The second concert of the season at the outdoor amphitheater regaled a sold-out crowd with favorites from the ’70s, including “Ventura Highway,” “Sister Golden Hair” and “Don’t Cross the River.”
Taking Fans Back in Time: America on stage at Meijer Gardens on Sunday. (Photo/Deshia Dunn)
It was a warm, memory-laden trip down “Ventura Highway.”
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The second installment of the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park summer concert series on Sunday attracted another sold-out crowd on a scorching-hot evening.
Popular Duo: Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell played a show focused on hits. (Photo/Deshia Dunn)
Nashville native and country singer/songwriter Brennin opened for the 1970s classic rock band America in front of the amphitheater’s packed house of 1,900. As a big fan of America himself, Brennin was more than honored to be the opening act.
“I can’t believe I get to play before these guys,” he reveled.
Normally accompanied by a full band, the up-and-coming artist — who has appeared on the ABC series, “Nashville” — pleasantly surprised the audience with his blazing solo acoustic act and music from his debut and self-titled EP, released in February.
Brennin, aka Brennin Hunt, further impressed when he laid down a feverish acoustic cover of Michael Jackson’s iconic “Billie Jean.” “I wrote this song in 1982, three years before I was born,” he joked.
FROM “RIVERSIDE” TO “LOST AND FOUND”
America then took the stage to share almost two hours’ worth of its most famous hits and newest studio work with nostalgic fans.
Original members Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, joined by a three-piece band, swayed and thrilled with their acoustic skill and solos.
Crowd-Pleasing Opener: Brennin set the stage for America. (Photo/Deshia Dunn)
“We’re gonna go back in time,” promised Bunnell, before performing “Riverside,” the first track on America’s debut album from 1971.
It was a gleaming showcasing of the band’s classic hits such as crowd favorite “Ventura Highway,” “Sister Golden Hair,” “Don’t Cross the River,” “I Need You,” and music from the band’s latest and 18th studio album, “Lost and Found,” released in May 2015.
The band spent a considerable amount of its 1970s-oriented set focusing on either the Billboard Hot 100 Charts or the Billboard album charts, enhancing the songs with silky, harmonic vocals and memorable acoustic melodies.
Sunday night was a tribute to the timelessness of America’s music. The crowd was lifted to its feet for songs older than some of the audience members, and America sounded better than ever in the amphitheater’s gorgeous setting.
Four decades after its heyday, America has maintained its original hypnotizing and uplifting sound without growing stale — a quality treasured by a capacity crowd on Sunday night.
NEXT UP AT MEIJER GARDENS: Of Monsters & Men at 7 p.m. Monday
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