Revivalists - Vina Robles Ampitheatre, Paso Robles, 26/9/2019

by L. Paul Mann

published: 8 / 11 / 2019

Revivalists - Vina Robles Ampitheatre, Paso Robles, 26/9/2019

L. Paul Mann watches New Orleans rock band the Revivalists wind up their 2019 tour at the Vina Robles Amphitheatre in California.

Article

The alt-rock powerhouse band known as the Revivalists brought their high energy concert to the Vina Robles Amphitheatre on a chilly fall night, for the second to the last show of their 2019 'Take Good Care' tour. The show opened with a twilight set by Nashville blue-eyed soul singer Anderson East. The charismatic singer has even managed to capture the romantic attention of Miranda Lambert. The singer and his accomplished band of rock-infused musicians put on a stunning opening show. East belted out original Southern-tinged soul and blues tunes while the band wailed furiously behind him. The personable singer bantered with the crowd frequently and wandered into the crowd on several occasions. The extended opening set included several covers including, Willie Nelson’s 'Somebody Pick Up My Pieces' and Peter Gabriel’s 'Sledgehammer'. The crowd huddled tightly together in the cold roared with approval. As the darkness set in around the beautiful mountainside venue and stars twinkled in the crystal clear night sky, the Revivalists sauntered onto the stage, beaming broad smiles. The eight-piece group is a powerhouse jam band fronted by animated and energetic lead singer David Shaw. In addition to Shaw, the New Orleans group includes, Zack Feinberg on guitar, Andrew Campanelli on drums, George Gekas on bass, Ed Williams playing pedal steel guitar, Rob Ingraham on saxophone, Michael Girardot on keyboards and trumpet and PJ Howard also on drums and percussion. Shaw darted about the stage, seeming to make eye contact with most everyone in the audience. Throughout the show, he would shoot into the crowd and make his way all about the venue. The band tore through a nearly two-hour high energy set that had concert-goers singing and dancing until the final encore. The set list included many of the tracks from 2018’s 'Take Good Care' album. The Revivalists opened with a selection of mostly new material, including 'When I’m With You', 'You Said It All,' 'You and I', 'Change', 'Oh No' and 'All My Friends'. They also ended their main set with another song from the latest album, 'Celebration'.The group also played some of their older well-known tunes, including songs from the 2015 album 'Men Amongst Mountains” like “It Was A Sin,” and “Catching Fireflies.” After an extended standing ovation in the cold late night air, the band returned for a triumphant encore that stretched to four songs including, “Soulflight” from their self-titled debut EP from 2008. The group threw in a bit of Pink Floyd while playing their song 'Wish I Knew You' and they ended the evening with a brilliant take on The Rolling Stones, 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want'. The Vina Robles Amphitheatre, which may be the best outdoor concert venue in California, ended its 2019 season with Grammy, Tony, and Emmy award-nominated singer, songwriter, actress, and author Sara Bareilles on October 27, marking a record-breaking season. According to Nederlander concerts, “The venue experienced its best season to date, with 93% growth in ticket sales since opening in 2013. The venue hosted over 65,000 fans, sold more than $4 million in ticket sales and presented 12 sellout concerts at the intimate outdoor venue. World-renowned artists such as Willie Nelson and Family, Foreigner, Sublime with Rome, Kacey Musgraves, The Avett Brothers, Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, Los Ángeles Azules, Social Distortion and Flogging Molly, Peter Frampton with Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening, Cole Swindell and Jason Mraz were among the sellout performances. “This was a great season for Vina Robles Amphitheatre, and I am grateful to our incredible team. We look forward to continued growth in the future with many more successful seasons for the fans and artists,” said Paul Leatherman, general manager at Vina Robles Amphitheatre. In its seventh year of operation, the Vina Robles Amphitheatre has become one of the largest outdoor venues for arts and entertainment in San Luis Obispo County. The boutique amphitheatre is nestled on a picturesque, oak-dotted hillside in Paso Robles on California's Central Coast. Owned and operated by Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery, Nederlander Concerts has exclusively programmed the venue since 2014. “We are thrilled with our partnership at the Vina Robles Amphitheatre and are committed to bringing more diversity and live entertainment to the Central Coasts’ burgeoning music scene,” said Alex Hodges, CEO of Nederlander Concerts. “The venue’s staff and atmosphere have created a unique experience for artists and guests, which results in consistent growth year over year.” Photos by L. Paul Mann www.lpaulmann.com