Zach Top brought a taste of classic country music to the Fingerlakes on Saturday, August 8, as his “Cold Beer & Country Music” tour rolled into CMAC in Canandaigua.
Crowds poured in early, as the humid temperatures didn’t seem to stop the fans from showing their love for the rising country star. Fans of all ages, dressed in cowboy boots and hats settled in for a warm summer night of country music.
Opening the evening was Ohio native Wyatt McCubbin, a singer-songwriter whose resume extends far beyond his own work behind the microphone. McCubbin has spent years building a reputation in Nashville as a songwriter, with his songs recorded by some of country’s biggest names, including Luke Combs, Cody Johnson and Zach Top himself. His traditional country sound made him a natural fit for the evening, warming up the CMAC crowd with the same appreciation for honest songwriting and old-school country that would define the night ahead.
McCubbin proved to be a fitting choice to open the night, bringing a traditional country sound to the CMAC stage. With a deep, weathered vocal style and an easygoing presence, he helped establish the tone of the evening without trying to overpower what was still to come. His performance felt right at home in front of a crowd that had come expecting plenty of storytelling and guitar-driven country music.
As fans continued filling the venue, McCubbin continued to draw the attention toward the stage. There was an authenticity to his performance that complemented Zach Top perfectly, less about flashy production and more about the songs themselves. By the end of his set, McCubbin had done exactly what a strong opener should, warmed up the crowd, introduced listeners to an artist they may not have known before, and left the energy in the building noticeably higher for Top’s arrival.
McCubbin wrapped up his set and the energy inside CMAC began to shift. The stage was cleared and reset as anticipation continued to build throughout the venue with fans eagerly waiting for the night’s headliner. When the lights finally dropped, the crowd erupted as Zach Top made his way to the stage. With his signature cowboy hat, guitar in hand, and his band behind him, Top wasted little time getting the night rolling. Fans with seat tickets all rose to their feet to welcome the Washington native.
Top kicked off the night with “Sounds Like The Radio,” as fans held their drinks in the air and sang along to the all too familiar song. His unmistakable ’90s-country sound immediately filled the amphitheater, setting the tone for what was to come. With his band firing on all cylinders behind him, Top worked the stage with confidence, flashing smiles toward the crowd while effortlessly picking away at his guitar. It didn’t take long to realize this wasn’t going to be a sit-down kind of night, as the energy from the stage quickly spread throughout CMAC.
His ability to contrast high energy, honkey-tonk with slower songs was flawless. Top’s heartfelt material allowed the crowd to settle in and placed greater emphasis on his voice and songwriting before the band would push the energy upward again. The back and forth pacing kept the performance from becoming one dimensional and demonstrated that Top is capable of commanding a venue without every song needing to be an anthem. The song “Guitar” allowed Top to showcase his instrumental side with his fast fingerpicking becoming as much a part of the entertainment as the vocals themselves.
Throughout the set, top took time to address the crowd between songs, thanking fans for making him and his band feel welcome. He noted that while he had performed at CMAC before, Saturday night marked his first time headlining the venue, a milestone that made the night feel even more significant. Despite his rapid rise, Top carried himself with an easygoing presence throughout the night, frequently smiling and waving at the audience and showing his appreciation for their matched energy. It amplified the moments that highlighted not only Top’s growing popularity, but his ability to command a venue like CMAC while still making the performance feel personal.
Top may be one of country music’s fastest rising young artists, but the crowd felt much more interested in where country music came from than where he genre’s current trends are heading.
By the end of the night, the “Cold Beer & Country Music” tour had delivered exactly what its name promised: an outdoor summer country show filled with honkey-tonk guitar pickin’, singalongs, and an artist whose rapid rise hasn’t required him to abandon the traditional sound that got him there. On a summer Saturday night under the CMAC lights, Top proved that old school country music can still feel very much alive.
Top and the band continue their tour with a stop at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY, on August 13, followed by performances in Boston and Pittsburgh.
Comments are closed.