MUSIC
Rain doesn’t stop Darius Rucker performance at First Financial Credit Union Amphitheater
Country star played recent hits and some from his ’90s era with Hootie and the Blowfish
Despite monsoon showers and a lightning alert delaying the gate opening, the wagon wheels still spun at the Darius Rucker concert on Friday night at First Financial Credit Union Amphitheater.
While fans trickled in from the storm, opener Austin Williams took the stage at 7:30, followed by Old Crow Medicine Show, who were an energetic and folksy highlight of the night. It was a great introduction to seeing the band live, as I wasn’t familiar with their music until a few days before the concert, when I was listening to prepare.
The band is the original performer of Rucker’s most well-known cover, “Wagon Wheel.” Bob Dylan and Ketch Secor (no relation to me that I know of) co-wrote the song, and Old Crow Medicine Show released it in 2004.
Rucker covered it in 2013, turning it into a country classic.
I listened to the original song before the show, and I really enjoyed the folksy tune compared to Rucker’s high-energy country version. However, even though it is Old Crow Medicine Show’s song, the band didn’t perform it during the opener. Instead, they took the stage to perform it with Rucker as the closing song of the night.
The mix of their version and Rucker’s blended to end the night with a bang as fans screamed the lyrics back. My personal favorite part of the night was when those on stage went quiet and let the sounds of the fans singing the chorus fill the amphitheater.
The show didn’t have many stage effects, aside from a few fun lighting cues and projections, but that didn’t make it any less entertaining. The music took the forefront as a concert should and Rucker played a nearly two-hour set.
The setlist had everything from covers to radio hits and songs from his other well-known band Hootie and the Blowfish, where he started his music career in 1984. In 2008, Rucker transitioned to a solo country career with the release of “Learn to Live.”
His setlist included country songs like “Beers and Sunshine” and “Radio” and songs from his time with Hootie and the Blowfish like “Let Her Cry” and “Hold My Hand.”
A standout of the night was Rucker singing a yet-to-be-released single, “I Believe.” All night, I was looking forward to the beloved classics and was surprised to hear a new song. The lyrics proved to be a tear-jerker as the song is about believing in yourself, hope, love and life when going through hard times.
It felt similar to one of my favorite Noah Kahan songs, “Call Your Mom.” It's not from the perspective of the person going through the hard times, but from those who love them, see what they’re going through, and want to offer them comfort and hope. I can’t wait for it to be officially released.
While Rucker did not sell out First Financial Amphitheater, it was easy to see that the fans who were there attended for the deep catalog of songs the country star has built over decades of performing. Rucker brought a packed and beloved setlist to the amphitheater, and it was well worth getting rained on.
Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow for the ϼ. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.