m so glad to be here in South Carolina.’ Early in the set (third song) she brought out the ladies for ‘Girl’s Night Out’, ‘Well ladies and gentlemen, Martina McBride and Tanya Tucker’. Next up was ‘Rockin With The Rhythm Of The Rain’. Here is where The Texas Tornado Miss Tanya Tucker took charge, you’d never know the two of them had not played together live prior to the evening. Sixty-four year old Tanya dressed in a Judds shirt with huge blinged sunglasses walked across the stage and handed Martina a pair, Wynonna in wonderment pondering, ‘She was so nervous at soundcheck.’ Next the duo performed ‘Love Is Alive’, ‘I can’t believe she’s (Tanya) here to sing harmonies, what a blessing this is.’ TT replied, ‘It’s an honor.’ ‘Wynonna assuring us, ‘You learn who your true friends are when you’re going through a tough time. She’s (Tanya) blinged out tonight more so than me but okay.’ Tanya in reply, ‘Hey, I did this myself I blinged The Judds, sure did’. One would swear the interaction was all pre-planned they both worked and sung so well together. At the line in the song, ‘Here by me’ Wynonna extended her hand and grabbed Tanya’s. Tanya slid over close and kissed Wynonna’s hand. Wynonna finished the song line ‘yes indeed’! Mid-set a curtain came down illuminated all in red for a scaled down set featuring guitar, mandolin (played by Cactus), upright bass, and dobro on ‘Guardian Angel’, ‘Flies On The Butter’, and ‘Young Love’ (with the addition of pedal steel). Curtain up and Tanya joined in again for ‘Born To Be Blue’, Wynonna turning to Tanya addressing again her apparent nervousness at soundcheck, ‘You been faking all day!’ Other songs included, ‘Tell Me Why’, ‘Turn It Loose’, ‘She Is His Only Need’ and ’No One Else On Earth’. Of note, the set list was scaled back from earlier dates which featured up to twenty-four songs possibly due to her dizzy spell last week in Dayton or it could have been just the change in special guest appearances. The regular set ended with a truly moving ‘Love Can Build A Bridge’. With her hand extended Wynonna led a sentiment of prayer and acknowledgement of gratitude. ‘Thank You Lord again for healing me today and all the days of my life so that I can be with my family of choice, my fans. I’m so grateful that I didn’t cancel. I’m so grateful that you’re here and that I’m here and yes there’s always hope. You just got to show up and show out!’ The song featured a video backdrop showcasing a half screen of Naomi singing her part directly facing Wynonna on the other half screen singing her part live. You had to be there, Naomi’s presence could be felt in the room! An encore trifecta featured Wynonna solo on ‘Mama He’s Crazy’, then ‘Granpa Tell Me Bout The Good Old Days’ followed by ‘Why Not Me’ with full band. It was a special and moving evening indeed. Wynonna commenting in an interview with regard to her second leg of the tour summed things up, ‘There will be tours and concerts, but this is something that is between a memorial and a celebration of life!” Review and photos by DAve (Concert #746, 747)

TobyMac/Crowder: 1/29/23 “Toby’s ‘Hits Deep Tour’ which has been rolling off and on from town to town since 2016 set up camp in Greenville Sunday evening. All credit to a good friend The DAve Show was able to capture it’s sights and sounds LIVE via executive suite seating, thank you Don! Second Chance also made her presence known with a number of shirt logos peppered throughout the arena, it was like having church after church. Now mind you it was not necessarily a religious experience as the music’s quality spoke for itself, an event that any music lover could enjoy without any unwanted or fabricated hype or holiness. I had first seen TobyMac LIVE in Connecticut back in 2013 at a benefit for Sandy Hook and more recently in 2021 (also in Greenville Hits Deep Tour) this time minus any Covid pod seating, praise be. It was also my second time seeing Crowder, Cochren & Co, Tasha Layton, and Terrian (all at different times). There were a few notable differences this time, namely the stage which was comprised of a walkway ending mid floor in a horseshoe shape (points extending to the rear of the venue floor). The walkway extensions (and/or second stages) that are now becoming a norm for many of the major tours are great additions for those less fortunate to be able to afford prime seating, kudos! The artists and performance order were also different than 2021’s event. The show began promptly at 6:58 with Terrian taking the stage for all of two songs and a quick seven minute set, but she did however make her presence known on stage throughout the evening. Terrian who has been on the scene since 2019 along with her energy and stage presence is definitely someone to keep our eyes on. Cochrane and his multi talented wife on guitar and keys filled the next slot, his high notes were indeed a sound to be heard. Tasha and Jon Reddick were next performing on the horseshoe while the finishing touches of Crowder’s stage set was in preparation on the main stage. There were no lulls in action as one performer followed after the other leading up to an extremely visual and sometimes thunderingly loud David Crowder (modern worship folktronica christian rock) 10 song set. Crowder the bearded Texan sporting a white ‘Milk & Honey’ baseball cap was absolutely the perfect compliment to Mac’s (former DC Talk) Christian-alternative-hip hop and rap musical styling, each one being an arena headliner. Crowder and band with banjo, steel guitar, and his three string cigar box guitar (did I also mention his piano playing) never slowed down for a moment all the way up to the crowning finale ‘Good God Almighty’. The show then took to intermission while the stage was being turned for TobyMac’s appearance. It was now Toby’s turn, rolling through an eighteen song set featuring ‘Help Is On The Way’, ‘Everything’, ‘I Just Need U’, ‘Love Broke Thru’, ‘Speak Life’, ‘Made To Love’, ‘Lose My Soul’, ’Move’, ‘Me Without You’, ‘The Goodness’, ‘Promised Land’ and ‘Feel It’, all charted singles! There were selfies, confetti, smoke, flags, a disco ball, and even a DJ. However there were times when things got really real, particularly when Toby shared the intimate details of the loss of his 21 year old son Truett back in 2019. His story of faith and loss and the subsequent renewal of faith noticeably affected the audience on multiple levels. Then there was a time of prayer over the city of Greenville, Toby himself leading the invocation for her townsfolk, workers, officials, and city affairs. At the end it was apparent that the half filled arena (who remained standing most of the evening) exited the arena into the cold evening rain with a renewed hope and expectation in the reality of the goodness of God!” (Review and photo by DAve (Concert #739, 740)

TobyMac/Crowder: 1/29/23 “Toby’s ‘Hits Deep Tour’ which has been rolling off and on from town to town since 2016 set up camp in Greenville Sunday evening. All credit to a good friend The DAve Show was able to capture it’s sights and sounds LIVE via executive suite seating, thank you Don! Second Chance also made her presence known with a number of shirt logos peppered throughout the arena, it was like having church after church. Now mind you it was not necessarily a religious experience as the music’s quality spoke for itself, an event that any music lover could enjoy without any unwanted or fabricated hype or holiness. I had first seen TobyMac LIVE in Connecticut back in 2013 at a benefit for Sandy Hook and more recently in 2021 (also in Greenville Hits Deep Tour) this time minus any Covid pod seating, praise be. It was also my second time seeing Crowder, Cochren & Co, Tasha Layton, and Terrian (all at different times). There were a few notable differences this time, namely the stage which was comprised of a walkway ending mid floor in a horseshoe shape (points extending to the rear of the venue floor). The walkway extensions (and/or second stages) that are now becoming a norm for many of the major tours are great additions for those less fortunate to be able to afford prime seating, kudos! The artists and performance order were also different