“Oh hey, everybody,” lead singer Pete Frank said, prior to opening his set with their catchy hit “Homegrown.” After the warm reception, he introduced themselves as “The Zac Brown Tribute Band.” It was followed by the mellow “Keep Me In Mind,” which featured neat fiddle instrumentation.
“We need some help with this,” Frank said, and they immediately broke into the liberating “Toes.” The band members held up a beer bottle and took a sip. “How many people have been to Zac Brown Tribute Band show before?” they asked, and many fans showed their support. “Thank you for coming back.”
They showed their soft side on the tender ballad “Sweet Annie,” which featured fiddle and acoustic guitar. They picked up the pace with the up-tempo “The Wind” and “Knee Deep,” where they incorporated the song as a sing-along. “Thank you so much ladies and gentlemen,” Frank said.
Zac Brown Tribute Band paid homage to Red Hot Chili Peppers with “Under the Bridge” and they continued with another infectious vocal “Jump Right In.”
After the mandolin-driven “Where the Boat Leaves From,” and they covered Nathaniel Rateliff’s “S.O.B.,” with Matthew Stephens on lead vocals. They fulfilled a fan’s email request by dedicating “Highway 20 Ride,” which had a fiddle solo, and featured Frank’s dynamic range. The Dave Matthews Band fans in the house were pleased with their cover of “Ants Marching” and they inquired if their audience likes to hear songs about chickens, prior to singing the witty “Sic ‘Em On A Chicken.”
“Free” was a highlight song, and they gave a shout out to the line-dancers, prior to singing “Day For The Dead.” During their version of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” Frank’s guitar string broke for chord E, and he was belting out the song and fixing the strings at the same time. The inclusion of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was an added treat.
The Verdict
The Zac Brown Tribute Band was fabulous at Mulcahy’s. They are the closest thing to the real Zac Brown Band, and there is something calming about Pete Frank’s voice that makes it the ideal live show. They are worth seeing live.
For more information on Zac Brown Tribute Band and their touring schedule, check out their Facebook page.
