MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

RASCAL FLATTS

Pop-country trio Rascal Flatts swung by West Palm Beach last Saturday to promote their new album, Back to Us

SHADE-O-METER RATING

4 OUTTA 5 WERKS: “SHE GAVE GOOD FACE – SHE SERVED IT”

Who are Rascal Flatts?  They’re a country-pop trio.  They formed in 1999.  What’s the Back to Us tour?  It’s their 15thheadlining tour.  The tour supports the Back to Us album from 2017.  What’s the Coral Sky Amphitheater?  It’s an outdoor theater in West Palm Beach.  The covered area holds 8,000, and the lawn area holds 12,000.  How was the venue?  It’s a typical outdoor amphitheater.

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How was the parking?  General parking is free!  Does the venue serve liquor?  Yes, and they have tons of bars.  How were the drinks?  We got a double tequila sunrise for $19, and double vodka cranberry for $19.  Does the venue serve food?  Yes.  How was the food?  We got a fried chicken strips meal.  It was about $12, and it came with fries.  The chicken had too much breading on it, but, overall, the food was what you’d expect.  How much were the tickets?  $80.  Where were the seats?  On the right side of the stage.

Was the show sold out?  For the seated area, just about.  The lawn was pretty full as well.  Who were the opening acts?  There was a slew of them.  We only caught the last couple of songs from Dan + Shay, who were the last opening act.  How were they?  The last song that they performed was, of course, “Tequila.”  The duo has a pleasant enough sound; however, to me, they sound almost exactly like Rascal Flatts, which probably isn’t a good thing.

How was Rascal Flatts?  The trio performed a no-nonsense show, composed of minimal sets—a rare thing for any contemporary big act.  They opened with the fun “Bob That Head,” and then, after a few songs in, bassist/vocalist Jay DeMarcus set the carefree tone of the night: “Why don’t we take a break for an hour and half from all the bullshit that you see on the new… It breaks my heart that people are fighting with each because, first and foremost, we’re all Americans…  None of us is perfect.  The last one who was was Jesus Christ—so let’s forget all the bullshit and have a party.”  And basically, they did.  The approximately two-hour set contained hits such as “Feels Like Today,” “My Wish,” “I’m Moving On,” and “Fast Cars and Freedom.”  Regarding the end of the show, it’s somewhat ironic that their two biggest hits, “What Hurts the Most” and “Bless the Broken Road” (performed as the last song), are cover songs.  However, this did not go unnoticed by them, as singer Gary LeVox joked, “They singer louder on that than our own songs—I’m a bit hurt.”   The encore was “Summer Nights”—a metaphor, if you would, for a summer outdoor show in Florida—and the optimistic, “Life is a Highway.”  The show ended with the trio taking selfies with people that were seated in front of the stage.

How was the crowd?  Enthusiastic. What stood out about the show?  There was a part, about two-thirds of the way through the show, when they sat on stools (I believe) and harmonized on some songs.  It was during this part that they most astutely displayed their collective talents as one, cohesive unit.  In addition, although it’s not much of an observation to point it out, but LeVox’s voice certainly is God-given.

What could have improved the show?  Despite the quality of LeVox’s voice, it seems at times that it’s too far back in the mix.  This might be a technique to preserve his voice, but the observant listener will not be tricked by this strategy of padded harmonies.

What was surprising about the show?  That with their unison high-top military haircuts, they look something like marines.  There were also some sets that looked almost exactly like the booths at Perino’s in Mommie Dearest—I wonder what queen came up with those.        

The Coral Sky Amphitheatre is located at 601-7 Sansburys Way, in West Palm Beach, Florida.