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An estimated 464,000+ people were expected to take over downtown Nashville last weekend. While somewhere near 180,000 of them were to fill up Nissan Stadium for Taylor Swift's three record-breaking shows, just under 7,000 crammed into Ascend Amphitheater on Saturday (May 6) to witness a stop on Whiskey Myers' extensive 2023 tour run.
The six-piece concoction of southern rock, blue-collar country and rock 'n' roll took fans through nearly two hours of jam sessions and guitar solos across 20 of their biggest hits.
"How the hell are you? We're Whiskey Myers," frontman Cody Cannon said to the Nashville audience. "Thank y'all for coming to the show! We hope you like it."
The band started with the swampy 'Frogman', which saw the first of several appearances from a three-person horn section.
The energy was high for much of the night, as the band exploded into tracks like 'Feet's', 'Gasoline', 'Bury My Bones', 'Deep Down in the South' and more. The eager audience didn't shy away from showing off when their favorite tunes came up, with 'Die Rockin', 'Broken Window Serenade', 'Ballad of a Southern Man' and 'Bar, Guitar and a Honky Tonk Crowd' earning some notable sing-or scream-along moments.
Throughout the night, guitarists Cody Tate and John Jeffers traded off killer solos, solidifying Whiskey Myers' place among the leading jam bands of the 21st century.
Reminiscent of bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Marshall Tucker Band who came before them, the Texas group took their time strolling and strumming through 'Calm Before the Storm', 'Early Morning Shakes', 'The Wolf' and the bluesy, heavy-hitting 'Glitter Ain't Gold.' Making note of their roots, they also took a moment to sing their version of ZZ Top's 'Sharp Dressed Man' with Tate taking over the vocals.
After leaving the stage for what felt like a tick too long, the band remerged to deliver their five-song encore, which kicked off with the only ballad of the night, the moving 'Heart of Stone'. Cruising through 'John Wayne' and 'Bitch', which saw Jeffers try his hand at vocals, Whiskey Myers arrived at their Yellowstone-featured hit 'Stone', before ending the night with a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's 'Fortunate Son'.
Though perhaps missing the interaction that has become commonplace among touring artists (especially ones coming through Nashville), Whiskey Myers delivered an indisputably rousing set. While it sometimes felt a little "business as usual" - some of the songs tending to blend together as the night went on - none can deny the dedication and love of their cult-like fanbase.
One thing is certain about Whiskey Myers: these six Texas boys are masterfully skilled musicians, and the art they produce has been connecting with people across the globe on quite a meaningful scale.
Up next for Whiskey Myers are stops in Indiana, Missouri, Illinois and West Virginia before a handful of festival slots and two nights at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre on June 14-15.
Whiskey Myers - Setlist
Take from their concert at Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville - Saturday, May 6th 2023:
- Frogman
- Gasoline
- Bury My Bones
- Die Rockin’
- Calm Before The Storm
- Bar, Guitar, and a Honky Tonk Crowd
- Deep Down In The South
- Broken Window Serenade
- Dogwood
- Feet’s
- Glitter Ain’t Gold
- Early Morning Shakes
- Sharp Dressed Man (ZZ Top cover)
- Ballad of a Southern Man
- The Wolf
Encore:
- Heart of Stone
- John Wayne
- Bitch
- Stone
- Fortunate Son (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
Photography by Khris Poage.
For more on Whiskey Myers, see below:
