Zac Brown Band & Co

The Zac Brown Band & Co. Kicks the Arlington into High Gear

The 21^st century version of country rock blistered its way through Santa Barbara Wednesday night, ignoring St. Paddy’s Day and most of the traditional assumptions of ‘new’ country music and Southern rock.

The Zac Brown Band roared into the historic Arlington Theater high off its recent 2010 Best New Artist Grammy win.  That’s not all; they’re nominated for four Country Music Awards including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year for The Foundation, Single Record of the Year for "Toes," and Top Vocal Group.  Brown himself also received two additional individual nominations as the producer for both Album of the Year and Single Record of the Year.

No doubt, this guy and his band are going places.  Fast.  And the music business is a whole new world folks.

Two giant flat screens hung high in the stage rafters – perhaps a first at the Arlington – and as patrons seated they were asked to vote for the songs pasted on the screens they wanted to hear

most….and text that vote in.  While even country music has come a long way in the past decade it’s quite a sight to see the cowboy boot ‘n hat crowd thumbing through their cells texting their votes in (“Jolene” was the winner, by a long shot).

For the concert’s duration a film crew seamlessly worked from the stage and pit filming close ups that filled the screens with live shots and corresponding with song-centric videos.  Brown and others called on the audience to Twitter their support for fellow artists nominated for various awards and check out websites.  Can you imagine Waylon and Willie doing that?

The new media angle corresponded perfectly with the youthful spirit of the musicians who took the stage.  The Sailing Southern Ground Tour is more than Mr. Brown and his band mates; the opening act

was actually an hour and a quarter, top notch concert of its own.

American Country Music’s Top New Vocal Duo Joey + Rory took the stage with a beautiful acoustic rendition of “Freebird.”  The husband and wife team – who emerged in 2008 from CMT’s “Can You Duet” TV reality show – acted as MC’s throughout the opening mini concert, plying traditional country harmonies with a great stage presence (it doesn’t hurt that they’re both very attractive people with star power chiseled in their features).  And they have a hit on their hands with “Cheater Cheater.”

Introducing the intense and innovative Levi Lowry, Zac Brown himself came out to join the amazing singer songwriter who Zac says “writes beautiful songs about terrible things.”  With an intense voice and Dylanesque phrasing, he captivated the audience on a different level.

But the mini opry diversity didn’t end there.  Up next was Sonia Leigh, a scrappy artist in the vein Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle, with some hard hitting twang.  Nic Cowan then provided a more soulful, blues-based warmth.  With most of the Zac Brown Band coming out to support these younger artists, the opening had the feeling of a revival festival, with generous musical collaboration and a mosaic of sounds from fiddles, stand up bass, keyboards, mandolins, steel slide, electric and acoustic guitars, and even bongos (Brown himself).

Finally, at 8:45pm The Zac Brown Band officially took to the stage tho’ they’d been up there more or less from the beginning (the opening started at 7pm).  The crowd went crazy, many standing for the next 2 hours.  Sporting the standard tee shirt, jeans and boots with the added angle of leather biker vest and Edge-like stocking cap,

Zac Brown is a burly presence, and a kind of a cleaned up version of Jack Black…far from the distilled ‘new’ country artist stereotype.

From the beginning it’s clear this isn’t your daddy’s country fried rock, aka The Eagles and Skynyrd.  Its roots based but definitely ‘now.’  The crack band ripped through nearly all of The Foundation such as “Whatever It Is,” “Highway 20 Ride” and “A Different Kind of Fine.”  These are certifiable country music songs accented in a gumbo of influences, ranging from Almond Brothers jams, to Dave Mathews styling and Clapton riffs, Marley reggae, even some psychedelic.  All these influences emerged time and time again throughout the show, but the energy and artistry was definitely unique.

Just as Garth Brooks wove his favorite ‘70s rock acts into his shows, this band has an appetite for taking old anthem pleasers and jacking up the audience.  For the most part this worked to great effect.  The Beatles’ “Blackbird” was turned inside out by guitar virtuoso Clay Cook as he spearheaded a blues and funk jam session. 

But Dixie was never too far away.  “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is likely required playing if one is actually from Georgia, but hey, they nailed it.  And a new Little Feat inspired track “Settle Me Down” even threw Dr. John’s “Iko Iko” riff in the medley.  Less inspiring was “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”  But part of the problem was the pacing of the show, and there was a point where the amazing but relentless series of fiddle jams, drum and bongo jams, amazing guitar jams and oldies but goodies became too much.  Not a big deal; with each and every show this will improve.

Most interesting is how front man Zac Brown has brought all this together.

Sure, he possesses a nice voice, writing chops and multiple musical skills.  He’s also got the entertainer and marketing instincts of storyteller Jimmy Buffett when he states matter-of-factly “I believe in chicken rights,” before launching into his true and hilarious song “Sic ‘Em On A Chicken” about how he and his dog Pete tried to catch a chicken for dinner.  (His current big hit, which he played, “Toes,” is basically a JB/Kenney Chesney knockoff.)

Incredibly, he took a moment during his chicken schtick to also promote his new Southern Ground Cookbook and “Louisianan Abita Beer Beignets” recipe.  Are you serious?  If you don’t believe me, check out his website where you can buy clothing and baby apparel along music and food accessories.  Like gallizionaire Buffett, he’s selling a new Southern lifestyle (look to this guy to ascend to Jimmy’s mantle in the next 20 years).

But surprisingly, Brown’s spirituality is reminiscent to the ultimate translator of soul vibes, Van Morrison.  Evidently, he’s not a shallow guy when he talks about how we all deal with changes that we can and cannot control in life, and we’d best remember that “when a pony comes ridin’ by, you better get your ass on it.”  Not exactly Irish poetry, but Georgian frankness all the way.  No wonder he ended the show with his fan favorite medley of his original “Free” and Van’s “Into The Mystic.”

It was a strong set from a band with few original songs yet to its credit.  In time, this show will become a well-honed machine …. Wait, it already IS!

Zac Brown and all the performers on the Sailing Southern Ground Tour are clearly on a mission.  Seeing so much youth and talent in one place was inspirational.

It’s exciting to see artists at the beginning of their careers, when their enthusiasm and passion are for the music, and the pretension and expectation that creep in with later fame are still absent.  Instinctively, it’s evident all these artists will be the Next Big Thing.  Indeed, if you were there at Wednesday night, you’ll be able to say in 20 years to your kids, “I saw Zac Brown and company way back when they were playing the small joints.”

As they say down in the land of cotton:  Am