JJ Grey's nine-person show wowed a packed house. Six of the songs played were from the new album "Olustee"and they fit right in with the more familiar favorites. The addition of two women singing backup/harmony on many songs created an extra dimension to the sound. The band played for over two hours without any real breaks, save about five minutes between the main show and the encore. We love the way JJ gives everyone on stage a chance to shine and be recognized, and the whole band absolutely nails every track live, from the leering swamp funk of "On Fire"(not to mention the new "Rooster") to the hymn-like "The Sun Is Shining Down"and the contemplative "The Sea". The crowd hung on every word - and sang along to it all.
We had GA tickets and the floor was pretty packed, so we opted to stay off to the side. The crowd was mostly our age - fortysomething/fiftysomething with a few boomers and Z'ers also enjoying the show. Sight lines and sound are great at this venue - even way off to the side of the stage we could see everything going on and hear the band well. That said, the size of the crowd meant people constantly bumping us, crowding in front of us for a few songs then leaving, etc. I'm not complaining - it's a concert, this is the way things go - but the obliviousness of some of the crowd was disappointing.
The staff at the venue were friendly and helpful. From the bar staff to the users to security, we felt welcome and comfortable the whole time.