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Lawrence is an upbeat band led by siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence.  The duo bounced around the stage the entire setlist, while effortlessly sounding perfect. Seriously, this show was perfection! The entire band had such a fun energy and I wish I could have had my eyes on each person at once at the same time! At once point Clyde (who primarily plays the keyboard) left his station to go play the bongos, while Gracie took over at keyboard. They then bounced around the stage changing instruments, engaging with the crowd, and never sounded out of breath. The details of the setlist were *chef's kiss*. Reflecting of the theme of their latest EP "Hotel TV" the band used theme songs from popular tv shows as segues in between songs. It was priceless to watch the crowd lose their minds when the theme songs from shows such as Seinfeld, and Hey Arnold (my personal favorite from the night) were suddenly played. The night was capped off by an upbeat rendition of their most popular song Don't Lose Sight. If you have not heard it, stop what you are doing right now and please go watch the live version on their Youtube! 

The Who  made a stop in Jacksonville, FL for their second show of The Who Hits Back! 2022 Tour.  The environment of the crowd was one the most diverse I've been to. It was filled with college kids, parents introducing their kids to the band,  and a lot of those who have more than likely been listening to The Who for decades. The orchestra to the side of the band was one of the first things I noticed, and it was such a great touch! The band and the orchestra did a fantastic job of coexisting and bouncing off each other! Another mind-blowing element was the amount of energy and passion each band member still shows after doing this for a whopping 58 years!!! It was so clear that they love what they do. I've never seen someone play the Tamborine and make it look as cool as lead singer Roger Daltrey did almost the entire show. Another highlight was when Daltrey used his corded microphone as a lasso, spinning it over his head, whipping it around, and then nonchalantly catching it to begin singing again. This man 100% is the only person cool enough to wear sunglasses indoors. 

It was a freezing night in NYC until the 502's  fiery energy heated things up! This Florida native band brought the sunshine to the stage with their bright colors and high tempo songs. From the moment these guys walked on the stage, they never stood still! Every single band member jumped and danced around while donning instruments ranging from a banjo, to a saxophone. The energy in the building was infectious, and the sold out crowd grooved right along with the band. "New York City, you may be our loudest city yet!" said lead singer Ed, just moments before he pulled a kazoo out of his pocket and seamlessly incorporated it into the song. If these guys aren't able to get you in a good mood, nothing can. 

Not going to lie, going into this concert, I only knew one song by Walker Hayes. You guessed it - the fancy like Applebees song. Leaving the concert however, I left with a lot of respect for Walker Hayes as a performer and artist. Before Hayes made the sold out crowd go insane with the Tiktok famous song "Fancy Like", he graced us with the songs "AA" and "Craig".  Both of which surprised me with how meaningful and deep the lyrics were. Aside from showing his songwriting range, Hayes also demonstrated that he is a master at interacting with his fans. Often times he would stand on risers that were placed on the edge of the stage, and reach out to the screaming fans who were lucky enough to nab a front row seat. I also really respected how family oriented Hayes is, which was transparent when he brought his family out on stage to help him sing "Fancy Like" before wrapping up the show. He seems like a genuine,  down to earth performer, who wants his family to experience the thrills of fame with him.

Also worth mentioning is Walker's opener Mackenzie Porter, who had a solid performance. Porter warmed up the crowd by playing a couple of her hits such as "Thinking Bout You", while also incorporating some lesser known songs, and a string of  incredible covers! I don't think there was a single person still sitting in their seats when she finished covering TLC's "No Scrubs" and immediately switched into Alanis Morissette's "If it Makes You Happy". 

Old Dominion finished their  2021 Band Behind the Curtain Tour with 2 sold out shows in Saint Augustine, Florida. I had the honor of shooting the first show, and I think the lead singer Matthew Ramsey smiled every second he was on stage. These guys pumped out smash hit, after smash hit, and showed off how successful their discography is!  With hits like "Hotel Key" and "One Man Band", the crowd knew every lyric and sang along the entire night. Old Dominion is the epitome of stage presence and working a crowd. 

The opening act of the night, Walker County made a name for themselves. The band consists of two sisters, Ivy (lead vocals), and Sophie (vocals and drums), who have a style that easily compares to Miranda Lambert. To make the band even more interesting, they are accompanied by their father Billy, who plays lead guitar. It's a true family affair, and they did a fantastic job of meshing traditional country with a bit of southern rock, and folk music, 

Garrett Dutton AKA G-Love  gave the sleepy beach town of Ponte Vedra, FL a reason to liven up when he took the stage. His blend of harmonica filled blues/rock, with flashes of hip hop, had everyone in the audience nodding their heads to the beat.  G-Love used his setlist to show off his impressive range of talents. Between jamming on the guitar, while simultaneously  playing a harmonica,  to rapping in my personal favorite song "Cold Beverage", to pulling from reggae influence in "Who's Got The Weed?". It's apparent that G-Love & his band the Special Sauce, are all well seasoned artists and performers.

97X Next Big Thing  kicked off in Saint Augustine's outdoor amphitheater on abnormally warm December night. Middle Act (info on the opening act in a separate post below) Girl in Red burst on stage singing her popular song "Serotonin" as the crowd went wild. The Norwegian star brought humor and a raw energy on stage as she took time in between each song to preface them with personal backstories. Marie aka Girl in Red, played her hit song "Girls" at the end of her set, which created a palpable excitement in the venue. Marie comes off as down to Earth and genuine, often times hiding underneath her red ball cap, which makes her so likable as an artist. She is a performer because she cares about the music, not about the spotlight. 

The headlining act of the night was the British band Bastille, who had an avalanche of popularity with their smash hit "Pompeii". Lead singer Dan Smith glided all over the stage and would often run over to some isolated drums in center stage, and play them as he sang. The band had great energy and it was obvious that they fed off of the fan's excitement. This was clear when they played the first few notes of their song "Happier" which was anticipated the entire show by so many.

Modsun was the opening act of 97X Next Big Thing, and oddly enough I felt as if he should have been the headliner! This guy screams rockstar! He came out in a fur coat that had skull designs on it, and completely oozed charisma and personality. Derek Smith, who goes by the stage name Modern Sunshine, which got shortened into Modsun, is nothing less than a ball of energy and talent. The best comparison I can draw is a smilier version of Machine Gun Kelly, and it totally works for him. Although I did not go into the concert knowing any of his songs, I left with an appreciation of who he is as an artist, and a fan of the songs "Karma" and "Amnesia". 

If you turn on any country music radio station and let about 5 songs play, odds are one of those songs will be by Brett Young. Over the last five years, Brett Young has taken country music by storm, and penned hit after hit. His singer/songwriter talent is accompanied by all-American good looks, and effortless charm. Although everyone loves big stage presence and personality, it's refreshing to see an artist come on stage rocking simplicity. Young navigated through his discography with some of the highlights being performances of "Mercy", "In Case You Didn't Know", and "Like I Loved You". Going through heartbreak? This man has a song for you. Head over heels in puppy love? This man has a song for you. Whether they were soulful ballads of love or despair, or upbeat tunes about buying a plane ticket to L.A, he delivered each song with a smile, and his good vibes were infectious!