After all, both of these bands scored their biggest successes in the early-to-mid 1990s, most notably with Cracker’s “Low,” (“I’ll be with your girl/Like bein’ low”) and Drivin’ N’ Cryin’s “Build A Fire” (“Won’t you love, sing along/Won’t you come, to build a fire”). Those songs were released within two years of each other, and one might think that the bands crossed paths at some point during those years.

Nope. As Kevn Kinney, lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for Drivin’ N’ Cryin,’ this tour, which includes that aforementioned stop at The Foundry on June 5, is the first time the bands have played together.

“I knew who Cracker was at the time,” Kinney said in a recent interview, “but we didn’t meet until a lot later. David (Lowery, singer, songwriter and guitarist for Cracker) is a married to my best friend. And within just the last decade, I’ve really become a fan and a good friend of David and the band. They’re great people.”

In fact, the bass player for Kevn’s solo band is currently playing with Cracker, so think of it as a game of “Six Degrees of Drivin’ N’ Cryin’.”

“I’m not sure how we put it together,” Kinney added about the tour, “but I think it’s a great pairing.”

Fans of guitar-heavy alternative rock will have a blast at The Foundry show, and both bands will certainly bring the hits. Cracker is pretty much legally obligated to play “Low,” but they’ll also hit highlights like “Get Off This” and “Folksinger.”

As for Drivin’ N’ Cryin’, you can count on the misfit anthem “Straight To Hell,” the smoldering “Build A Fire,” and the aching “Honeysuckle Blue.”

But this isn’t all about nostalgia. Kinney and company have a new album out called “Crushing Flowers,” and he’s excited about playing some of it for the band’s fans.

“We’re doing five songs off the album, almost the whole first side,” Kinney said.

Those five songs will be done in a hurry though, because none of them are more than three minutes and there’s only one guitar solo on the whole record. Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ has been a lean and mean trio for a while now, and that more concentrated approach left zero fat on “Crushing Flowers.” Other than a guest appearance from R.E.M’s Peter Buck and some touches by producer/guitarist Sadler Vaden, it’s just the band and the songs.

“I was trying to make the perfect Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ fan record,” Kinney said. “I’ve kind of given up on trying to be a global star, or even trying to get played on the radio. But the good news is that we created our own world, and I want to stick to the people we’ve brought into this world. We’re going to dance with the ones that brung us.”

If Kinney has given up on ever becoming an international sensation, he certainly still values those people who have become part of Drivin’ N’ Cryin’s world over nearly 50 years.

“I really do love playing in clubs,” he said. “I know what my strengths are, and my strengths are listening to what the audience wants and throwing things out there that they might like to hear.”

“I don’t know how to be Bono or Springsteen,” he added with a laugh. “But I know how to play for Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ fans.”

Want to go?

Who: Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ and Cracker

When: Fri., June 5, 8:30 p.m.

Where: The Foundry at Judson Mill, 701 Easley Bridge Road, Greenville

Tickets and info: foundrygvl.com

The post Veteran rockers Drivin’ N’ Cryin’, Cracker bring ’90s nostalgia to The Foundry appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

You can marvel at the strength and power of Jason Bonham, the son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. No one’s ever hit harder than John, but Jason comes pretty damn close. He’s a beast behind the kit on roaring versions of “Whole Lotta Love,” “You Shook Me,” “Kashmir” and more.

But real music geeks will get a thrill out of Jason’s emphasis on the 1976 album “Presence,” probably the band’s most underrated release, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Which means fiery takes on lesser-known Zep epics like the 10-minute plus “Achilles Last Stand,” which opens “Presence.” It’s a song so complex that Jason has been trying not to play it for a while.

“The ‘Led Zeppelin Evening’ show is a 14-year project,” Bonham said in our interview, “and I’ve been avoiding it for 14 years. But we put it in this show, and once I was unafraid of it, it was so much fun to play.”

