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Zac Brown Band and Gaelic Storm Get Rowdy Before the Storm in Nashville
by Rich and Laura Lynch
We caught up with the Zac Brown Band (ZBB) on Wednesday, April 02, 2025 which was one of two highly anticipated gigs at The Pinnacle in Nashville, Tennessee. While much of Davidson County would be hunkered down in their safe spots as potentially destructive storms rolled through the region only hours later - as the celebratory show developed on one of the newest stages in town, fans did not let the reports of predicted flooding and tornadoes dampen their spirits as they danced to the music of ZBB and the opening act Gaelic Storm.
Zac Brown is the lead singer and co-founder of the Grammy Award-winning southern rock band Zac Brown Band.
Zac Brown is the founder and front man for the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning, southern rock group the Zac Brown Band. He is also a well-respected businessman, producer, record label head and songwriter who is also known for his philanthropy. It is no wonder that he has a strong following which on Wednesday night included quite a few youngsters with their parents ready to sing and sway along to his hits.
Zac Brown Band's success is attributed to his interest in pushing creative boundaries. He has collaborated with top artists across genres including Avicii, Chris Cornell, Jimmy Buffett, Foo Fighters, Sheryl Crow, Sara Bareilles, Jason Mraz and more. He also pens relatable prose that people can easily connect to at his engaging concerts.
Zac Brown and ZBB played two big shows in Nashville in April.
In Nashville, the sizeable band that included a horn section opened with "Toes" which had a fun Jimmy Buffet beach vibe reflecting right away that Zac's music echoes of a lot of musical styles. Next, the feel good "Homegrown" took us to the good life in small town Georgia.
Sticking with that state theme the ZBB paid tribute to the late Charlie Daniels with an animated "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" with ZBB veteran Jimmy De Martini aptly handling the all-important fiddle part. We also enjoyed the contributions of relative newcomer Caroline Jones who parlayed her musical skills and high profile presence on social media into a prominent position in one of country music's most-loved touring acts.
Brown's songs gave us a sense of place and "My Kind of Medicine" had us out on the water where we might be fishing or fixing what's broken. "Sweet Annie" let us know that life on the road is not as glamorous as one might think.
The Pinnacle was country rockin' on a stormy Wednesday night in Music City.
"As She's Walking Away" shared some advice about fallin' in love and featured Drake White. Drake was one of a number of special guests who joined the ZBB during their time in Nashville. ZBB played more fan favorites including "Loving You Easy" and "Chicken Fried" along with tasteful takes on "The Chain" (Fleetwood Mac), "Black Velvet" (Alannah Myles) and for the encore "Thriller" (Michael Jackson).
Zac with his talented team melded country, folk, rock and more into their show. His relatable songs such as "My Old Man" which he dedicated to dads were very visual and we frequently felt that we at the spot that he was describing in his songs. Thus, proving he has mastered the craft of storytelling paired with a professional stage show that made for a stellar night in Music City despite the pending storms.
Who would think that a gig on a sinking ship would launch a career but Gaelic Storm came into prominence when they appeared in the blockbuster film Titanic where they performed "Irish Party in Third Class". Since then, this pub band has built a strong following with their genre-blending Irish rock that really comes to life in a live setting. They did a great job of connecting with The Pinnacle crowd and likely won some new fans on Wednesday night.
Longtime associates Gaelic Storm are currently the opening act on this leg of the ZBB tour.
Gaelic Storm introduced themselves and went right into a foot tapping tribute to whiskey. The band's front man - the aptly named Patrick Murphy - presented "The Night That Pat Murphy Died" as a sad song about his death and the tale featured fiddle, harmonica and even clapping. "The Beer Song" was about prohibition with a punchy call and response part. "I've Got The Sky Got The Road" also had the audience handling the hook. They closed with "One More Day Above the Roses" which engaged the crowd as did most of their energetic 45-minute set.
Notable on stage was the youthful presence of Parker Hastings - a 24 year old fingerstyle guitarist, singer and songwriter from Kentucky who is now making his mark on the Nashville scene as well as with Gaelic Storm with whom he just became a full-time member. With influences ranging from country, jazz, bluegrass, contemporary to folk music - Parker's unique sound and personable charisma is a perfect fit within the structure of the established Celtic rock outfit.
The Pinnacle opened in 2025. It has a modern-industrial feel with state-of-the-art sound and visuals with a 4,500 capacity. The Pinnacle is part of a mixed-use concept and the venue aims to become a draw for world-class live performances and community engagement. The Pinnacle's has plenty of bars and lounge areas. Their general admission ticket gives fans access to the floor and rafters (concrete seating) unless those sections are reserved and some shows have assigned seating. They also have a roof top that is open on show days or is available for rent and of course they have a full lineup of shows featuring the likes of the Zac Brown Band with Gaelic Storm.
Gaelic Storm really did cook up a tempest in Tennessee.
Related Links:
For more information on ZAC BROWN BAND and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -
Zac Brown Band |
Gaelic Storm |
The Pinnacle
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