On March 10, 2023, I went home to Florida and got to see one of my favorite bands, Greta Van Fleet, in concert. I have been listening to Greta Van Fleet since September of 2021, so I was thrilled to finally get to see them in concert. The experience I had at their concert is one that I have never had before; from the openers to the setlist to the way the band interacted with the crowd, it was truly a concert I’ll never forget.
Not only was this my first Greta Van Fleet concert, but it was also my first concert in the pit. I have gone to many concerts, but have always had seats that were farther away, so it was very exciting I got to experience this concert up close. The first opener of the night was Robert Finley, a contestant from America’s Got Talent. He was older, but he and his band truly set the mood for the night. His music is much different than Greta’s, but his singing and dance moves got the crowd going. Once Robert was done swinging his hips for the night, the next opener was a band called Houndmouth. I had never heard of Houndmouth before this concert, but I really enjoyed getting to hear their music that night. Their guitar skills were amazing and their drummer was very excited to be in Tampa.
It was creeping closer to 9:00 p.m., and soon a curtain was dropped in front of the stage, containing symbols resembling songs on their The Battle at Garden’s Gate album. Once 9:00 p.m. hit, the lights dimmed, music started playing, and the screaming got louder. The curtain dropped to the floor, revealing the band in their magnificent outfits singing “Built By Nations.” Once that song ended, the next was “Black Smoke Rising.” My friend and I stood there screaming the lyrics and taking everything that was happening around us in. One of my personal favorites of the night was “Safari Song,” and Dannys’s drum solo that followed right after. The cheers and screaming that you could hear throughout the arena and how the band reacted to it during the song made me appreciate the song even more than before. Josh handed out flowers to people in the front during Danny’s solo. Danny continued with his solo, but soon enough, Josh returned back to the stage and was once again prancing around like a leprechaun. Four pillars were present on stage, shooting up in flames every time there was a beat drop from the drums. The night continued with songs like “Caravel,” “Heat Above,” and “Light My Love,” where I sang the loudest, and videos on my phone are proof of that. Hearing the beginning and piano work of “Heat Above” and “Light My Love” live was a moment I will never be able to explain. The final songs before the encore were “Broken Bells” and “The Weight of Dreams.”
By this point of the show I had been standing for six hours and my body was definitely feeling that way. I decided to move to the back of the pit to get some air and stretch out. The band had left the stage but soon enough everyone in the crowd was chanting for an encore. The band returned back to the stage eventually and began singing “Age of Man.” When people say there is no bad place in the pit, they are right. People were twirling around and singing with their friends having their “main character” moment. Usually, the band does two encore songs, but this night they decided to play “Flower Power,” which is a song they haven’t played in a while. Everyone was ecstatic and you could tell how shocked everyone was when they began playing it. The night ended with them playing one of my favorite songs, “Highway Tune,” where I stood in the back dancing and singing with other strangers.
Seeing Greta Van Fleet in concert with one of my best friends was a full-circle moment for me. I had just started my senior year of high school when I began listening to them, and I had finally started finding happiness in my life and my friends. My friends and I would have dance parties in the school parking lot after school. Along with songs from Queen and Harry Styles, Greta Van Fleet was always in that lineup of songs we danced to after school. Greta is always a go-to for me while listening to music in the car, at the beach, or just lounging around at home. Throughout the night, moments where we got to see each individual member’s skills such as Jake’s guitar skills, Sam’s piano and guitar work, Danny’s drum solos, and Josh’s amazing singing were my favorite moments of the night. I truly believe the band does their best to make the night unforgettable for the fans. I hope to get to see Greta Van Fleet in concert again soon, and I can’t wait to see what kind of new music they will put out, especially since they performed a new song the other night and have been teasing a new album.