And on this edition of the tour, Bonham is diving into other complex “Presence” tracks like the sinister “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” the grinding, snake-hipped rocker “For Your Life” and the loose-limbed funk tune “Hots On For Nowhere.”

But the coolest part of the “Led Zeppelin Evening” show might just be the stories.

Tagging along with his dad, Jason actually saw Zeppelin recording “Presence” in the studio. Singer Robert Plant had been seriously injured in a car accident before recording had begun, so Bonham saw the mighty Robert Plant hobbled but howling.

“I remember falling asleep in the studio and then waking up and looking through the glass to see Robert in his wheelchair singing,” he said.

That’s what you’ll be seeing if you’re in the audience for the show. An evening of towering rock epics and a tribute to a band, and a man, who let the music do the talking.

“My Dad was confident, but shy in a certain way,” Bonham says. “He was very quiet unless he’d had a couple of drinks. He was a carpenter when he was very young, so when the band wasn’t working, he was building homes.”

I’ve loved Led Zeppelin since I was 15 and I didn’t know that. This show isn’t just a powerful musical experience; it’s a peek into music history.

Want to go?

What: Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening

When: Tues., June 3, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Peace Concert Hall, 300 S. Main St., Greenville

Tickets and info: peacecenter.org

The post Jason Bonham salutes Led Zeppelin at the Peace Concert Hall: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

George Strait, that is. The man who has gone from mere “country singer” to legendary icon. This is a man with 60, yes 60, number one country hits including “Amarillo By Morning,” “The Chair,” “All My Exes Live In Texas,” “Ocean Front Property” and more.

And he played all of those and more during his Death Valley show, which, along with the missus and me totaled 90,037 people, the highest attendance in Clemson history, football game or no.

We enjoyed the opening sets from Wyatt Flores and Cody Johnson, but everyone knew why we were there: To pay tribute to the King.

At 9:10 p.m. on the nose, Strait’s incredible band Ace in the Hole kicked things off with an instrumental version of “Deep in the Heart of Texas” and the man himself emerged, cowboy hat high, jeans ironed (no, seriously), smiling nervously. The place absolutely exploded. I have seen a lot of concerts in my life. I have never heard adoration like I heard for George Strait that night.

And why wouldn’t he be adored? He’s a famously private man who speaks shyly but sings like a true Texas cowboy. He loves Western swing as much as country, and the man knows how to pick the right songs to sing. And he sings every word like it’s the gospel truth.

The show was an avalanche of hits and favorites, with all the songs listed above along with the heartbreaking “I Can Still Make Cheyenne,” “Check Yes Or No,” “Unwound,” “How ‘Bout Those Cowgirls,” and “Give It Away” all delivered to deafening applause.

The band was cooking, stretching out on a cover of Waylon Jennings’ “Waymore’s Blues, Pt. 1” and tearing into Tom Petty’s “You Wreck Me” as a full-on rock band. And the rotating stage, long a trademark of Strait’s shows, meant there wasn’t a bad seat in the house.

But let’s face it, this was all about King George, that shy smile and his hearty, booming baritone.

Towards the end of the show, Strait launched into another trademark tune of his, “Troubadour.” As the screens above him filled with images from Strait’s 45+ year career, he sang, “I was a young troubadour when I rode in on a song/And I’ll be an old troubadour when I’m gone.”

Strait is 73 years old, and the weight of that song sunk in as he finished; he was singing about himself, picking up that acoustic guitar in 1981 and putting his first boot on that dusty path to becoming a legend.

All hail the king. Long may he reign.

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“I was maybe three or four years old when I used to take apart our clock,” Hancock told me in a recent interview. “I’d grab a screwdriver and take it apart, because I wanted to know why the second hand went around faster than the hour hand. How does that work?”

He did it to his Lionel electric train set, too.

“I’ve always been curious,” he said.

It’s easy to see that as a metaphor for Hancock’s career, which stretches back to the early 1960s. He began as an adept post-bop pianist, working with Miles Davis in his groundbreaking “Second Great Quintet” before going solo with albums that accented his acoustic piano playing, a mix of classical elegance and gospel joy.

Then Hancock was one of the first jazz musicians to embrace electric instruments and bring funk and rock influences into his work. In the’70s, Hancock had his biggest commercial success with the funk-fusion masterpiece “Chameleon.” That experimentation continued right into the 1980s with programmed beats and record-scratching on his biggest, most recognizable hit, the instrumental “Rockit.”

“I’ve always been into technology and science,” Hancock said of embracing electronics in his music, a controversial decision at the time. “That was my interest long before I started in music, and it’s how I got to be an early adopter of synthesizers.”

It also speaks to Hancock’s disregard of musical boundaries. His current set is a career retrospective that dips into his acoustic material before bringing out the keyboards and funky drumming.

“We’ve brought back some pieces from the early part of my career and shifted them around a little bit. And we’ve got a new song that I haven’t released. It’s called … well, actually it doesn’t have a title yet.”

Typical Hancock: Always pushing forward.

The 86-year-old musician said that he’s able to include selections from his entire career because of the chemistry he has with his band, which features trumpeter Terence Blanchard, guitarist Lionel Lueke, bassist James Genus and drummer Jaylen Petinaud.

“It’s not just about technique per se,” he said. “It’s how each person interacts with the rest of the band and the interplay, no matter who may be soloing. It’s the response to what the other players are playing and their interpretation of it. It’s a joy for me to play with all of them.”

Want to go?

Who: Herbie Hancock

When: Sun., May 12, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Peace Concert Hall, 300 S. Main St., Greenville

Tickets and info: peacecenter.org

The post Herbie Hancock looks back on his legacy ahead of Peace Center concert: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Say hello to Atlanta, Georgia’s Collective Soul, who are firmly in the latter category. Led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Ed Roland, the band was tight, melodic and, crucially, a down-the-line rock band in the age of grunge.

Collective Soul first hit in the early ‘90s with a definitive hit called “Shine” (“Heaven let your light shine down”) and followed that up with six more gold or platinum albums and hits like “December,” “The World I Know,” “Gel,” “Precious Declaration,” “Where The River Flows,” “Run” and many more.

Those are just some of the hits that drove Collective Soul’s worldwide album sales to 15 million copies and hundreds of millions of streams.

And those are just some of the songs the band will play during its Peace Concert Hall show in Greenville on April 28.

Bassist Will Turpin, who has been with the band since 1993, said in a recent interview that the band has been around long enough to see a multi-generational audience in front of it at every show.

“Sometimes, we’ll see three generations of one family all at our show,” Turpin told me. “We’ve got the fans of the ‘90s rock bands that can actually throw down that classic rock. And their kids want to see it, and the 20-somethings want to see it because their parents raised them on it.

“We’ve got 60-year-olds generation and 7-year-olds at our rock shows, man,” he added. “And that’s where you want to be. You want to be in a spot where you’re not limited to a certain audience.”

Of course, having big hits isn’t always enough to sustain a band over 35 years, which is how long Collective Soul has been doing this. That’s where a killer live show comes in.

“It’s just having pride in what you do as a musician and then finding that chemistry,” Turpin said of the band’s live show. “But at the end of the day, it boils down to emotion. Can you grab that emotion out of the song and transfer it to another human through musicianship?”

It also helps when the band is having blast onstage, pumping out the melodic, anthemic rock that made them go multi-platinum.

“We try to have a good time too,” Turpin said, “because if we’re not relaxed and having a good time, is going to be hard for us to truly create the best music.”

Want to go?

