On a warm summer night in Wisconsin, Blackberry Smoke played to a SOLD OUT crowd at the
Ho Chunk Casino in Baraboo. Loyal fans of the band, known as Brothers and Sisters of
Blackberry Smoke, were ready for some good old-fashioned southern rock. Newbies to the
band, such as myself, were also looking forward to the show. I had heard nothing but great
reviews from friends who have seen them live as many as 15 times and describe them as “One
of the best bands around”. Spoiler alert: THEY WERE NOT WRONG.
Blackberry Smoke is a country rock band formed in Atlanta GA in 2000. They have released
eight studio albums, the most recent one being “Be Right Here”, which was released in
February 2024. Current members include Charlie Starr (lead vocals and guitar), Richard Turner
(backing vocals and bass guitar), Paul Jackson (backing vocals and guitar), Benji Shanks
(guitar, mandolin, dobro), Kent Aberle (drums). Sadly, Brit Turner who was the beloved original
drummer, died in March of 2024 after a long battle with cancer.
The Ho Chuck Casino in Baraboo WI was the venue for this show. Never having attended a
concert there before, I was pleasantly surprised by the 4321-capacity room. The sound was
good and the atmosphere was relaxed. With no opening act, the band did not waste a minute
and came out in full force with “Payback’s a Bitch”. The crowd sang along to every word as the
boys kept it going with some awesome guitar playing and Charlie Starr delivered his stellar
vocals throughout. Blackberry Smoke kept the tunes going with “Good One Coming On”,
“Hammer and the Nail”, “Rock and Roll Again” and “Pretty Little Lie”. To the delight of the crowd,
they kept the tunes coming for over two hours, ending the regular set with “Little Bit Crazy”.
After a brief break, the encore closed out the night with “Barefoot Angel” and “Ain’t Much Left of
Me”.
As someone who attended this show with friends who are musicians, I can tell you they had
nothing but praise for the band’s skills and tone. Whether the instruments are incredible vocal
harmonies or guitar work, they are definitely “masters of their individual instruments”. Even so,
you don’t have to be a musician to appreciate Blackberry Smoke. If they are playing somewhere
near you, go and check them out. They are an amazing live band. Not sure why I waited so
long, but I can promise that I will undoubtedly go and see them again.
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