than 2021’s event. The show began promptly at 6:58 with Terrian taking the stage for all of two songs and a quick seven minute set, but she did however make her presence known on stage throughout the evening. Terrian who has been on the scene since 2019 along with her energy and stage presence is definitely someone to keep our eyes on. Cochrane and his multi talented wife on guitar and keys filled the next slot, his high notes were indeed a sound to be heard. Tasha and Jon Reddick were next performing on the horseshoe while the finishing touches of Crowder’s stage set was in preparation on the main stage. There were no lulls in action as one performer followed after the other leading up to an extremely visual and sometimes thunderingly loud David Crowder (modern worship folktronica christian rock) 10 song set. Crowder the bearded Texan sporting a white ‘Milk & Honey’ baseball cap was absolutely the perfect compliment to Mac’s (former DC Talk) Christian-alternative-hip hop and rap musical styling, each one being an arena headliner. Crowder and band with banjo, steel guitar, and his three string cigar box guitar (did I also mention his piano playing) never slowed down for a moment all the way up to the crowning finale ‘Good God Almighty’. The show then took to intermission while the stage was being turned for TobyMac’s appearance. It was now Toby’s turn, rolling through an eighteen song set featuring ‘Help Is On The Way’, ‘Everything’, ‘I Just Need U’, ‘Love Broke Thru’, ‘Speak Life’, ‘Made To Love’, ‘Lose My Soul’, ’Move’, ‘Me Without You’, ‘The Goodness’, ‘Promised Land’ and ‘Feel It’, all charted singles! There were selfies, confetti, smoke, flags, a disco ball, and even a DJ. However there were times when things got really real, particularly when Toby shared the intimate details of the loss of his 21 year old son Truett back in 2019. His story of faith and loss and the subsequent renewal of faith noticeably affected the audience on multiple levels. Then there was a time of prayer over the city of Greenville, Toby himself leading the invocation for her townsfolk, workers, officials, and city affairs. At the end it was apparent that the half filled arena (who remained standing most of the evening) exited the arena into the cold evening rain with a renewed hope and expectation in the reality of the goodness of God!” (Review and photo by DAve (Concert #739, 740)

MercyMe: 11/18/22 “I could almost imagine this concert not taking place as it was rescheduled from 2021 exactly one full year later, a year and a half after original ticket sales opened up. The original show scheduled 11/18/21 was postponed one week prior due to ‘several personal testing positive for Covid’. Billed as the ‘Inhale (Exhale) Tour’, it would turn out to be an entirely different show this year heavy on the last two releases 2021 & 2022 (9 songs) and light on their early material 1994-2013 with just 2 songs). On a plus side the opener changed from what would have been Micah Tyler to Rend Collective, a big win for me! Being only remotely familiar with anything other than my well worn MercyMe essentials ‘Almost There’ (2001) and ‘The Generous Mr. Lovewell’ (2020), I wasn’t at first too excited about the setlist, but being my first time seeing the band Live I took what I could get. The Oklahoma based band featured a seasoned line-up with two original members and the rest going way back: Bart Millard (vocals) and Michael John Scheuchzer (guitars/keys) from their very beginnings in ’94. In addition there were Robby Shaffer (drums — ’97), Nathan Cochran (bass/keys — ’98), and Barry Graul (guitar — ’03). Upon entrance to the arena I made my way to a pair of really good lower bowl seats 115/E for a first glimpse of the stage. The straight-forward set up was stage L to R: guitar/keys, drums (platform), vocals, bass/keys (platform), guitar. One single stage length video screen which occasionally served as five tall-skinny ones provided the background, while consecutive stage length sets of floor lights provided the forefront. The band took the stage at precisely 8:44 for a 1:45 hour/21 song set. Beginning with ‘Grace Amazing’ from the new release ‘Always Only Jesus’ the band steamrolled through 4 consecutive songs prior to addressing the audience with a note of thanksgiving, ‘Thanks for waiting, man I can’t even find my receipts from last week so you guys are doing a great job still having tickets’! Bart at times seemed apologetic when introducing the new material, ‘We’ll give you a little fair warning before we start doing a couple new songs so you can take a bathroom break’. With due respect, the set had a great designed flow and the new mixed in well with the old weaving in songs such as ‘Move’ (complete with disco ball and a 70’s/80’s vibe), ‘Grace Got You’ and audience favorites, ‘Flawless’ and ‘Then Christ Came’. ‘Better Days Coming’ from the new album had a subtle and fun reggae flavor Live not noticeable on the studio rendition. ‘Almost Home’ seemed organically to capture the audience as hands began to lift breaking out at first in different pockets and moving throughout the arena. Attenders experientially identifying with the song’s lyrics swayed along, ‘Brother, it won't be long soon all your burdens will be gone. Sister, run wild, run free, hold up your head keep pressing on. We are almost home.’ Mid-set there was a fire pit scene, the band seated circled around a realistic looking campfire a front a videoscreen-wide backdrop of a wooded forest evening scene complete with the twinkling of fireflies. ‘Welcome to our makeshift fire pit, it’s the magic of the fire pit, and so I’m telling you, this will be the moment you talk about when the night’s over.’ That particular moment would be a sing-along of John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’. Side note (and in all good humor), it was performed minus the ‘misty taste of moonshine’ lyric so I suppose it was indeed just a little closer to ‘almost heaven’! There were numerous chorus’ of other well known songs mixed in that could have added to the total song count if all were tallied up that tied in various segments of the performance: ‘It Is Well With My Soul’ (Traditional), ‘Great God Almighty’ (David Crowder), ‘I Love You Lord’ (Petra), and ‘Graves Into Gardens’ (Elevation). However the theme of the evening was as straight-forward as the stage set up was, Bart summarizing it best, ‘If nothing else if we can spend the next, I don’t know, hour and a half, how ever long we’re together and just try to remind the body of Christ that our common denominator has to be Jesus’! During band intros, Bart introduced guitarist Barry as being a native of South Carolina to a round of cheers, only to inform the enthused crowed that he was merely joking and that Barry was really a native of Baltimore. The moment folks waited for did come at the encore, ‘I Can Almost Imagine’ with lyrics overlaid over a close up of Bart’s singing on the screen, and a super fun and energetic rendition of ‘Happy Dance’ culminating in a shower of confetti, then streamers. Bart again leading the charge, ‘the last song is the dumbest song we’ve ever written in our entire lives, it’s called ‘Happy Dance’. ‘When I get to the chorus and I yell “Happy Dance” we need the whole building to start dancing like you’re out of your stinking minds, don’t let us down’! A ‘Dance Cam’ captured various audience members dancing and we definitely didn’t disappoint him. In an act of fan appreciation after the show all CD’s including the newest release were made available (as the band has done for years) at cost for a mere $5 a piece, an amazing gesture! Two personal observations were one, the sound was terrific for the Wellness Arena, I’m not sure if it was my location (lower bowl center) or if I’m just so used to rock shows typically being so beefed up. The other being there was very little personal interaction between band members (the evening’s show being sandwiched between a prior evenings performance in Birmingham and a following evening’s show in West Virginia), it made me wonder whether this is typical of the band or if they were on a mission to wrap up the few remaining dates and get home for the holidays. The show itself had two openers, first was Andrew Ripp of Nashville with a two person (or who he called ‘cats’) back-up on guitar and drums. It was his first show of the tour performing without a boot for his broken foot and he took advantage of the freedom from restriction letting us know that this was ‘the first weekend playing that I’m playing these shows without a broken foot - that’s what happens when you turn forty years old and you’re just walking’, and ‘I know you all came her to see me play to tonight but you’re definitely gonna want to stick around (i.e. for MercyMe)’ Andrew performed a total of 4 songs in a 20 minute set. The second opener, Rend Collective from Northern Ireland dating back to 2007 as a musical ‘Experiment’ were amazing! The 6 piece folk-rock band featuring fiddle, banjo, mandolin, accordion, and trumpet, all dressed in green jumpsuits (apparently bought on Amazon) with circular patches featuring a lighthouse emblem entertained the 2/3 full arena with Irish dancing, a shower of bubbles, and truly top notch instrumentation. Lead singer Will Heron trying out a southern ‘Y’all’ called out, ‘Are y’all for singing Church? Let’s sing of God’s faithfulness tonight, He’s our light and our salvation, here we go!’ The must see band performed a lively and uplifting 7 song/40 minute set.” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #727)

Luke Bryan: 10/27/22 “It was a Thursday evening in Greenville and a no surprise sell-out for the 2nd to last date of Luke Bryan’s ‘Raised Up Right’ tour. It was also my first time seeing the 46 year old American Idol judge coming into town with 25 #1’s and 75 million records sold. I made my way to a pair of great lower bowl seats which I felt were reasonably priced on the presale. The stage set featured a ’T’ shaped walkway/platform combination with pits on both sides. From stage L to Right the six person band was positioned as such: fiddle/banjo/guitar, bass, drums — separated by a 3 tiered 9 step riser — keys, pedal steel, guitar. The drumhead featured the ‘Raised Up Right’ logo with an expansive 3-D style video screen directly behind. At precisely 9:17 the curtain backdrop haves were sucked up in one fell swoop and Thomas Luther Bryan took the stage rising up from beneath the platform for a 1 hour and 45 minute / 22 song set. Yes there were lasers, smoke, signing of autographs and such but the evening’s theme focused mostly on country music, it’s multiplicity of themes and most of all just having a good time. The opening song, I Don’t Want This Night To End’ set the tone of pace, Bryan singing ‘I don’t want this South Carolina night to end’ and next up in ‘Kick The Dust Up’ changing the words from ‘If you really wanna see the beautiful people’ to ‘If you wanna see the Carolina people’. Luke knew what state he was singing in one hundred percent interacting with the audience all evening long, ‘Where them South Carolina Gamecocks tonight where you at? Clemson, where you at Clemson? And if you the number one team in the country where you at, where the Georgia Bulldogs at? Oh I like it… and if you like to have sex raise your hand, who loves ya, Ah yeah that’s universal’. On ‘One Margarita’ a roadie brought a very large margarita out to the performer which after taking a drink he handed over to one lucky audience member saying, ‘Here’s to a beautiful sold out night in South Carolina’. ‘Huntin’, Fishin’ And Lovin’ Every Day’ showcased solos from the band members, first guitar, next keys, then some killer banjo. The band featured some well seasoned talent: Scott Beaupre formerly of Florida Georgia Line on bass, Scotty Wilbanks formerly of Third Day and Newsong on keys, and a personal favorite of mine, Travis Toy formerly of Rascal Flatts on pedal steel, guitar and banjo. By ’Drunk On You’ Bryan dressed in baseball cap, jeans, boots and a black t-shirt was sweating through his clothing, Luke removing and replacing his baseball cap all evening long —turn to the front, turn to the back. After ‘Buy Dirt’ a piano was rolled down the walkway to the platform, Luke warming up his fingers with a sampling of Hootie & The Blowfish’s ‘Let Her Cry’… ‘I gotta send out a little love to Darius Rucker tonight’. Next breaking from the setlist he performed a rendition of ‘Carolina In My Mind’ to the rouse of the audience. Immediately thereafter Bryan calling out opener Mitchell Tenpenny for another break from the setlist on a duet version of Billy Currington’s ‘Good Directions’ which was actually penned by Luke. Tenpenny met him with a shot of tequila in hand which Bryan gladly received. Fumbling the words at one point he confessed, ‘I forgot the words to my own damn song!’ Next calling out his other opener Riley Green for yet another setlist departure they performed an old school medley of ‘Heads Carolina, Tails California—Time Marches On—Meet In The Middle—Strawberry Wine—Fishing In The Dark. However this time Riley came out meeting Luke with something different, what appeared to be a styrofoam cup of coffee! Pushing through the hits, ’Strip It Down’, ‘Roller Coaster’, and ‘Play It Again’ the evening crescendoed with an entire audience on their feet sing a long of ‘Rain Is A Good Thing’. Luke took off his guitar and pointed to a kid in the pit who’s father lifted him up onto the stage. Pointing the mic at the youth who sang the chorus to everyone’s cheers and then matched Luke’s dance moves. Luke finally decided to just hand over the mic and walk across the stage and get himself a drink. They both showed off their muscles in sync and Luke said ‘You better get him dad, you better get him, let’s go. What was your name… Give it up for Bryson!’ The show ended without encore with ‘Country Girl’, Luke singing standing a top a cooler full of his own ‘Two Lane’ brand beer. After the song he handed out cans left and right to the crowd. Notably missing from the set were ‘Country Man’ and ‘All My Friends Say’. Of mention were the openers, first was Mitchell Tenpenny with a 30 minute/6 song set. It was a great time to see Mitchell in his career coming off of two chart topping singles and recently becoming married, his fans were engaged and sang along. Next was Riley Green who could be a headliner in his own right with a 45 minute/9 song set. The ‘Duckman’ took the stage with a duck call in hand a-front a neon cowboy riding a flying duck backdrop. The stage itself was garnished all in marsh grass, a nice touch. Very interactive, he staged a band member contest featuring single member solos of rock classic riffs from the likes of Ozzy, Guns N’ Roses and Van Halen… the loser to drive home by themselves in a Subaru Outback. Bass player Dave from Greenville was the crowd fave but needless to say it was a 5/1 tie and everyone including the audience ended up winners!” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #720)

Carrie Underwood: 10/15/22 “Jesus took the wheel guiding me through the ‘Fall For Greenville’ congestion to a prime parking spot near the Bon Secours VIP entrance. Carrie Underwood’s 43 date ‘Denim & Rhinestones Tour’ was poised to kick off in Greenville SC and there was no setlist to follow along with, only anticipation. The concert promised direction by Barry Lather (Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson), and production by Nick Whitehouse (Justin Timberlake, Beyonce) so it had to be THAT good. Choosing my seats at presale I acquired upper bowl tickets by the railing just above the lower bowl for frugality purposes, all the while remaining close enough to avoid the hockey arena’s thin-aired Alpine zones. The show was a sell-out as expected and the compliant audience were seated well in advance of the opener, kudos to multiple venue and Ticketmaster instructional emails. Anticipation was in the air as there were video camera set-ups in the audience, the mix area itself was large enough to take up a floor section’s worth of real estate, and there was one single streamer hanging from the upper rigging, a leftover remnant from an earlier rehearsal. According to one audience member Carrie and company had been setting up all week. The main portion of the stage was not visible upon