Who: Collective Soul

When: April 28, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Peace Concert Hall, 300 S. Main St., Greenville

Tickets and info: peacecenter.org

The post Rockers Collective Soul to ‘Shine’ at Peace Center: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Graham Nash, founding member of two classic rock groups, The Hollies and Crosby, Stills & Nash, writer of hits like “Teach Your Children Well,” “Our House,” and “Just A Song Before I Go,” Grammy-award winner, activist, author and photographer will be in town. He’s playing at the Peace Center that night, and he loves to check out towns where he play a concert. On foot.

“I walk around every city that we play in,” Nash told me in our recent interview. “Because I want to see what it’s like in those cities, and in Greenville on the 18th, I’ll do the same thing.”

If you decide to wait until the show that night, that’s fine, too. There will be plenty to enjoy, old and new. In addition to the classics you’d expect, Nash will also focus on his newest album, “Now,” delivering all the songs in that timeless, bell-like tenor voice.

“I know the six or seven songs that people really want to hear,” he said. They want me to play ‘Teach Your Children,’ and ‘Our House’ and ‘Military Madness’ and ‘Chicago’ and ‘Immigration Man.’  But in between, I can choose from the several hundred songs that I’ve written, and I’ll be playing a couple of tracks from ‘Now.’”

No matter the vintage of Nash’s songs, his audience remains surprisingly broad. In fact, it’s become multi-generational.

“My audience these days is somewhere between 14 and 75,” he said with a laugh. “Those are the demographics of the people that come and see me. It’s quite a range, and I think a lot of the younger people have been turned on to my music by their parents or from their family members.”

Whether he’s on stage, behind a camera or writing books like “Wild Tales: A Rock and Roll Life” and “Off the Record: Songwriters on Songwriting,” Nash still has the same passion for art that he did as a teenager with The Hollies back in the 1960s.

“My passion is fueled by my curiosity about the world,” Nash said. “My wife, Amy, showed me a quote from Nina Simone that was impressive to me: ‘No matter what kind of artist, you are, you must reflect the times in which you live.’ And that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Want to go?

Who: Graham Nash

When: April 18, 8 p.m.

Where: Peace Concert Hall, 300 S. Main St., Greenville

Tickets and info: peacecenter.org

The post Rock legend Graham Nash plays classics at the Peace Center: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

As opening day for the minor league season approaches on April 2, several new amenities and services for Drive fans have been unveiled at the park.

Fans who don’t want to wait in the concession line can now use the new Shortstop Self-Serve Market behind home plate. The self-checkout market is designed for quick “grab-and-go” food or drink, with a wide selection of hot and cold food, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. This is also a direct-to-seat delivery option.

“The grab-and-go, fresh market concept has become more and more popular over the last couple of years,” said Jeff Brown, president of the Greenville Drive. “We still have our traditional concession stands with unexpected offerings in different areas of the ballpark. But now, if you want something simple, you can get in and out.”

New Fluor Field executive chef

Fluor Field also has a new executive chef. Austyn McGroarty, a Woodside Bistro founder and recent “Chopped” competitor on the Food Network, is planning to transform the ballpark’s culinary identity.

“Austyn is from the community,” Brown said. “He knows the Drive and Fluor Field well. He’s been coming here his whole life. So not only is he a world-class chef, but he takes our reputation as the best minor league baseball organization in the country very seriously.”

The park’s luxury suites have been completely renovated with floor-to-ceiling glass facing the field. Each suite is equipped with a 75-inch television, new cabinets and countertops, and new induction cooking surfaces.

“The suites have always been the more premium spaces in the ballpark,” Brown said. “And now they’ve been totally transformed.”

Fans will also notice new flair on the field and new items at the merchandise stands this season. The team has a new line of hats and jerseys with exclusive designs.

“We’ve brought in new brands and new styles for the players,” Brown said. “And when you come through our team store, you’ll find a lot of those designs that you can’t get anywhere else.”

The Drive, a High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, compete in the South Atlantic League. The team and Fluor Field are coming off a season-long 20th anniversary celebration in 2025. Brown said the organization will continue to push for new ways to connect to the community.

