I have been looking forward to covering Greta Van Fleet’s Dreams In Gold Tour since it was rescheduled last October. Not only was I going to be able to check another awesome band off my list, but another venue as well. Up until now I had never been to the Amalie Arena, so I was eager to see what it had to offer. The trek from Orlando to Tampa was unusually daunting and logged in at around 2 hours and 45 minutes. I arrived early enough to check out Thunder Plaza just before the rain and wind arrived. I’m not one for conspiracies, but I’d swear that bad weather follows me wherever I go. No worries, I grabbed my pass, geared up and it was showtime.
Starting off the evening’s event was blues and soul artist Robert Finley. Finley grew up in Louisiana and has been playing guitar since he was 11 years old. Finley’s talents also served him well during his time in the army as he assumed the role of guitarist and bandleader in the army band. After being declared legally blind, he released his debut album, Age Don’t Mean A Thing, in 2016 and he later became a contestant on the hit television show America’s Got Talent. Finley and his band took the stage at 7:00pm and what followed was an inspired and soulful set of the best blues you’ve ever heard. 2021’s “Sharecropper’s Son” got things started and the crowd was really enjoying the vibe. Finley, wearing his signature leather hat, told the crowd he was going to do his best to make this the best night they’ve ever had. The rest of the set included songs like “Get It While You Can,” and “Make Me Feel Alright,” and the band really got the fans warmed up. If you’re a fan of the blues be sure to follow Finley online (links at bottom of review).
Robert Finley:
Robert Finley: Guitar, Vocals
Shane Boeker: Guitar
Christy Johnson: Vocals, Tamborine
Aaron Goodrich: Drums
Setlist:
1.Sharecropper’s Son
2.Souled Out On You
3.Three Jumpers
4.Get It While You Can
5.Make Me Feel Alright
Next up was Houndmouth, a quartet of bluesy rockers from New Albany, Indiana. The band has amassed quite a following over the last 12 years and has released several albums, the most recent of which was 2021’s Good For You. As we awaited the band’s arrival, I noticed a bunch of fans on the railing holding signs stating “we’re here for Houndmouth.” The band began with “Las Vegas” and followed it up with “Cool Jam.” Several large, yellow, neon mushrooms blended in nicely with the purplish stage lights. Prior to playing “Palmyra,” vocalist Matt Myers told the crowd that it was their 1st time in Tampa, and it was an absolute pleasure. The band’s tour manager, a Tampa native, came out wearing a Tampa Bay Lightning jersey and gave one to drummer Shane Cody, who promptly put it on. The 45-minute set went by in a flash and was concluded with the fan-favorite, “Sedona.” Houndmouth did an excellent job in keeping the night’s momentum going and the fans were not disappointed.
Houndmouth:
Matt Myers: Guitar, Vocals
Caleb Hickman: Keyboard, Vocals
Zak Appleby: Bass, Vocals
Shane Cody: Drums, Vocals
Setlist:
1.Las Vegas
2.Cool Jam
3.Make It To Midnight
4.Palmyra
5.McKenzie
6.Honey Slider
7.Good For You
8.My Cousin Greg
9.Darlin’
10.Sedona
A little before 9:00pm we headed to the pit for the main event, Greta Van Fleet. A large curtain displaying the symbols from the band’s The Battle At Garden’s Gate album hung in front of the stage. The house lights went out and the Dreams In Gold monologue could be heard throughout the venue. Strobes flickered beyond the curtain and silhouettes of the band could be seen. The curtain turned red and finally dropped, revealing the band to the desirous crowd. The 1st song of the set was “Built By Nations,” and midway through, large plumes of fire billowed around the stage. Drummer Daniel Wagner was unfazed as two of these infernos served as bookends to his kit. As the band started to play “Black Smoke Rising,” frontman Josh Kiszka took a moment to remove his robe, displaying a 1-piece, sequined jumpsuit bearing dragons and flames.
Guitarist Jake Kiszka took center stage as he belted out the riffs for 2017’s “Safari Song.” Jake also opted for the dragon theme, but in the form of a black long-sleeved shirt and black pants. Josh told the fans that this was a rock n’ roll show and to “smoke it if you got it.” Wagner then went on to knock out a 7-minute, blistering drum solo. Josh also took advantage of the break and jumped on a crew member’s shoulders and started handing out flowers in the pit. As the band readied to play “Heat Above,” Josh said that tonight was a celebration and added, “we made it”! As mentioned earlier, this show was rescheduled from October due to Josh suffering a ruptured eardrum.
Throughout the performance, Sam Kiszka alternated between the keys and his bass. Like his brother Josh, Sam elected to go barefoot. A brief piano solo rolled right into “Light My Love.” One of the best performances of the night was “Broken Bells.” Josh absolutely crushed the vocals while Jake put his acoustic guitar to work. Josh introduced “The Weight Of Dreams” as one of the most important songs they’ve ever written and is a sort of thesis of the Dreams In Gold Tour. Jake totally shredded the solos on this one. The fire roared once again but remained lit as the song ended. After a brief pause, the band returned for their encore. The 1st song of the encore, “Flower Power,” symbolizes what Greta Van Fleet and its fans are all about. It was no surprise that “Highway Tune” was chosen to close out this amazing show. Explosions, clouds of smoke and a dynamically scintillating rendition are what followed. Waiting 5 months for this rescheduled show was definitely worth it. There are only a handful of U.S. dates left on this tour but if you have the opportunity, don’t miss it.
Greta Van Fleet:
Josh Kiszka – Vocals
Jake Kiszka – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Sam Kiszka – Bass, keyboards/piano, Backing Vocals
Daniel Wagner -Drums, Backing Vocals
Setlist:
1.Built By Nations
2.Black Smoke Rising
3.Safari Song
Drum Solo
4.Caravel
5.Heat Above
6.Light My Love
7.Broken Bells
8.Age Of Machine
9.The Weight Of Dreams
Encore:
10.Flower Power
11.Highway Tune
Follow Robert Finley Online:
Follow Houndmouth Online:
Follow Greta Van Fleet Online:
I’ve had a love for photography since I was young. Whether it was a Polaroid or a Kodak 110, I was always the kid with the camera. My love of music goes back even further. Nothing beats being at a show when those lights go down and the crowd goes nuts.
