Saturday nights are made for rock and roll, and Georgia band Blackberry Smoke brought a heavy dose of it during their Holding All The Roses Tour at Webster Hall in New York City.
Blackberry Smoke are Charlie Starr (lead vocals, guitar), Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals), and Brandon Still (keyboards). The night's setlist consisted mostly of songs from their 2012 release, The Whippoorwhill, with a healthy amount of new songs, and tunes from their second studio album, Little Piece of Dixie.
From the opening notes of "Six Ways to Sunday" to the closing notes of "Ain't Much Left of Me," fans grooved, rocked out, and shared smiles all night long. Starr's vocals were crisp, and was often times joined by fans singing along. Richard Turner's bass playing laid down a steady groove for Paul and Charlie to jam on top of, and Brit's drumming was a key factor in putting the swagger into the rock tunes.
Robert Randolph was brought out as a special guest for a rousing acoustic version of "Ain't Got the Blues." As you can see in the photo below, Randolph played slide on a lap steel guitar as opposed to the pedal steel that he's best known for.
"Up In Smoke" highlighted the Blackberry Smoke's gritty sound, and "Too High" was a great example of the band's creative songwriting. Throughout the night, the band alternated between energetic and relaxed tunes, which executed a nice balance of vibes.
A special treat for the fans came during the encore, when the group busted out an impressive cover of Black Sabbath's "Fairies Wear Boots." It was the only cover song they played all evening. Afterward, they closed the concert with a jam heavy version of "Ain't Much Left Of Me."
Blackberry Smoke continue their tour this Friday at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. If guitar driven southern rock with honest lyrics is your thing, you'd be wise to catch one of their upcoming shows.
Holding All The Roses is the band's first release on Rounder Records. Purchase it on Amazon (Vinyl, CD, MP3). You listen to the album in its entirety and read our review here on Zumic.
For Blackberry Smokes's latest music, news, and tour dates, check out their Zumic artist page.
Below, check out additional photos from the night, including the setlist.
Photos By: Francesco Marano