“The community’s belief in us is something we never take for granted,” Brown said.

Greenville Drive 2026 opening weekend schedule

What: Opening weekend, Greensboro Grasshoppers at Greenville Drive

Where: Fluor Field, 945 S. Main St., Greenville

When: April 2-4, 6:45 p.m.

Tickets and info: milb.com/greenville

The post Fluor Field gets new food options, upgraded suites ahead of Greenville Drive opening day appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Kimberly Schlapman and Philip Sweet of Little Big Town, Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry and John Morgan, a protégé of country star Jason Aldean, will set up in the covered bar area behind first base and kick off a “Songwriters In The Round” show.

Each performer will play country radio hits like “Girl Crush,” “Pontoon,” “If I Die Young,” “Better Dig Two,” “Trouble With Heartbreak,” “If I Didn’t Love You” and some deep cuts as well. Along the way, all four will tell stories about the songs and how they were written.

And while you’re watching the show, you can grab some grub from the all-inclusive oyster roast on site, get a plate of barbecue and help yourself to an open bar.

Sounds like a great time, right? Well, it’s an even better time when you consider that this event is a fundraiser for the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities Foundation (SCGSAH). That would be a registered non-profit that raises funds for student scholarships to one of the most prestigious arts education institutions in the country.

Fundraiser at Fluor Field for SC Governor’s School

“We’re bringing some very well-known artists from the country music space,” said Amanda Herlihy, executive director of the SCGSAH, in our recent interview. “And they’re going to be putting on an intimate on that terrace at Fluor Field. It’s a smaller space, and they’re going to play songs and share stories behind these hits that we all know and love.”

And it’s all to benefit a foundation that has actually been around since the Governor’s School was built.

“The foundation started back in 1985, before the campus even existed,” Herlihy said. “It was started to support students who wanted to attend. It was started by Virginia Uldrick, and she was really adamant about having this campus be in Greenville.

“It’s been an amazing thing to see these kids who would otherwise not have these opportunities be able to have the opportunity here at the Governor’s School. And that’s really what the money from this event is meant for.”

So, to review: Cool concert, great location, good cause, more artists and musicians coming from the Upstate.

That’s music to my ears.

Want to go?

What: “Songwriters in the Round” Benefit

Where: Fluor Field in Greenville’s West End

When: March 26

Info: scgsah.org/foundation/songwriters-in-the-round

The post Stars from Little Big Town, The Band Perry to play Governor’s School benefit: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

There were places all over town, most notably The Handlebar, that hosted weekly jams where bluegrass musicians could sit down and start picking or jazz cats could play to their hearts content.

It seems like those nights have disappeared from our musical landscape as the venues that hosted them closed or moved. But Fireforge Crafted Beer on Washington Street has stepped into the gap on both fronts. They host a free bluegrass jam on Tuesday nights starting at 6:30 p.m., and a Sunday Jazz Jam at 4 p.m.

Even better, Fireforge has spent the last few years building a reputation for hosting top-notch live music, so the creators of these jams came to them. Local players Samuel Kruer and Matt Purinton run the bluegrass night, and the venerable Greenville Jazz Collective handles Sundays.

Brian and Nicole Cendrowski, the husband-and-wife team that owns Fireforge, told me they are thrilled to host the two nights as part of their commitment to live local music.

“Sam and Matt had played at Fireforge over the years,” Nicole Cendrowski said, “and they really liked the environment. We’d done some renovations (expanding their space and adding a dedicated listening room with a stage) just to make it more conducive to live music as well. So they came to us, and they were interested in rebooting that gathering.”

“It’s been steady and well-supported ever since,” she added.

When to see jazz at Fireforge

Similarly, about a year ago, the Greenville Jazz Collective approached Fireforge about starting up the Sunday Jazz Jam.

“They said they were looking for a new place to do a Sunday Jazz Jam,” she said. “The two events have very different vibes, but they’re both so much fun.”