entrance being sectioned off by a curtain with DJ Vinom in the forefront setting the tone of the evening capped off with a full arena sing-a-long of ‘Sweet Caroline’. Opener Jimmie Allen took the stage for a fast paced 37 minute/9 song performance. Somewhat reverent, somewhat rambunctious, Jimmie sang a version of ‘Lord I Need You’ mid-set and ended the set by removing his shirt to the delight of the female half of the audience. At precisely 8:52 the 39 year old 4th Season American Idol, 8 Grammy winner with over 70 million records sold, 33 charted singles including 14 number #1’s took the stage rising up from a cutout in the middle of the stage floor. The curtain was drawn up (actually sucked in) in two parts in an instant revealing a stage which looked in shape somewhat like an origami bird. There was a diamond shape platform extending well to the audience with pit access on all sides— a clever design providing more access to great views from the floor. A giant video screen filled the rear of the stage encased in a rhinestone border, two smaller video screens were stage right and left in similar make up. The hour and fifty minute twenty-four song extravaganza was under way with ‘Good Girl’. Underwood took a moment, ‘Welcome to opening night attending the Diamond And Rhinestones Tour coming to you live, rocking the house, having fun all night’! Staggered throughout the set were six songs from the new album along with a host of hits. The event both concert and show was no doubt the most theatrical performance I’ve ever seen: there were streamers, disco balls pyrotechnics, smoke plumes, aerial acrobatics, multiple stages and wardrobe changes. (too many to count). Don’t blink or you’ll miss something! On ‘Undo It’ there was a left right singalong on the ‘na, na, na, na, na’, and ‘I wanna un-un-un-un-un-undo it’ portions. On ‘If I Didn’t Love You’ Jason Aldean’s parts were broadcast on a video recording on the main screen. ‘Wasted’ ended in a fiddle duo, Underwood commenting, ‘I don’t know if you guys know this or not, we play country music up here, matter of fact I always like to say we’re so country we have two fiddles, that’s how country we are’. On ‘Burn’ flames rose from the entire perimeter of the front half of the diamond stage with Carrie and microphone standing alone in the middle. On ‘Ghost Story’ Underwood rose high above the audience on a trapeze styled swing and was transported via track and rigging entirely across the arena lowering onto ‘B stage’. Dismounting on the tiny house shaped stage Carrie commented, ‘I’m selfish, I wanna see everybody I wanna see faces, I wanna see faces up there (pointing), up there (pointing), and down here!’ From there it was the moment everyone waited for, Underwood confirming what we were experiencing, ‘I feel the Holy Spirit in this place’. The evangelical Christian performed ‘Jesus Take The Wheel’ to thousands of cell phone lights, in the exact pitch as the album then transitioned into a traditional cover of ‘How Great Thou Art’. She can move an audience! ‘Crazy Angels’ was next as Carrie transported back to main stage in an open aired gyroscope with angel wings, legs hanging out, ‘We got any crazy angels in the audience tonight?’! Jimmie Allen came back out for a choreographed duo of the new album’s title cut. An overdue intro was next up for the amazing seven piece band. While introducing Seth Rausch on drums a smaller kit arose up from mid stage with which Carrie matched Seth beat for beat on ‘Poor Everybody Else.’ Next up, rhinestones swapped places with leather to an electrifying version of Guns N’ Roses ‘Welcome To The Jungle’. There was no encore, the show ended with ‘Before He Cheats’, roman candles shooting both up and down front stage. With the multiple stages there was not a bad seat in the house and given it was an arena event, the sound quality was right on, The crowd was loud, Underwood commenting after the show on social media, it ‘may have been the loudest crowd we’ve ever had’! Notably missing from the set was the number one, ‘All-American Girl’. A portion of every ticket sold on the tour went to Tunnels to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit which supports veterans and first responders. Yes there are superstars out there who give back on a practical level representing their profession well, it’s refreshing to see. Carrie’s come quite a long way from waiting tables at a local pizzeria to achieving superstar status and shows no sign of slowing down!” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #615)

Styx, REO Speedwagon, Loverboy: 9/14/22 “I was back on the road again riding the storm out, sailing away to Greenville, SC for a midweek show, you could say I’ve been working for my Wednesday. LIVE NATION’s $25 ‘all in’ special was my friend granting me access to some good lower bowl side seats. Running into a personal friend in the concourse, it turned out to be my lucky day. Don asked me if I wanted to sit with him in Luxury Suite 120, ‘Ummm YES sir’! It was my 4th time seeing any combination of the bands within recent years so I mostly expected a recap performance, I WAS WRONG! Billed as the ‘Live And Unzoomed Tour’ aptly named for an official signing out of the pandemic and the reemergence of live in your face rock n roll to the masses. What made this show different was a combined 148 years of rock n rolling, 59 charted singles, a 35 song combined set list, all arena staples… i.e. a powerhouse triple-bill event in sound, production, and energy. With only four dates left on the tour it was a fine-tuned machine. Styx and REO sharing top billing have been alternating co-headliners. Tonight REO got the closing set, and there was no loss of momentum between lightning quick stage turn-arounds. You’d better be quick if you want to get that second or third beer between bands or a diet coke if you’re like me. Loverboy performing as ‘special guest’ opened at precisely 6:45 delivering an 8 song set. The Canadian bred band featured the entire original line-up save bassist Scott Smith who passed away in a 2000 boating accident.‘ Spider’ Sinnaeve (bass) known for his extended solos who’s been with the band since did a first-rate job, and the band as a whole did much better than when I saw them last. Their stage set was mobile featuring dual bass drums mid stage with the red on black logo with a backdrop of the trademark type face font logo, a stack of Marshalls on wheels stage R, a stack of ‘Mark Bass’ amps which looked like double 8 domino tiles stage L also on wheels. Paul Dean (guitar) came out from behind his Marshalls. Mike Reno 67 (vocals) took the stage in trademark bandana, sunglasses and sleeveless shirt. Mike carried himself as talkative and interacted with the audience nearly every song. ‘How you doin’ Greenville?’ ‘It’s good to be back with a live audience, we missed you guys.’ On ‘Lucky Ones’ intro Reno spotted a lady in what appeared to be a wedding dress close to the front, ‘You must be one of the lucky ones’. Later we would come to know her as ‘Kelly’, it was her 21st birthday and Mike had her stand up, turn around and face the audience as he dedicated ‘Hot Girls In Love’ to the young birthday girl. Finishing off the song, Spider showed out one of his famous pounding bass riffs. On ‘Queen Of The Broken Hearts’ Doug Johnson (keys) used the synthesized talk-box. Before ‘Lovin’ Every Minute’ Mike told us how during a tour bus fire nothing was saved except Paul Dean’s boots, ‘Let me see those babies, I thought I smelt something burning.’ The audience sang along on the whoa-oh, whoa-whoa part. At one point a roadie came out handing Reno a microphone while his appeared to have been working fine, ‘What’s that a karaoke mic? Does it play the next song?’ On ‘Turn Me Loose’ I waited for it… and Mike delivered perfection on the scream, ‘I’m gonna pack my bags and FLYYYYYY’, one of the highlights of my evening. It was 1-2-3 on the cowbell and the band brought it all together on ‘Working For The Weekend’. Notably missing from the set were ‘When It’s Over’ and ‘Take Me To The Top’. By this time the half filled arena had grown to about three quarters. Styx was next delivering an hour and fifteen minute/15 song set. The Chicago IL band’s set understandably did not including the DDY ballads as the two entities are long since removed parting separate ways. The band featured Tommy Shaw (who turned 69 Sunday) and his full head of hair that seemed to always fall back perfectly in place all evening long. J.Y. Young 72 an underrated master on the Strat and his signature green axe. Lawrence Gowan 65 (keys since ‘99) who has more than proven himself an effective, energetic, and sometimes humorous frontman. Todd Sucherman, a superhuman on the drum kit. Will Evankovich also on guitar (formerly Guess Who) who produced and cowrote the new album. Co-founder Chuck Panozzo 73 who had battled two life threatening illnesses made an appearance on stage for 4 songs looking happy, healthy, and vibrant. The stage featured 4 person-height light and video screens main stage with 7 step risers on each side leading up to a cat walk with 7 sets of rotating lights in its forefront. Drums were center, a ‘TS’ logo for Todd on each bass drum and Gowan’s custom platformed keyboard with the classic STYX logo on a rotating pole stage R. Tommy Shaw controlled the whole of stage L. Opening with the first of 4 songs interwoven from their ’21 release, they could get away with it ‘cause the new Styx IS the old Styx. On ‘Blue Collar Man’ Lawrence showed off some backward playing on keys. On ‘Grand Illusion’ Tommy ascended up to the catwalk for the solo, standing right on the edge you could see each foot movement up and down on the wah-wah, descending he gave a high kick all the way up to his head during the final instrumental piece. On ‘Lady’ a sea of phone screens could be seen capturing video of the moment in time. The new song ‘Crash’ came across sounding almost ‘Queen-like’. JY introduced the next song, ‘We wrote this next song to decriminalize this wonderful natural plant… LIGHT UP EVERYBODY’! During ‘Rockin The Paradise’ Gowen dressed in a white tie put on a multi color striped jacket and black top hat, dancing, waving, and running in place whenever he was not actually behind the keys. Chuck took the stage for ‘Fooling Yourself’ with JY and Lawrence both on keys, Tommy played acoustic and once again Lawrence played the solo facing backwards. On ’Too Much Time On My Hands’, Tommy switched out the words to: ‘and the fun never ends as long as James Young keeps on buying’. Khedive was next, an instrumental showing off some of Gowen’s classical styled piano playing skills. For ‘Come Sail Away’ once again it was Lawrence taking the lead standing a top his keyboard, walking the catwalk during the chorus, then descending into an Irish or rather a Scottish jig. ‘Mr Roboto’ and ‘Renegade’ were the encore with and a one leg split onto the keyboard by Gowen as if it were a parallel bar. The set ending with a full band final bow. It was possibly my first time ever seeing someone other than the final band perform an encore. Topping off the evening was REO (also from Illinois) with a 13 song set. The band still features original member Neal Doughty 76 (keys) who has played on every album and has never missed a concert, Kevin Cronin 70 (vocals since ‘72) who sounds amazing and got better each song in, plus Bruce Hall 69 (bass since ’77). The stage featured 6 upright light bars, 3 to the R, 3 to the L increasing in height outward with a beacon a top each. The drum platform was center and slightly stage R with the ‘Hi Infidelity’ logo, KORG Keys a top a Hammond B3 were stage R, a grand piano stage L. Behind was a backdrop of the classic REO logo with light bars projecting outward like sun rays sometimes pinwheeling, sometimes pulsating, sometimes radiating. Cronin and his gorgeous Ovation in hand led like a seasoned frontman should. ‘Greenville South Carolina check your selves out (spotlights on the audience)… thank y’all for coming out on a school night and partying with the big boys baby’. A beach ball had landed center stage, waiting for the right moment he kicked it back into the audience at the final note of ‘Don’t Let It Go’. Introducing ‘Live Every Moment’ Kevin informed us, ‘I just turned seventy years old right? I figured I would have some idea of what’s going on around me — I don’t know S**T!’ The song ended with CSN’s ‘Doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo’ from Suite Judy Blue Eyes. ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ prompted am arena-wide singalong. Between ‘Time For Me To Fly’ and ‘Back On The Road Again’ Hall performed a rousing bass solo the likes of which resembled to me the Courageous Cat theme. For ‘Keep On Loving You’ Cronin took his place on the grand piano. Prior to the final song, ‘Roll With The Changes’, he introduced a good friend of his for years and years to the stage, it was ‘local boy’ Edwin McCain. Kevin left the Greenville stage by saying, ‘We love you, always have and always will’! Notably missing from the set were ‘In Your Letter’ and ‘Keep The Fire Burnin’ (one of their three ‘Keep’ songs). There were no video screens the entire evening lending to the old school feel and everyone appeared to be fine with it. Styx proved themselves the all around official headliner for numerous reasons (but it was close). Styx has described their live events as ‘a gospel caravan trying to send out positive messages wherever we go’, and the entire evening was exactly that. One could easily have knocked 20 years off each member of any of the bands actual age at any given point during the performance. The only thing that could have been better is if individual members of the three bands shared the stage together, now that would’ve be epic.” Review and photo by DAve. (Concert #703-705)

Styx, REO Speedwagon, Loverboy: 9/14/22 “I was back on the road again riding the storm out, sailing away to Greenville, SC for a midweek show, you could say I’ve been working for my Wednesday. LIVE NATION’s $25 ‘all in’ special was my friend granting me access to some good lower bowl side seats. Running into a personal friend in the concourse, it turned out to be my lucky day. Don asked me if I wanted to sit with him in Luxury Suite 120, ‘Ummm YES sir’! It was my 4th time seeing any combination of the bands within recent years so I mostly expected a recap performance, I WAS WRONG! Billed as the ‘Live And Unzoomed Tour’ aptly named for an official signing out of the pandemic and the reemergence of live in your face rock n roll to the masses. What made this show different was a combined 148 years of rock n rolling, 59 charted singles, a 35 song combined set list, all arena staples… i.e. a powerhouse triple-bill event in sound, production, and energy. With only four dates left on the tour it was a fine-tuned machine. Styx and REO sharing top billing have been alternating co-headliners. Tonight REO got the closing set, and there was no loss of momentum between lightning quick stage turn-arounds. You’d better be quick if you want to get that second or third beer between bands or a diet coke if you’re like me. Loverboy performing as ‘special guest’ opened at precisely 6:45 delivering an 8 song set. The Canadian bred band featured the entire original line-up save bassist Scott Smith who passed away in a 2000 boating accident.‘ Spider’ Sinnaeve (bass) known for his extended solos who’s been with the band since did a first-rate job, and the band as a whole did much better than when I saw them last. Their stage set was mobile featuring dual bass drums mid stage with the red on black logo with a backdrop of the trademark type face font logo, a stack of Marshalls on wheels stage R, a stack of ‘Mark Bass’ amps which looked like double 8 domino tiles stage L also on wheels. Paul Dean (guitar) came out from behind his Marshalls. Mike Reno 67 (vocals) took the stage in trademark bandana, sunglasses and sleeveless shirt. Mike carried himself as talkative and interacted with the audience nearly every song. ‘How you doin’ Greenville?’ ‘It’s good to be back with a live audience, we missed you guys.’ On ‘Lucky Ones’ intro Reno spotted a lady in what appeared to be a wedding dress close to the front, ‘You must be one of the lucky ones’. Later we would come to know her as ‘Kelly’, it was her 21st birthday and Mike had her stand up, turn around and face the audience as he dedicated ‘Hot Girls In Love’ to the young birthday girl. Finishing off the song, Spider showed out one of his famous pounding bass riffs. On ‘Queen Of The Broken Hearts’ Doug Johnson (keys) used the synthesized talk-box. Before ‘Lovin’ Every Minute’ Mike told us how during a tour bus fire nothing was saved except Paul Dean’s boots, ‘Let me see those babies, I thought I smelt something burning.’ The audience sang along on the whoa-oh, whoa-whoa part. At one point a roadie came out handing Reno a microphone while his appeared to have been working fine, ‘What’s that a karaoke mic? Does it play the next song?’ On ‘Turn Me Loose’ I waited for it… and Mike delivered perfection on the scream, ‘I’m gonna pack my bags and FLYYYYYY’, one of the highlights of my evening. It was 1-2-3 on the cowbell and the band brought it all together on ‘Working For The Weekend’. Notably missing from the set were ‘When It’s Over’ and ‘Take Me To The Top’. By this time the half filled arena had grown to about three quarters. Styx was next delivering an hour and fifteen minute/15 song set. The Chicago IL band’s set understandably did not including the DDY ballads as the two entities are long since removed parting separate ways. The band featured Tommy Shaw (who turned 69 Sunday) and his full head of hair that seemed to always fall back perfectly in place all evening long. J.Y. Young 72 an underrated master on the Strat and his signature green axe. Lawrence Gowan 65 (keys since ‘99) who has more than proven himself an effective, energetic, and sometimes humorous frontman. Todd Sucherman, a superhuman on the drum kit. Will Evankovich also on guitar (formerly Guess Who) who produced and cowrote the new album. Co-founder Chuck Panozzo 73 who had battled two life threatening illnesses made an appearance on stage for 4 songs looking happy, healthy, and vibrant. The stage featured 4 person-height light and video screens main stage with 7 step risers on each side leading up to a cat walk with 7 sets of rotating lights in its forefront. Drums were center, a ‘TS’ logo for Todd on each bass drum and Gowan’s custom platformed keyboard with the classic STYX logo on a rotating pole stage R. Tommy Shaw controlled the whole of stage L. Opening with the first of 4 songs interwoven from their ’21 release, they could get away with it ‘cause the new Styx IS the old Styx. On ‘Blue Collar Man’ Lawrence showed off some backward playing on keys. On ‘Grand Illusion’ Tommy ascended up to the catwalk for the solo, standing right on the edge you could see each foot movement up and down on the wah-wah, descending he gave a high kick all the way up to his head during the final instrumental piece. On ‘Lady’ a sea of phone screens could be seen capturing video of the moment in time. The new song ‘Crash’ came across sounding almost ‘Queen-like’. JY introduced the next song, ‘We wrote this next song to decriminalize this wonderful natural plant… LIGHT UP EVERYBODY’! During ‘Rockin The Paradise’ Gowen dressed in a white tie put on a multi color striped jacket and black top hat, dancing, waving, and running in place whenever he was not actually behind the keys. Chuck took the stage for ‘Fooling Yourself’ with JY and Lawrence both on keys, Tommy played acoustic and once again Lawrence played the solo facing backwards. On ’Too Much Time On My Hands’, Tommy switched out the words to: ‘and the fun never ends as long as James Young keeps on buying’. Khedive was next, an instrumental showing off some of Gowen’s classical styled piano playing skills. For ‘Come Sail Away’ once again it was Lawrence taking the lead standing a top his keyboard, walking the catwalk during the chorus, then descending into an Irish or rather a Scottish jig. ‘Mr Roboto’ and ‘Renegade’ were the encore with and a one leg split onto the keyboard by Gowen as if it were a parallel bar. The set ending with a full band final bow. It was possibly my first time ever seeing someone other than the final band perform an encore. Topping off the evening was REO (also from Illinois) with a 13 song set. The band still features original member Neal Doughty 76 (keys) who has played on every album and has never missed a concert, Kevin Cronin 70 (vocals since ‘72) who sounds amazing and got better each song in, plus Bruce Hall 69 (bass since ’77). The stage featured 6 upright light bars, 3 to the R, 3 to the L increasing in height outward with a beacon a top each. The drum platform was center and slightly stage R with the ‘Hi Infidelity’ logo, KORG Keys a top a Hammond B3 were stage R, a grand piano stage L. Behind was a backdrop of the classic REO logo with light bars projecting outward like sun rays sometimes pinwheeling, sometimes pulsating, sometimes radiating. Cronin and his gorgeous Ovation in hand led like a seasoned frontman should. ‘Greenville South Carolina check your selves out (spotlights on the audience)… thank y’all for coming out on a school night and partying with the big boys baby’. A beach ball had landed center stage, waiting for the right moment he kicked it back into the audience at the final note of ‘Don’t Let It Go’. Introducing ‘Live Every Moment’ Kevin informed us, ‘I just turned seventy years old right? I figured I would have some idea of what’s going on around me — I don’t know S**T!’ The song ended with CSN’s ‘Doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo’ from Suite Judy Blue Eyes. ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ prompted am arena-wide singalong. Between ‘Time For Me To Fly’ and ‘Back On The Road Again’ Hall performed a rousing bass solo the likes of which resembled to me the Courageous Cat theme. For ‘Keep On Loving You’ Cronin took his place on the grand piano. Prior to the final song, ‘Roll With The Changes’, he introduced a good friend of his for years and years to the stage, it was ‘local boy’ Edwin McCain. Kevin left the Greenville stage by saying, ‘We love you, always have and always will’! Notably missing from the set were ‘In Your Letter’ and ‘Keep The Fire Burnin’ (one of their three ‘Keep’ songs). There were no video screens the entire evening lending to the old school feel and everyone appeared to be fine with it. Styx proved themselves the all around official headliner for numerous reasons (but it was close). Styx has described their live events as ‘a gospel caravan trying to send out positive messages wherever we go’, and the entire evening was exactly that. One could easily have knocked 20 years off each member of any of the bands actual age at any given point during the performance. The only thing that could have been better is if individual members of the three bands shared the stage together, now that would’ve be epic.” Review and photo by DAve. (Concert #703-705)

Styx, REO Speedwagon, Loverboy: 9/14/22 “I was back on the road again riding the storm out, sailing away to Greenville, SC for a midweek show, you could say I’ve been working for my Wednesday. LIVE NATION’s $25 ‘all in’ special was my friend granting me access to some good lower bowl side seats. Running into a personal friend in the concourse, it turned out to be my lucky day. Don asked me if I wanted to sit with him in Luxury Suite 120, ‘Ummm YES sir’! It was my 4th time seeing any combination of the bands within recent years so I mostly expected a recap performance, I WAS WRONG! Billed as the ‘Live And Unzoomed Tour’ aptly named for an official signing out of the pandemic and the reemergence of live in your face rock n roll to the masses. What made this show different was a combined 148 years of rock n rolling, 59 charted singles, a 35 song combined set list, all arena staples… i.e. a powerhouse triple-bill event in sound, production, and energy. With only four dates left on the tour it was a fine-tuned machine. Styx and REO sharing top billing have been alternating co-headliners. Tonight REO got the closing set, and there was no loss of momentum between lightning quick stage turn-arounds. You’d better be quick if you want to get that second or third beer between bands or a diet coke if you’re like me. Loverboy performing as ‘special guest’ opened at precisely 6:45 delivering an 8 song set. The Canadian bred band featured the entire original line-up save bassist Scott Smith who passed away in a 2000 boating accident.