It’s not just because it’s a beautiful Atlanta Saturday, the day before St. Patrick’s Day. It’s not just because The Eastern is a fantastic venue for lights, sound, and sight lines (or because there’s a brewery next door). And it’s not just because The Eastern’s capacity is “only” 2,200. It’s a sell-out because it’s been five years since Guster hit Atlanta, and they have fans. Lots of them.
As singer/songwriter Ryan Miller would mention, it’s the largest venue outside of their native New England this tour. And, as he would later mention, after the crowd raised their fists to count down 4-3-2-1 at its first mention of “Barrel of a Gun” or singing a song before it had barely begun, in his estimation, this was the best audience in the tour so far.
This was Guster’s “We Also Have Eras Tour,” an obvious nod to Taylor’s last touring behemoth. Thirty years in, the band has its eras, and they took obvious delight in skits sprinkled through the show tracing the initial meeting of Miller and Adam Gardner in college, the addition of Brian Rosenworcel to officially warrant calling themselves a band, the rise to success, a bit of a setback from being dropped by their label, a demon producer and on to where they are today.
There area a good number of shows with rehearsed banter, but this was exceptional not for just the skit sets (e.g. a KISS poster in their dorm room) but for the obvious enjoyment they share in acting them out and self-deprecating humor (e.g. bands that have opened for them who later won Grammys, while they haven’t.)
The band played two lengthy sets with a fifteen-minute break between them, including two songs from their new album being released in May. The songs vary a bit each night but are in chronological order until nearly the end of the show (see setlist below). There are enough songs to satisfy any fan and Miller’s voice and band harmonies remain in perfect form. That said, the skits set this performance apart, even though the band has long held a camaraderie with their fans, including traditions of costume changes (at least 25 here, tracked on a counter at stage right), fans throwing ping pong balls onto the stage (“Airport Song” no longer required), a mirror ball suit, Brian singing a cover song, etc.
The standout here, arguably for fans but not for me, was Brian’s “Thunder Song,” which begins “My Name is the Thunder god, and this is my thunder song,” included as a skit when the band was facing a breakup. Comedy genius.
Act 1:
Act 2:
Encore (“Back in 49 seconds!”):
2 Responses
GUSter has such a special place in my heart & I’m glad to hear a new crop of folks still discovering them. Here is to the next Era.🦩🤘🦩 #OohLaLa
The Eastern has THE most uncomfortable chairs of any venue in Atlanta. Spend some money and buy decent chairs!