I had my toes in my cowboy boots, ass in the hard folding chair, not a worry in the world, and my ticket in hand. Life sure was good on Friday Oct. 14, at the Zac Brown Band Concert.
Having gone to a school in a town where people are known as the “duck farmers” with a “bring your tractor to school day,” I think it’s safe to say that I identify myself as a redneck. So when I found out that the Zac Brown Band was coming to perform at Penn State, I was ecstatic.
Unfortunately, I was slow in buying my ticket, so I had to watch one of my favorite country bands perform from one of the top rows in the Bryce Jordan Center.Â
My friends and I arrived to the show a little late, around 8:30 p.m., and came in the middle of the opening performance. Nic Cowan started the show with his raspy, edgy country voice. I had never heard of this performer before, but he definitely left a positive impression on me. Cowan didn’t come off as a country performer in appearance, wearing a tight, black tank top and jeans, but he gave off the rocker, beach-y sound that coincided perfectly with the Zac Brown Band’s music.
After Cowan, Sonia Leigh slinked onto the stage wearing all black, a short hairdo that covered her face, and a bright white guitar that gave her a punk appearance. People in the crowd mumbled, asking whether or not the performer was male or female, as her slouched down posture, and edgy outfit didn’t come off as very feminine.
But the instant she opened her mouth, Leigh’s voice rocked the house. She sounded as if she could be the legendary Melissa Etheridge’s daughter, with her tendency to belt out every song in her unique, raspy voice. While her hit song right now, “My Name is Money,” has topped the country charts, it didn’t impress me as much as “Roaming,” a song she wrote with the Zac Brown Band.
Sonia Leigh definitely has potential to be famous, and I predict she’ll be headlining her own shows in the near future.
But, not even a future headliner could prepare the crowd for the Zac Brown Band. The band didn’t need a fancy introduction or big number to bring them out to the stage. The six band members simply walked out and began the show with their hit song, “Toes,” and everybody in the audience went wild. Zac Brown himself was sporting his signature brown beanie atop his head, and stood center stage with the other band members forming a horizontal line to his left and right.
Every member danced around on stage, playfully performing each song. The band performed all of the crowd favorites, including “Colder Weather,” “Highway 20 Ride,” “Free,” and “As She’s Walking Away.” I was upset my favorite song, “Whatever It Is” wasn’t played, but it was worth it to be able to listen to Zac Brown do covers of many other famous songs, such as “Can’t You See,” originally done by The Marshall Tucker Band.
This was my third time attending a Zac Brown Band Concert, and every time they have performed “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” originally done by The Charlie Daniels Band. Anybody who has heard the song understands the difficulty of memorizing all of the words and perfecting the fiddle solo. The Zac Brown Band does all of the above, and I believe their cover is better than the original.
It’s always a treat to go to a concert, and Zac Brown Band has never failed to disappoint me. Their amazing performances, well-written songs, and incredible instrumentals all provide for one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
I’m excited to see which country performers the BJC brings in next, because not many will be able to top the Zac Brown Band.