These two thriving weekly jam sessions serve as indicators that Fireforge Crafted Beer is fully committed to having as much live music as possible on their stage.

“We’ve been supporting live music for a long time, and I think our local musicians see that,” Brian Cendrowski told me. “We make it a point to treat these musicians well and be as accommodating as possible. And I think it’s great that those musicians chose to continue their traditions at our venue.”

The full Fireforge Crafted Beer event schedule can be found at fireforge.beer.

The post Fireforge Crafted Beer keeps weekly jazz, bluegrass jams alive: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Over a more than 20-year career, Kopp has written for seminal music magazines and websites including Spin, Grammy.com, Record Collector, Goldmine, Billboard, Shindig! and Trouser Press. He has also done extensive writing for the Grammy Awards website and maintains a thriving website (musoscribe.com) with hundreds of articles and interviews.

He has written three books: “Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave” (2021), “Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon” (2018) and “What’s the Big Idea? 30 Great Concept Albums” (2025). I consider “Reinventing Pink Floyd” to be the definitive account of Pink Floyd’s pre-“Dark Side” years.

At the Sigal Music Museum, he’ll discuss his interviews, interludes and awkward moments with artists such as David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, the Avett Brothers, Tony Bennett, Clint Black, Bootsy Collins and Shawn Colvin.

“I’m going to give people a bit of history and some anecdotes about some of the more unusual interviews that I’ve conducted,” Kopp told me. “I’ve done more than 1,300, so there have been a couple of wacky ones in there. And then there have been a lot of really good ones where I sit and think, ‘This is why I do this.’”

For Kopp, as it was for me, writing about the music he loved wasn’t a choice.

“I always knew from before I even started kindergarten what I wanted to do for a living,” he said. “I didn’t know exactly what a music journalist was, but I knew I wanted to be one. At a really young age, I started paying attention to the DJs on the radio who would tell us who the artist was. I made a note of those things. From that point forward, I was interested in knowing who was making this music and what their stories were. And obviously the older I got, the more nuanced those questions became and the more I wanted to find the answers.”

Kopp will also talk about becoming a better interviewer thanks to a captive audience: his wife, Audrey.

“She would hear me doing my interviews, and she would hear me interrupt,” he said with a laugh. “I would talk over my interviewees, and I don’t do that anymore because she said, ‘Stop doing that! Let them talk!’”

Want to go?

Who: Bill Kopp, “Adventures in Music Journalism”

When: March 1, 3 p.m.

Where: Sigal Music Museum, 516 Buncombe St., Greenville

Tickets and info: Free, but registration is required in advance at sigalmusicmuseum.org

The post Author Bill Kopp shares ‘Adventures in Music Journalism’ at Sigal Music Museum: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Vocalist extraordinaire Jane Monheit is coming to town Feb. 13 for a special duo show with virtuoso pianist Max Haymer. The two will perform selections from the Great American Songbook.

To my male readers: Did you see the date of the show? Feb. 13. The day before Valentine’s Day. It’s probably a very romantic show. Just saying.

The typical Monheit set includes soulful, skillful versions of classics like “On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)”, “Till There Was You,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Lush Life,” “Too Close for Comfort,” “Whatever Lola Wants” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”

Monheit, whose vocals were described by AllMusic.com critic David Adler as “about as close to flawless as a human can get,” is excited by the idea of playing a new venue, particularly a smaller one.

Jane Monheit at The Mockingbird

“It’s exciting to be one of the first people they thought of,” Monheit said of The Mockingbird during our interview. “The smaller the better, because you’re really close to the audience and you can have a good time with the people. You can be more conversational with everybody and feel more connected. And achieving that connection is a huge goal in any show I do.”

Monheit typically plays in a trio format, and she rarely gets an opportunity to do duet shows. The set with Haymer features songs by some of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century, including Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, and Rodgers and Hammerstein.

