No. 8 in all-time attendance
Zac Brown Band excites huge RodeoHouston spring break crowd with sing-along hits
Zac Brown revved up the spring break crowd with the band's hits.Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
Zac Brown Band on stagePhoto by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
Fiddlin' madnessPhoto by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
The huge crowd cheers on the band.Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
Brown in his trademark beaniePhoto by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
Brown & Co.Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
Editors Note: CultureMap contributing phototgrapher Michelle Watson wore two hats Monday night. In addition to photographing the concert, she offered this review.
I'll admit I'm not much of country music fan and with years of RodeoHouston concerts under my belt, the performances, while all above average, have run together, leaving only a few standout memories. The first was bringing my dad out from Southern California to see four country legends come together in the supergroup, The Highwaymen, comprised of original outlaws Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.
But the only true musical memory was last year's Zac Brown Band rendition of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," a Charlie Daniels Band original. For the first (and only) time in my professional photography career, I was so enthralled by a performance that at the song's pinnacle I realized I had stopped taking photographs, which is detrimental when media photographers are only given a select two songs to capture the performers in action from the stadium floor.
These boys can play which, of course, was highlighted in "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," a fast-paced, fiddle firestorm.
To say I had high expectations of this band's return performance would be putting it mildly, so I was thrilled to see that "Devil" was on their set list again this year but overjoyed it had been moved toward the end of their performance so I could relax and enjoy. And enjoy I did, along with 73,374 fans in attendance — No. 8 in the rodeo's all-time daily paid attendance record book.
Zac Brown, wearing his trademark beanie, and the band arrived stageside in the non-traditional golf cart caravan and got the party started with "Knee Deep," which sounds more Jimmy Buffett than country. But this spring break crowd of twentysomethings erupted with applause and got the evening sing-along started.
These fans know their Zac Brown songs; the upside of not having released a new album since September 2010. The mood was set — all you needed to do was grab a beer, sit back and enjoy the ride through most of their eight No. 1 Billboard music hits ("Keep Me In Mind," "Highway 20 Ride," "Free," "Colder Weather") that showed their true musicianship. These boys can play, which, of course, was highlighted in "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," a fast-paced, fiddle firestorm.
In addition to these crowd favorites, fans were treated to a new song, "Uncaged," from the band's upcoming album due out this summer.
As the night came to a close, Zac & Co. brought the crowd to their feet with a soulful arrangement of "God Bless America"— complete with red, white and blue visuals. Sensing the audience wanted more, the band finally gave their fans what they had been waiting for all night...some "Chicken Fried," a song that will make anyone love country music. At least for one night.
And as the lights came up and the band exited the stadium, announcer Bill Bailey proclaimed, "It doesn't get any better than that, folks."
I'll drink to that, Bill, and to the hope that RodeoHouston will bring these guys back again next year.
