Review by JoJo-Anthony
Photos by Joe Schaeffer
The first thing I want to say about Greta Van Fleet is that I’m a fan, an extremely big fan. Growing up in the 1970s, I saw most of the greatest bands in the history of rock n’ roll. It’s my own personal belief that Greta Van Fleet are merely at the start of many great things to come. This is the second time I’ve experienced a Greta Van Fleet concert in less than a year. I was in attendance at one of their sold-out shows at the Troubadour in October 2017. I was thoroughly impressed with the band at that performance, and tonight the band impressed me even more.
Opening up with the extraordinary hit single “Highway Tune,” the sold-out crowd was definitely fired up to see this young band. The four-piece chose to feature predominantly new material from their forthcoming album. If these new songs are any indication of things to come, it will be one hell of a record. Of the new ones, I really liked “Mountain of the Sun” and “Lover, Leaver, Taker, Believer.”
The set was short and to the point. The band did not over extend themselves with a long and lengthy show. That will come in time when they have more material and road experience. After the main set, they returned for an encore of “Black Smoke Rising” and my personal favorite track “Safari Song.” It’s evident that Greta Van Fleet has built up a strong following, especially in the City of Angels.
Singer Josh Kiszka has an amazing voice that only grew stronger as the show progressed. He has learned from the greatest vocalists ever. Sure, he sounds like a young Robert Plant, but if that’s the case, he’s better than anyone in the numerous Led Zeppelin “tribute” bands flooding the market today. His brothers Jacob (guitar) and Sam (bass and keyboards) are talented musicians.
Drummer Danny Wagner plays loud and precise in that classic rock style. It was nice to actually see a drum solo in a concert performance again. I said this when I reviewed the band last year — these lads can play, and together, they are a very tight unit. Some Greta Van Fleet fans may not be aware of this, but Sam Kizska and Danny Wagner only graduated from high school last year before they hit the road.
If you haven’t seen Greta Van Fleet, I suggest you try to take in a live performance soon. Their fan base ranges from teens to baby boomers, and you don’t see that with many new bands. Their two EPs, Black Smoke Rising and From The Fires, show they can write solid songs of their own and cover unique, unexpected classics. Forget the comparisons to Led Zeppelin because there have been numerous bands in the past 30 years who have faced that same critique. I simply ask that one witness a Greta Van Fleet concert before they proclaim that “today’s music sucks.” You won’t be disappointed…
