Simpson was excellent at engaging the crowd throughout the night, making people laugh by commenting about how "moist" it was in the humid theater and responding to a handful of "I love you, Sturgill!" comments with hilarious replies that surely made the day of whichever fan communicated with him each time. His Kentucky drawl filled the theater, keeping everybody's attention with ease. He introduced his entire band at one point, including renowned guitarist Laur Joamets who came across as effortlessly talented, never seeming to lose his composure while bending his fingers through one great lick after another. Joamets credits Simpson for helping him develop as a guitarist, which isn't surprising considering how skilled Sturgill is on the guitar. Throughout the night, Simpson had complete control of the instrument, displaying his talent with ease.
The band often veered into extended jam sessions in the middle of or at the ends of songs, allowing the horn section and Joamets to thrill the crowd with unexpected moments not heard on the studio releases. Most songs were played slightly different from how they were recorded, putting a distinct focus on the performance aspect, and allowing fans to enjoy the music in ways that they hadn't been able to before the concert. Simpson and his band are world class musicians playing arguably some of the best music floating around country and rock landscapes today, though it'd be foolish to say that those two genres give fans a good idea of Simpson's sound. There really isn't any way to comfortably place him in any one genre, which is undoubtedly part of what makes him great in the first place. Whenever critics and fans try to place him, Simpson comes back with his next release and transcends genre lines. To say his 3 studio albums sound drastically different from one another would be an understatement to the obvious.
Highlights from the night vary between the softer material, including a killer cover of When in Rome's "The Promise" from his second album, and the louder, more aggressive material such as "Brace for Impact (Live a Little)" from his most recent release. "The Promise" included an excellent solo from Simpson's sax player, while "Brace for Impact" was pure energy, even during the slower first section of the song. Another clear highlight for me was his cover of "I Never Go Around Mirrors," and as a classic country fan I can only hope that most of the audience knew what they were listening to as he easily conveyed the emotion of the song. Simpson ended his set by playing A Sailor's Guide to Earth from front to back. The closing song "Call to Arms" was extended by several minutes with a furious jam session, ending the concert as fittingly as anyone could have dreamed.
As a fan, the quality of music was so very moving and the level of happiness I felt throughout the nearly 2 hour set was incredible. There wasn't a single song played that I don't have some level of appreciation for, which is a rarity for me as a passionate music enthusiast. Almost every artist has recorded songs that irritate me, but nothing in Simpson's catalog bothers me, nor do any of the covers he chooses to perform on a regular basis. I'm not positive that it was my favorite concert experience just yet, but it's damn close and may just take the top spot after I've had more time to think about it.
As the band walked off the stage to a standing ovation, Simpson stuck around for a few more seconds to throw guitar picks to fans, then simply said, "Thank you, Fargo" before he stepped behind the curtain.
*Written by Kellen Dobmeier, edited by April Dahlgren
Upcoming reviews:
Cody Jinks--I'm Not the Devil
Justin Moore--Kinda Don't Care
Tremonti--Dust
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