2008 Woodie Awards
Esso presents Zac Brown Band
By: Lena Wright
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: TimeOut
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The set was supposed to start out with John Pringle, but because of some unknown traffic problem on I-85 he showed up a little late and Sonia Leigh went first. Her sound and image were a little bit of a shocker for the usual crowd at the Esso. I like her music on Myspace, which is kind of an indie remix of bluegrassy country, but on stage it had a different ring. She was going for that kind of angry chick vibe. The whole androgynous image she was putting out didn't seem to fit the arena either. She wasn't bad, but it was just a really strange match-up for the Esso.
Being an avid folk/indie/bluegrass fan, I liked John Pringle a lot. He had the soulful folksiness of Bob Dylan, the whimsy and bluegrass of Ryan Adams, and the throbbing angst of Eddie Vedder: a must see combination. Even though he performed later due to the traffic thing and screwed up the line-up, he was worth the wait. The crowd didn't respond to him that well, but they weren't listening and appreciating. He just wasn't someone that would be a typical Esso performer.
The highlight of the evening was the headliner. The Zac Brown Band was awesome. They had the right look, the right sound and the right attitude for the crowd. They played mostly original stuff, but threw in a few Pink Floyd covers, and the end all be all of covers: "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." They really got the crowd involved, and everyone was dancing and singing along. They came on late, but they hit the right chords to bring down the house. Even though I'm a Zac Brown newb, they're a band that I would go see again and again.
What was so great about Zac Brown's show is that it was country, but in an unaffected honest way. It didn't feel like they were trying to be anybody else or even create a new genre. This was music that is good with or without all of the equipment, stage and lights. As for John Pringle and Sonia Leigh, if they find the right venue and the right crowd, I'm sure they would put on kick ass shows, but the night just wasn't completely right. Overall, it was a great show. The crowd was on the small side, but they were people ready to listen to good music, and the musicians gave it to them. These musicians play what they are born to play.
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