“The duo show feels a lot more personal to me,” she said. “It’s special, and it’s something that we love to do. And Max is astonishing in his talent, a beautiful accompanist and one of my best friends in the entire world. So that adds another layer to the show. It feels like I’m there with family.”

And people definitely want to hear those songs from Monheit. She’s released more than a dozen albums, and her biggest songs, like “Taking a Chance on Love” and “Moonlight in Vermont,” have been streamed tens of millions of times.

“I think the lyrics are universal,” she said of the appeal of those classic tunes. “We wouldn’t have any of the popular music that we listen to today without the Great American Songbook. These lyrics are about love. They’re about things that are never going to change.”

Want to go?

Who: Jane Monheit, with Max Haymer

When: Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.

Where: The Mockingbird, 330 S. Main St., Greenville

Tickets and info: peacecenter.org

The post Jazz vocalist Jane Monheit brings soulful show to The Mockingbird: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

“So Damn Free,” the aforementioned new single, is both a reaffirmation of Crosby’s sound and a step forward. His previous album, called “2019,” hewed pretty closely to the modern country sound, with catchy choruses, a splash of rock instrumentation and a healthy dose of honky-tonk twang.

There are elements of that style in “So Damn Free,” but it’s fresher. The song is an anthem, with a chorus made for stadiums and an infectious momentum.

“We were pedal to the metal ’til the needle shakes/Michelin spinning down the PCH,” he sings in the adrenaline rush of the chorus, pining for the time when he and his friends felt, well, “So Damn Free.”

Crosby’s tour is called the “So Damn Free” tour, but it’s not strictly because of his new single. He’s feeling a lot freer these days.

“I’ve been very open about this,” Crosby said in our interview. “I’ve struggled with alcohol abuse. I’ve been sober now for about five months. And so, this entire tour, this entire year, is about this freedom that I have that I’ve never had before. It doesn’t even feel like the tour is to promote the single. It’s to promote this phase of life.”

Having said that, the single is important because it represents a definitive break from mainstream country into something more personal for Crosby.

“I have so many influences that aren’t country,” he said. “I have a massive painting of David Bowie in my house. I love Adele. I grew up listening to (hip-hop artist) Khalid. So, there are these different things that I draw from. And now I feel like as an artist I get to put all of those things into my music.”

It might be a departure, but so far Crosby’s audience is coming along for the ride. He’s always had a strong connection with his fans, with even his deep album cuts racking up hundreds of thousands of streams.

“We played an unreleased song for them last night and they absolutely loved it,” he said. “They were jumping up and down and even dancing to it. If it’s coming from the depths of your soul, people are going to connect to that.”

See other music columns from Vincent Harris

Want to go?

Who: Logan Crosby, the “So Damn Free” tour

When: Feb. 5, 8 p.m.

Where: Radio Room, 28 Liberty Lane, Greenville

Tickets and info: radioroomgreenville.com

The post Country star Logan Crosby celebrates new era at the Radio Room: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

His performance at the Peace Concert Hall in Greenville Jan. 24 will feature multiplatinum hits, lights, confetti and the whole shebang, signaling a return to the high-energy production.

“For last year’s tour, we stripped it down,” Young told me in a recent interview. “We put a cello onstage, took tracks out and eliminated all the gags. There was no fire. There was no confetti. We wanted it to be a storytelling, songwriter-driven event for the year.”

That plan was designed to showcase Young’s album “2.0,” which marked a subtle departure from his trademark “Caliville” sound, a blend of California ease and Nashville polish. It’s the approach that helped Young score four No. 1 hits from his 2017 debut album: “Sleep Without You,” “In Case You Didn’t Know,” “Like I Loved You” and “Mercy.” He also earned diamond certification for “In Case You Didn’t Know,” meaning the single sold more than 10 million copies.

Now, that signature sound is firmly back in the spotlight.

