As we ring in the new year, Orlando’s rock station 101.1 WJRR in collaboration with the House of Blues Orlando, gave us a special treat; Smith & Myers with opening act Mack & Moore! Since it was New Year’s Eve, fans were not only ecstatic to see the final show on their tour, but they were also thrilled to learn they would be counting down the last minutes till the new year with Brent Smith & Zach Myers. Safety protocols were in place to ensure the well-being of each concertgoer, staff from House of Blues, and all the musicians performing during the night. The doors opened at 8:30 pm, and the first act of the evening hit the stage right at 9:45.
Who doesn’t love some feel-good music? Well, Mack & Moore set the mood for the evening by playing everyone some of that! The talented duo took the stage by storm, belting out great tunes for the crowd to sing along to! It was a special treat all the way around when Zach Myers stepped out to the stage to jam a few songs on the piano with the guys. Mack & Moore is part of Zach Myers’s side project (Allen, Mack, Myers, & Moore) when he is not playing with Smith & Myers or Shinedown. It was just the beginning of what ended up being quite an epic night to celebrate the start of a new year.
Welcoming in the New Year with Smith & Myers was on top of the list for many, as this was the topic of discussion in many social media groups dedicated to the duo. Brent Smith & Zach Myers, the two musical geniuses who make up Smith & Myers, took the stage around 11 pm and instantly witnessed fans, young and old, gleaming with excitement. This dynamic duo had a hand full of wild and hilarious surprises chalked up their sleeves for the evening’s performance.
The first and the most exhilarating surprise was an adjusted set time to bring in 2022 with their fans; what a great memory for each and every attendee to be a part of! A top highlight from the evening was Zach Myers and wife Bethany singing Randy Travis’s “Forever and Ever, Amen” together on stage. The night also included a guest appearance from Chris Gaines (Who was really Brent Smith in a wig) singing “Bad at Love.” The duo expressed to fans each show on this tour would be unforgettable and different from any other Smith & Myers show. It definitely was!
Zach Myers, before each show, reached out to fans on social media about what song they would like to hear. He then built his setlist once he compiled all the answers. Brent had no clue which songs he was singing for the evening till he took the stage. This made not only this show but every show a truly unique experience for everyone!
When midnight was upon us, Brent & Zach along with Mack & Moore, helped the crowd with the final countdown into 2022; at the stroke of midnight, the room filled with confetti, and we were now into the new year! The music didn’t stop, it only got louder and more enticing! After bringing in the new year, the first song played in 2022 was the hit song “Valerie”, the crowd went wild and of course, sang along. Zach was all about uppity songs and was poking fun at Brent about playing songs in a different order than what was on the setlist he made for him.
The sharply dressed members of Smith & Myers told us some interesting and funny stories during the evening! One of the best stories was about Zach telling the crowd about the new “catchy” song his son wrote. Apparently, “Uncle Brent” had a lot to do with the making of this song. The reaction from the fans was priceless, and there was so much laughter it echoed through the whole venue. As each song played stimulated the crowd, the duo decided to play close to a 3-hour set. Indulging in top hits from their Volume 1 & Volume 2 album, they also included a few electrifying tunes from past Shinedown albums. During Zach’s solo, he jumped back on the piano to bring fans “Dragula Lament”, which is not only fun but hilarious to watch him get down on it. The end of the night mashup was the final icing on the cake!
The duo did include the crowd in choosing which songs to play next throughout the evening. The setlist is not in any specific order as Brent and Zach cracked on each other all night about what songs to play. It was an all-around amazing experience to witness such a great entrance into the new year. Welcome to 2022!
Smith & Myers Set List:
1.) Rebel Yell
2.) Coast to Coast
3.) Bad Guy
4.) Never Tear Us Apart
5.) I’ll Follow You
6.) State of My Head
7.) Misfits
8.) Losing My Religion
9.) Valerie
10.) Not Mad Enough
11.) How Do You Love
12.) Sound of Madness
13.) ZM Song x 3
14.) Bad At Love
15.) New School Shiver
16.) Simple Man
17.) Second Chance
18.) Unchained Melody
19.) In The Air Tonight
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