This marked their first of two consecutive shows at this historic Long Island amphitheater. Rising singer-songwriter Caroline Jones opened for them, where she was able to showcase her rich, crystalline vocals to the Jones Beach audience. Her mellifluous vocals were pure as the driven snow, and for over an hour, she was able to warm up the stage for Zac Brown Band. “Chasin’ Me” is available on iTunes.
As Zac Brown Band took the stage, they began their elaborate set with the catchy “Homegrown,” which is this journalist’s personal favorite tune in their set, and it was followed by “Someone I Used to Know” and the nonchalant “Knee Deep.” They had the New York audience with them every step of the way.
They treated the fans to their Grammy-winning “As She’s Walking Away,” sans Alan Jackson, yet they maintained solid control over their voices, while “Sweet Annie” was a masterclass on harmonies. Caroline Jones returned to the stage where she dueted with the band on “Quiet Your Mind,” which was sheer bliss. They picked up the pace with the mid-tempo “Beautiful Drug.”
They continued with a stripped-down version of the James Taylor classic “Fire and Rain,” and it was followed by soothing versions of the poignant “My Old Man,” the mellow “Toes” and “Leaving Love Behind.” “Would y’all sing?” Zac Brown asked, and the fans obeyed his command.
After a brief 10 minute intermission, they returned to the stage, where they paid homage to the acclaimed southern rock group The Marshall Tucker Band with “Can’t You See,” which was noteworthy from a vocal, instrumental and melodic standpoint. Marshall Tucker Band’s sole original member Doug Gray and the late songwriter of “Can’t You See” Toy Caldwell would have been moved with this powerhouse version of a southern rock standard that is destined to stand the test of time.
Equally remarkable were “Keep Me in Mind,” and “Colder Weather,” where they once again displayed their pitch-perfect velvet harmonies. They immediately broke into “The Woods,” “Jump Right In,” and they closed with their signature song, “Chicken Fried,” where orange lights dimmed from the stage. “Chicken Fried” became the theme song of Jones Beach this night.
If that weren’t enough, Zac Brown Band returned for an encore, where they tipped their hats to such Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees as Dire Straits, Van Halen and Def Leppard with their smash hit “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” where the Jones Beach crowd went nuts and rightfully so.
The Verdict
Overall, Zac Brown Band put on a superb live show at the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on Long Island. It was a neat blend of their older classics juxtaposed with newer material, where the Long Island audience gravitated equally to both. This concert marked this journalist’s 24th career Zac Brown Band show and it is evident that they still rock and they get better with age and experience. Their musical styles and wide, diverse and impressive. Their live set at Jones Beach garnered an A rating.
