The bluegrass-powered Virginia band wasted little time on Thursday pumping up the sold-out crowd in its return to Grand Rapids. Review, photo gallery.
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From the very first song, Old Crow Medicine Show set the bar high.
The bluegrass/folk/country band’s headlining set Thursday night at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park captivated young and old alike in the sold-out amphitheater, including longtime fans wearing shirts from tours and shows past and children enjoying their first concert of many to come.
After an opening acoustic set from Alabama songwriter duo Secret Sisters, Old Crow Medicine Show jumped right in with a fast, upbeat tempo, getting the crowd cheering from the get go. Trading bluesy solos from one instrument to the next, the group members seemed to feed off the member who played before them, then build on it as the song flew on.
From piano and fiddle to the upright bass and harmonica, the extra touches sealed the evening for the fans, many of them dancing right along with members of the band, who occasionally headed to the edge of the stage to hoof a little country step or two themselves.
And while they played songs from their older albums as well as their most recent project, “Remedy,” which won the 2015 Grammy Award for best folk album, they brought the crowd home toward the end of the night with their famous favorite, “Wagon Wheel.”
Toward the end of the song, the musicians stopped playing their instruments and stepped away from their microphones to listen as the sold-out crowd sang them through to the final chorus.
The vibe even impressed Erin Zacek, public relations and social media specialist for Meijer Gardens. “Old Crow Medicine Show had such fun energy, the whole night felt like a giant backyard party.”
Next Up at Meijer Gardens: Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros play a sold-out concert at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
PHOTO GALLERY: Old Crow Medicine Show at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Nathan Purchase