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In the long history of concerts at the Creative Arts Center, few can ever come close to the energy, crowd intensity and overall excitement of the Old Crow Medicine Show.
The Tennessee-based alternative country group rocked the stage at the CAC Saturday night before a high energy crowd, who were 110 percent into the act throughout the show.
Before the concert began, classic country music was blaring through the speakers of the concert hall to the extreme enjoyment of those in attendance.
When a Waylon Jennings classic hit was played, the entire area began rocking. Men, women and children were dancing and singing in the aisles, and the best part was that the band had not even arrived on stage.
Once the Old Crow Medicine Show arrived, however, the packed house remained standing – clapping, singing and clogging along with the group from the first song to the last.
Opening up with a classic fiddle tune, Old Crow Medicine Show wasted no time getting things going.
Lead singer Ketch Secor quickly got into the grove with his world famous high-speed fiddle playing that would make Charlie Daniels cry for the devil.
It was not just Secor’s fiddle playing that kept the group alive throughout the show, the front man proved his musical versatility time and time again.
For the second song of the night, Secor broke out the harmonica and belted out truly soulful tunes. One would be hard-pressed to find a performer in country music today with such a remarkable stage presence.
The band expressed its love for the state of West Virginia to transition into the third song, and one of the most memorable of the night, "I Hear them All."
In honor of the crowd’s reaction to the house music before the show, the band then performed Waylon Jennings hit "My Next Go Round."
Slowing down the concert with a song from Jennings, one of the most legendary outlaws in country music history, is a testament to the outlaw image and attitude of this ever-rising old time string band.
For the crowd, though, Secor’s fiddle playing was a high octane addiction.
During the song "Humdinger," which describes a backwoods party, complete with the "wine, whiskey, women and guns," Secor nearly passed out from his continuous heavy play. Guitarist "Critter" Fuqua played the song with so much force that he broke two guitar strings during the song.
Following a short intermission, the group returned to the stage and picked up right where it left off.
After a few songs, Secor picked up a guitar for the first time in the night for the song "Crazy Eyes" and belted out the acoustic ballad to perfection.
The next two songs performed, "Caroline" and "Methamphetamine," were two of Old Crow Medicine Show’s most well-known hits, evident by the crowd’s reaction.
The best way to describe the front rows of the concert hall during these hits is a hillbilly mosh pit or, as Secor described the crowd, "grade A hillbillies with intellectual prowess."
A few songs later, a moment in music occurred that I will never forget, Old Crow Medicine Show broke out their smash hit "Wagon Wheel."
Every person in that sold out concert hall was going absolutely insane.
I have attended many concerts in my days, but the crowd and their reaction to that song was unprecedented.
After "Wagon Wheel," the show began to wind down, finishing off with a cover of The Beatles’ hit "Get Back" and finally ending with the band’s hit "Union Made."
This provided a great ending to one of the most fantastic concerts in WVU history from the most versatile band in music today.
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