‘ Spider’ Sinnaeve (bass) known for his extended solos who’s been with the band since did a first-rate job, and the band as a whole did much better than when I saw them last. Their stage set was mobile featuring dual bass drums mid stage with the red on black logo with a backdrop of the trademark type face font logo, a stack of Marshalls on wheels stage R, a stack of ‘Mark Bass’ amps which looked like double 8 domino tiles stage L also on wheels. Paul Dean (guitar) came out from behind his Marshalls. Mike Reno 67 (vocals) took the stage in trademark bandana, sunglasses and sleeveless shirt. Mike carried himself as talkative and interacted with the audience nearly every song. ‘How you doin’ Greenville?’ ‘It’s good to be back with a live audience, we missed you guys.’ On ‘Lucky Ones’ intro Reno spotted a lady in what appeared to be a wedding dress close to the front, ‘You must be one of the lucky ones’. Later we would come to know her as ‘Kelly’, it was her 21st birthday and Mike had her stand up, turn around and face the audience as he dedicated ‘Hot Girls In Love’ to the young birthday girl. Finishing off the song, Spider showed out one of his famous pounding bass riffs. On ‘Queen Of The Broken Hearts’ Doug Johnson (keys) used the synthesized talk-box. Before ‘Lovin’ Every Minute’ Mike told us how during a tour bus fire nothing was saved except Paul Dean’s boots, ‘Let me see those babies, I thought I smelt something burning.’ The audience sang along on the whoa-oh, whoa-whoa part. At one point a roadie came out handing Reno a microphone while his appeared to have been working fine, ‘What’s that a karaoke mic? Does it play the next song?’ On ‘Turn Me Loose’ I waited for it… and Mike delivered perfection on the scream, ‘I’m gonna pack my bags and FLYYYYYY’, one of the highlights of my evening. It was 1-2-3 on the cowbell and the band brought it all together on ‘Working For The Weekend’. Notably missing from the set were ‘When It’s Over’ and ‘Take Me To The Top’. By this time the half filled arena had grown to about three quarters. Styx was next delivering an hour and fifteen minute/15 song set. The Chicago IL band’s set understandably did not including the DDY ballads as the two entities are long since removed parting separate ways. The band featured Tommy Shaw (who turned 69 Sunday) and his full head of hair that seemed to always fall back perfectly in place all evening long. J.Y. Young 72 an underrated master on the Strat and his signature green axe. Lawrence Gowan 65 (keys since ‘99) who has more than proven himself an effective, energetic, and sometimes humorous frontman. Todd Sucherman, a superhuman on the drum kit. Will Evankovich also on guitar (formerly Guess Who) who produced and cowrote the new album. Co-founder Chuck Panozzo 73 who had battled two life threatening illnesses made an appearance on stage for 4 songs looking happy, healthy, and vibrant. The stage featured 4 person-height light and video screens main stage with 7 step risers on each side leading up to a cat walk with 7 sets of rotating lights in its forefront. Drums were center, a ‘TS’ logo for Todd on each bass drum and Gowan’s custom platformed keyboard with the classic STYX logo on a rotating pole stage R. Tommy Shaw controlled the whole of stage L. Opening with the first of 4 songs interwoven from their ’21 release, they could get away with it ‘cause the new Styx IS the old Styx. On ‘Blue Collar Man’ Lawrence showed off some backward playing on keys. On ‘Grand Illusion’ Tommy ascended up to the catwalk for the solo, standing right on the edge you could see each foot movement up and down on the wah-wah, descending he gave a high kick all the way up to his head during the final instrumental piece. On ‘Lady’ a sea of phone screens could be seen capturing video of the moment in time. The new song ‘Crash’ came across sounding almost ‘Queen-like’. JY introduced the next song, ‘We wrote this next song to decriminalize this wonderful natural plant… LIGHT UP EVERYBODY’! During ‘Rockin The Paradise’ Gowen dressed in a white tie put on a multi color striped jacket and black top hat, dancing, waving, and running in place whenever he was not actually behind the keys. Chuck took the stage for ‘Fooling Yourself’ with JY and Lawrence both on keys, Tommy played acoustic and once again Lawrence played the solo facing backwards. On ’Too Much Time On My Hands’, Tommy switched out the words to: ‘and the fun never ends as long as James Young keeps on buying’. Khedive was next, an instrumental showing off some of Gowen’s classical styled piano playing skills. For ‘Come Sail Away’ once again it was Lawrence taking the lead standing a top his keyboard, walking the catwalk during the chorus, then descending into an Irish or rather a Scottish jig. ‘Mr Roboto’ and ‘Renegade’ were the encore with and a one leg split onto the keyboard by Gowen as if it were a parallel bar. The set ending with a full band final bow. It was possibly my first time ever seeing someone other than the final band perform an encore. Topping off the evening was REO (also from Illinois) with a 13 song set. The band still features original member Neal Doughty 76 (keys) who has played on every album and has never missed a concert, Kevin Cronin 70 (vocals since ‘72) who sounds amazing and got better each song in, plus Bruce Hall 69 (bass since ’77). The stage featured 6 upright light bars, 3 to the R, 3 to the L increasing in height outward with a beacon a top each. The drum platform was center and slightly stage R with the ‘Hi Infidelity’ logo, KORG Keys a top a Hammond B3 were stage R, a grand piano stage L. Behind was a backdrop of the classic REO logo with light bars projecting outward like sun rays sometimes pinwheeling, sometimes pulsating, sometimes radiating. Cronin and his gorgeous Ovation in hand led like a seasoned frontman should. ‘Greenville South Carolina check your selves out (spotlights on the audience)… thank y’all for coming out on a school night and partying with the big boys baby’. A beach ball had landed center stage, waiting for the right moment he kicked it back into the audience at the final note of ‘Don’t Let It Go’. Introducing ‘Live Every Moment’ Kevin informed us, ‘I just turned seventy years old right? I figured I would have some idea of what’s going on around me — I don’t know S**T!’ The song ended with CSN’s ‘Doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo’ from Suite Judy Blue Eyes. ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ prompted am arena-wide singalong. Between ‘Time For Me To Fly’ and ‘Back On The Road Again’ Hall performed a rousing bass solo the likes of which resembled to me the Courageous Cat theme. For ‘Keep On Loving You’ Cronin took his place on the grand piano. Prior to the final song, ‘Roll With The Changes’, he introduced a good friend of his for years and years to the stage, it was ‘local boy’ Edwin McCain. Kevin left the Greenville stage by saying, ‘We love you, always have and always will’! Notably missing from the set were ‘In Your Letter’ and ‘Keep The Fire Burnin’ (one of their three ‘Keep’ songs). There were no video screens the entire evening lending to the old school feel and everyone appeared to be fine with it. Styx proved themselves the all around official headliner for numerous reasons (but it was close). Styx has described their live events as ‘a gospel caravan trying to send out positive messages wherever we go’, and the entire evening was exactly that. One could easily have knocked 20 years off each member of any of the bands actual age at any given point during the performance. The only thing that could have been better is if individual members of the three bands shared the stage together, now that would’ve be epic.” Review and photo by DAve. (Concert #703-705)

