Zac Brown Band at Molson Amphitheatre – 09/07/12

Toronto fans prepared for anything, weather wise that is! September you never know what you will get. Calling for rain in the forecast for the Friday evening concert at the Molson Amphitheatre , fans were making their way to the gate with tarps, blankets and sleeping bags.

The venue had a capacity of approximately 16,000 seats, which included 7,000 seats on the lawn, 5,500 seats under a covered roof, and 3,500 seats that were uncovered.

For USA dates, Zac Brown frequently does some cooking and tail gating. Here in Canada, ZBB had an “Eat & Greet “contest with a local new Country radio station KX94.7. The winner Jennifer Bailey of Hannon, On and KX94.7 Morning show Toff & Melissa had dinner with the band before the concert.

Zac Brown Band plans to join the likes of Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill by opening their own restaurant and bar in Nashville. Zac is already pretty famous for his cooking skills. “When we get to sit and eat with our fans, it’s a reminder to them and to ourselves that we’re no different than they are even though we’re up on stage,” says Brown.

The seven-piece ZBB, sported an impressive array of beards, goes all over the map musically, so there’s no risk of everything sounding the same over 20-plus songs. The band arrived on a simple stage with five strips of screen centered in a giant ring of lights. It started with the breezy, bland funk of “Keep Me in Mind” and quickly got around to the new album, “Uncaged,” flashing its fluid Southern picking on the two-step single “The Wind.”

Zac Brown and his band rocked the house. The musicianship was exceptional and they played multiple instruments seeming to master all of them. The guitarist and fiddle player were both really great musicians. I loved the wide range of instruments from the organ to the bongo drums they used during the show. Zac’s voice was in prime form.

It was my first concert, where at intermission the band came out and threw t-shirts into the crowd. They have a lot of fun on stage and keep the crowd entertained the whole time. I got to talk with a Hugh ZBB fan Capriej, saying “the concert was amazing, even from the lawns, by far the best band to see live.” I’ve never been to a concert where everyone was standing up and dancing throughout the whole concert!

The band said Toronto was a fun place to play and will frequently return! So if you’re a Zac Brown fan and missed this show, you will be able to see them sooner than later!!!