10/10/2022
Greta Van Fleet
Dreams In Gold Tour 2022
Support – Robert Finley and Houndmouth
October 8, 2022
Cross Center, Bangor Maine
Review- Steve Peer
Images-Kevin Bennett, use with written permission only.
The levee broke and a wave of carefully borrowed riffs, melodies, and sentiments of ’70’s rock washed over a nearly full house of very enthusiastic fans at the Cross Center in Bangor, Maine with brothers Josh (vocals), Jake (guitar) and Sam Kiszka (bass, keys), and drummer Danny Wagner who named their band after an octogenarian grandmother from their hometown, Frankenmuth, Michigan.
Greta Van Fleet got most of the Led out on the first album while the band’s sophomore effort, 2021’s 'The Battle at Garden’s Gate', still leaned heavily on rock influences most likely found in the family’s vinyl collection.
The music may be nothing new, however GVF have learned and borrowed from the very best and created powerful and entertaining rock’n’roll and a traveling spectacle that has been on the road since March.
There were pyrotechnics in the first song of the night, ‘Built by Nations’. The fourth song of the set was a skilled drum solo from Wagner, who hit the vintage Ludwig kit with authority. Distracting a bit from Wagner was front man Josh Kiszka being piggybacked in the pit handing out white roses to adoring fans. A few bras were also spotted in the air.
Josh commanded the stage in a gold jumpsuit with sequin applique flowers, while the other members were dressed in similar fashion, and all designed by stylist Kate Brown. Relatively short in stature, coming in at 5’6”, Josh is a huge presence, even in a jumpsuit. His voice soars as he channels Little Richard, Bruno Mars, Jon Anderson, and that other English rock singer.
All generations can agree on Greta Van Fleet as the crowd ranged in age from 5-80. It was encouraging to note that the common denominator was “ROCK!”
Guitarist Jake Kiszka’s rugged riffs served as the linchpin for his brother’s voice, particularly on the Rush-indebted ‘Heat Above’ from the latest album. Much like John Paul Jones in that other band, bassist Sam Kiszka often jumps on the keys and even uses a Mellotron, perhaps one of the most unreliable and temperamental instruments ever. It is also worth noting that the band uses vintage Marshall and Acoustic amps and Gibson and Fender guitars with an authentic level of musicianship with no reliance on backing tracks or samplers.
This was most evident the second half of the set as the band did an extended jam, or two. These were not improvised jams as nothing GVF does is improvised or left to chance. Their show is scripted and choreographed like a Broadway production.
The ‘fifth’ member of the band is the visual show of fire, scented fog, banks of colored lights and seizure inducing strobe lighting. Like the band, it is a precision presentation that has no tolerance for error or miscalculation.
The quality of musicianship and showmanship of GFV, and the prowess of their team, collectively execute a dazzling and dramatic show. Their well-crafted and studied sound provides comfort and redefines rock music that is so quickly falling out of favor with young listeners. Yes, one is reminded of the bands that came before, but is nostalgia going to save rock’n’roll? Can young men who play new music that sounds old be taken seriously? Silly questions that don’t need to be asked or answered. How about we leave it at four kids from Michigan who have good taste in music, put together one heck of a rock’n’roll band and took it on the road! Hell yeah! Thank you. Amen.
Setlis
Built by Nation
Black Smoke Rising
Safari Song
Drum Solo
Heat Above
Light My Love
Broken Bells
Age of Machine
The Weight of Dreams
Encore:
Age of Man
Highway Tune
That's All Right (Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup cover)
