From sidewalk cafes, Greta Van Fleet songs paved the walk to MVP Arena on Wednesday, October 5th in Albany. T-shirts were being offered “half-price” at each crosswalk. A young glitter-adorned audience was awaiting its idols, having driven as much as 11 hours to see the extremely successful Dreams in Gold show.
It’s been a considerable wait for Albany to witness the one and only Greta van Fleet in town. The band has come a very long way from the days of small clubs and theater shows. Their music developed from mere good tunes into the soundscapes of arena rock in which the public can get immersed.
While still very young, the band members each distilled their performance styles and have shown an ease about connecting and holding an audience. And the outfits changed! While half the band appear opposed to shoes, their clothes were a beautiful display of stage fashion.
The show opened quite dramatically with the falling of a curtain that obscured the band as they started playing. Jake Kiszka (guitar) holds the musical backbone upon which songs are built. His impeccable phrasing weaved in and out with the rhythm section (Sam Kiszka-bass and Danny Wagner-drums), setting the stage for Josh Kiszka to express his high-register stylings.
The concert was built on seven songs from their very successful album The Battle at the Garden’s Gate that went to #1 on Billboard. Songs from their Grammy winning first EP were still integrated into the performance (“Highway Tune”, “Safari Song”, “Black Smoke Rising”) and now sounded more playful than when they originally hit the airways. The latest hits brought a more ominous, dreamy, and richer sound, and tackled themes of war and the environment. The beautiful “Light My Love” was a highlight of the show, turning the arena into a sea of glittering cellphone lights.
Greta Van Fleet – MVP Arena, Albany, NY – October 5, 2022
Setlist: Built by Nations, Black Smoke Rising, Safari Song, drum solo, Caravel, Heat Above, Light my Love, Broken Bells, Age of Machine, The Weight of Dreams
Encore: Age of Man, Highway Tune
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