“The previous tour was incredible,” Young said. “It was everything I envisioned it to be. But you can’t do that forever. You’ve got fans coming to party at a country show. So we’ve added all of the bells and whistles back in, and we’re coming with high energy.”

With “2.0” now fully released, Young says the new tour balances fresh material with familiar favorites. “We’re putting a bunch of the new music in the set,” he said. “We’re going to bring some energy and have some fun this year.”

Expect the Peace Center show to include fiery versions of “In Case You Didn’t Know,” “Mercy” and “Lady,” mixed with deeper album cuts like “You Ain’t Here to Kiss Me,” “Dance With You” and “Tastes Like You,” plus a classic cover or two.

Young is also watching audience reactions closely as he performs the “2.0” songs, using live feedback to help determine the album’s next single. The record reflects a shift away from party-all-night anthems and toward more mature themes centered on family, perspective and domestic life.

Regardless of the set list, Young says he has a special affection for playing in the Southeast, where his career gained early traction.

“When I was first getting started, there was a bar called Coyote Joe’s in North Carolina that booked me before I had a single on the radio,” he said. “So we’ve spent a lot of time out there, and we always have a blast.”

Want to go?

Who: Brett Young, the “2.0” tour

When: Jan. 24, 8 p.m.

Where: Peace Concert Hall, 300 S. Main St., Greenville

Tickets and info: peacecenter.org

The post Country superstar Brett Young brings ‘2.0’ tour to the Peace Center: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

On Jan. 3, 2025, Greenville singer-songwriter and musician Gavin Glover had an 11-minute grand mal seizure. Most people do not live through an 11-minute grand mal seizure.

The post Gavin Glover’s ‘The Guest’ chronicles brain cancer battle: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

“I’ve looked at a lot of this talent that we have around Greenville,” Caparell told me in our interview, “and there are a lot of good rappers out there. When it comes to me rapping, I’ve got nothing on these guys. I really had to step my game up.”

REdEFIND, the quartet of Caparell, drummer Dustan Snow, bassist Drew Porter and guitarist Dru “Drucipher” Woodall, will play an EP release show at Greenville’s Radio Room Jan. 10. And the fact is that REdEFIND, one of the Upstate’s most popular bands, has evolved to a stunning degree on the eight-track release.

The band has created a massive-sounding collection of jagged, angular riffs and tricky rhythms that pounds like early morning construction all the way through. Snow and Porter are a spine-snapping rhythm section, and Woodall lives up to his name with fiendish riffs on “To Go, to Grow,” “Content Culture” and the merciless imposter call-out “Copycat.”

As for Caparell, in conversation he tended to charmingly downplay his vocal contributions to the album in favor of his bandmates.

“Dru, our guitarist, writes some wild stuff,” he said, for example. “It’s different. It’s not what you hear on the radio.”

But Caparell is just as skilled in his roles as singer and lyricist. His raging roar on “Clarity” drives home the song’s “What’s wrong with me?” fury. His old-school rap kicks off the “be yourself” anthem “PE Class” with flair. And his disarmingly creepy croon increases the impact of his take on the rise of the influencer, “Content Culture.”

“I feel like we’ve evolved on every album,” Caparell said of “Still Dreamin’,” the band’s fourth EP. “We have gotten so much better from (previous release) ‘Let’s Party’ to now. I think we have really tuned into our sound, and we know what we want to do.”

As for the release show on Jan. 10, Caparell said the band plans on playing most of the EP’s eight songs, and more.

“We want to incorporate all of our stuff from over the years, but we also want to play the new stuff,” he said. “I love this headlining show, because it’s going to give us a chance to play at least six or seven of the new songs.”

Want to go?

Who: REdEFIND, with A War to Win, Lanidae and Lila Graves (EP release show)

When: Saturday, Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Radio Room, 28 Liberty Lane, Greenville

Tickets and info: radioroomgreenville.com

The post Greenville rockers REdEFIND celebrate new EP at Radio Room: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.