Show Review, Photos: Greta Van Fleet Bring 'Starcatcher' To Life With Electrifying Oakland Performance
Greta Van Fleet
w/ Teddy Swims
August 8th, 2023
Oakland Arena
Oakland, CA
Review and Photos by Jaime Schultz
On Tuesday, August 8th, American rock act Greta Van Fleet took the stage at Oakland Arena for their largest Bay Area headlining show to date. The band – comprised of brothers Josh, Jake, and Sam Kizka and drummer Danny Wagner – has been ascending the ranks of rock stardom over the last decade, echoing a sound reminiscent of rock a la Led Zeppelin. While critics may knock them for sounding too much like Robert Plant & Co., they’re filling a need for this style of rock music that’s been missing from the mainstream for decades. Fans flocked in droves to see the quartet play through an eclectic setlist heralding tracks from their most recent effort, Starcatcher.
The show featured an opening set from Teddy Swims, a burgeoning singer-songwriter who is known for blending genres like soul, R&B, pop, and even country. Swims proved to be an excellent choice to open the show, elevating the energy level throughout the building as he made his way through the setlist. The fans truly seemed to love it, and he looked like he was having the time of his life. An amusing moment came when he threw Uncrustables sandwiches into the crowd, indeed satisfying a number of fans who would rather snack on miniature sandwiches than waste any time standing in the concession line missing precious show time.
Amidst a flurry of pyrotechnics, fireworks, and costume changes, Greta Van Fleet took to the stage and put on a rock show for the ages. Despite only playing fourteen songs, the band left an incredible impression on all attendees. While a majority of tracks came from the Starcatcher album, songs from The Battle at Garden’s Gate (“Heat Above”, Light My Love”), Anthem of the Peaceful Army (Lover, Leaver [Taker, Believer]), and even the From The Fires EP (“Black Smoke Rising”) were added into the mix.
The set was broken up into two acts, with the middle portion being an acoustic set which took place on a B stage positioned on the other side of the arena. As Wagner brought the hall to life with a thundering drum solo, the rest of the band made their way over to perform stripped-down renditions of “Waited All Your Life”, “Black Smoke Rising”, and a cover of “Unchained Melody” by Hy Zaret and Alex North. Even with a mellow acoustic interlude, the band’s interactions with the crowd were top-notch, and their energy was infectious throughout the night.
The band closed with a two-song encore, punctuated by Starcatcher’s “Farewell For Now”, an appropriate conclusion to an entertaining evening. Greta Van Fleet is at the top of their game, and their performance in Oakland proves why they are fast rising amidst the ranks of rock superstardom.
Greta Van Fleet Set List
Set 1:
The Falling Sky
The Indigo Streak
Lover, Leaver (Taker, Believer)
Meeting the Master
Heat Above
Frozen Light
Acoustic Set:
Unchained Melody (Hy Zaret& Alex Northcover)
Waited All Your Life
Black Smoke Rising
Set 2:
Fate of the Faithful
Sacred The Thread
The Archer
Encore:
Light My Love
Farewell For Now