“Was it just my imagination or was it my first time seeing the Temptations, concert #666? I was thinking that number would fall inline with Motley Crue next Tuesday but considering it for a moment ‘temptations’ could suit the occasion as well. The Four Tops were on the flip side of the double bill, I had seen them only one time back in 2006. First thing I noticed was not the stage set up, but that the beer stand at Friday’s Brooks and Dunn show was switched out for a coffee stand! There were walkers and rollators, and plenty of q-tips shuffling through the concourse. I had read somewhere that it should have been billed ‘Temptation and Top’ due to the fact that each group only has one original member. However true, what a musical legacy considering the original members Temptation Otis Williams (baritone) is 80, and Top ‘Duke’ Fakir (tenor) is 86, and they possess a combined 131 years singing with the groups! My newly acquired Southern Gospel knowledge came in handy recognizing the roles in the groups which likely could be considered quartets. As the lights dimmed a 10 piece horn section (basically mini-orchestra with it’s own conductor) took the stage, ‘The Carolina Horns’. The sounds of a scrolling a.m. radio dial filled the auditorium stopping momentarily to sample a portion of some of the Temptations biggest hits. An announcement rang, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, its star time’ with a ‘Sounds like you got a party crowd, let’s get busy’ from the group and the show was on, opening a 17 song set of hits with ‘Get Ready’. The four were dressed in matching jade suits a front the stage working through their songs with trademark choreographed moves. A few songs in, Otis took the mic, ‘You all are spoiled. You’re so used to seeing us when we were in our 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, last October I turned 80 years old… and still doing it!’ Otis proceeded to give us a brief history lesson of ‘Motown’ which I found to be very interesting. A highlight on vocals was a brand new song written by Somkey (who incidentally, I’ll be seeing later this year), ‘Is It Gonna Be Yes Or No’, check it out. The set ended with ‘My Girl’ as folks were allowed to walk up the isles on the floor and shake hands with band members, they shook every hand! Next was the Four Tops with a 16 song set. Each group played a one hour set with a brief intermission between. I had heard said that the order of groups should have been reversed. I can’t help myself from commenting that it really would only made a difference based on one’s musical style and taste, both displayed equal talent. The Tops were basically a little more upbeat and were able to get the half full arena off their feet and moving around. Another comment was that the vocals weren’t loud enough and at times there was some degree of validity to that. Duke took the lead from the start, ‘If you feel like tapping your feet (he taps), tap them bad boys. If you feel like clapping your hands (he claps), you could do that. You youngins, you wanna shake that thang, yeah go right ahead (he shakes once). I ain’t got but one shake in there! I remember I could do this standing on my head, now I can’t do it standing on two feet.’ There was a marriage proposal announced prior to ‘I Believe In You And Me’. Everybody stood for “I Can’t Help Myself’! Ronnie danced with an audience member on ‘What’s Going On’, and like the Temptations afore, the show ended with ‘Catfish’ as group members shook hands with audience members. I have a feeling that we may not see the groups much longer carrying on with the current lineups of Otis and Duke so I felt like it was one not to be missed and well worth my money!” by DAve (Concerts 666, 667)

“Ronnie Brooks and Kix Dunn brought their brand of old school country into the city for a whole lotta Friday night fun in Greenville SC. Branded the ‘REBOOT Tour’ it promised a greatest hits event without the bells and whistles of time past, although there were one or two! It was my first time seeing the duo and their first major tour since 2010. The stage featured curved lighting rigs on either side plus two overhead, sandwiched in between were three rows of lateral lights plus a large video screen, this was geared up to be a bright one! There was a pedal steel stage left, and a piano stage right with the classic B&D steer head logo which was also showcased on the bass drum and the on gong, yes there was a gong. On either side of the stage were two illuminated flags in American style, gray and white with stripes, again with their logo where the stars would be. Four stair risers (two of them double sized) to the upper part of the stage indicated lot’s of motion was about to take place. Ronnie who turned 69 this month and Kix 67 in the forefront of a 7 piece band kicked off the hour and a half set with ‘Brand New Man’. Kix addressed the audience, ‘Ahh, hell yeah, good to be back in South Carolina, y’all got your little party stirred up this evening ungh. Greenville girls dressed for business this evening too aren’t cha, Oh-woo’! The songs themselves contained the evenings highlights. There was an arena wide sing-a-long on ‘Neon Moon’ with a challenge from Ronnie to hold the note on ‘beams’, after which showcasing his own vocal range, he showed us how it’s done. On the final note of ‘Hard Working Man’ five guitar(ists) lined up together in sync front edge of stage putting some drive in their country. On ‘Mama Don’t Get Dressed Up’ and ‘Rock My World’ Kix played himself some killer harmonica. For the encore ‘Only In America’, there was a salute featuring military members on stage ending with a blast and a red, white and blue streamer drop. This was the first concert I remember that everyone (all sections of the building) stood on their feet the entire evening and Kix obviously felt it, ‘‘Greenville South Carolina, you guys are bringin’ it like you are, man this stage fells like heaven up here right now!” by DAve (Concert 665)

“Shinedown (self described as ‘pure rock’) is one of a few 2000’s rock bands that make me still believe quality music can still be produced. Entering the arena and getting a glimpse of the stage I got myself ready for an amazing visual experience, and that it was: flames, explosions, strobes, light bars, video walls, a piano riser, pivoting lighting rigs to 45 degree angles raised and lowered by cables. During band member intros we were informed that Zach Myers himself (guitarist) was stage designer. The pyrotechnics were intense, they obviously have to know exactly where to stand… watch your tape offs and ‘x’ marks! The band entered on stage walking side by side from rear to front backlit in silhouette as if they were going to take a final bow. Brett announced, ‘Did you bring your dancing shoes tonight? Well let’s get to it!’ At the song break I experienced my first ever artist led rock n roll meet-and-greet, turning left, then right, all around were handshakes, fist bumps and knuckles. I needed that as the person sitting next to me photobombed a nearly perfect full video by getting up to pee. I could only grin and take it. Next was a passionate intro to ‘Get Up’, from Brent Smith assuring the audience, ‘You are necessary, original, and you have a 100 percent have a purpose!’ Ticket holders had received a notification from the venue earlier, ‘GVL, look out for each other in the pit’, well this was a first for me and I didn’t quite understand it until the ‘1-2-3 Jump’ intro to ‘Enemies’. There it was, pure energy and bodies moving everywhere! The theme of the band’s music to me has been ’overcoming adversity with positivity’ and it was no different last evening as singer Brent Smith shared with us that this very much could have been a cancellable show as he performed the full 2 hour set with Bronchitis. As he sang, so it was, ‘Don't sell yourself short, you might be bulletproof’. The set list itself was well designed, let’s face it with new album material and 29 top 5 songs, one has to be creative in order to please an audience in general. There was a huge sing-a-long to ‘Simple Man’, Brent commenting back, ‘You might possibly be the best crowd on this tour!’ The evening began with two opening artists, Diamante, and The Pretty Reckless, both were energetic and musically talented, but neither were particularly moving. All in all, it was memorable evening in Greenville for sure!” by DAve (Concert #647)