Review: JD & The Straight Shot

Photo by Ron Valle

Fans were very excited to see one of their favorite Eagles members, Don Henley, on Thursday night at PNC Pavilion.  The opener, JD & The Straight Shot, definitely set the tone for the show with their gothic folk sound mixed with a little Americana.

“Glide,” one of their hit singles off their 2015 album, Ballyhoo, was the first song performed. Dolan and the band really illustrated their extraordinary harmonization skills. They then performed “Redemption Train” and “Moonlight,” two brand new tracks off their fourth coming album due out this fall. During “Redemption Train,” the band put on this haunting gothic feel to the song. Each instrumentalist displayed the passion and emotion for his or her own craft.

New guitarist and vocalist, Rebecca Frasier, played her first show with the band on Thursday night.  She demonstrated her creative strumming skills, especially during “Ballyhoo.” During “Moonlight,” JD & The Straight Shot demonstrated a more relaxed side to them. It almost had a beachside feel to the song.

The band generally performed the same songs as they did during their previous tour with Joe Walsh, with a few new ones and a few more covers to add the list. Such covers include Spirit’s “Nature’s Way” and Little Feat’s “Let it Roll.” During “Nature’s Way” JD & The Straight Shot really diverged in to the music by adding a daunting folk feel to it. As of “Let it Roll,” the violinist/vocalist Erin Slaver and guitarist/ vocalist Marc Copley demonstrated their technical musical skills. The amount of harmonization and instrumental skills really ignited the audience and added a little thrill to their performance.

The band illustrated their softer side with “Perdition,” a song that was from the Natalie Portman film, “Jane’s Got a Gun” and “Violet’s Song,” a song from  the Meryl Streep film “August: Osage County.”

The eight-song set list featured other favorites such as the slow and rhythmic acoustic of “Better Find a Church” and the feet pounding, circus feel like song, “Ballyhoo.” During that song, Dolan came out in a velvet jacket with a scarf and a top hat in the 90-degree weather to demonstrate the illusion of the song. Violinist, Erin Slaver, created an audience cheer by her rapid solos and guitar-like playing.

Overall, the band demonstrated their passion for the stage and the music. They definitely stepped it up a notch since their tour with Joe Walsh.

Set List

Glide
Redemption Train
Nature's Way
(Spirit cover)
Perdition
Violet's Song
Moonlight
Ballyhoo
Better Find a Church
Let It Roll

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