Co-headlining with My Morning Jacket, Nathaniel Rateliff opened the evening at Ameris Amphitheatre where predicted rain didn’t show but an almost capacity crowd did. All of Rateliff’s influences of R&B, soul and gospel would find its way into this setlist as he would touch on 23 songs over the course of his young career. While all the songs may not be familiar – many were from his latest album South of Here – The Night Sweats (is there a better name for a backing band anywhere?) bring it all home with brass, piano keys, and a bit of punchy attitude.
With as many songs in the setlist, none were particularly lengthy but kept the energy high and crowd off their seats. Hypothetically, every show needs a change in pace and Rateliff drew back the reins for a terrific New Orleans’ styled jazz/blues rendition of “Slow Pace of Time,” a solo acoustic piece accompanied only by his brass section.
The energy really kicked in mid-set with “Hey Mama,” an obvious fan favorite, followed by a rollicking “Call Me (Whenever You Like)” where the stage lighting went into full action mode. Afterwards, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, drummer Patrick Hallahan and keyboardist Bo Koster joined the band for a fantastic cover of Traffic’s “Feelin’ Alright.” The bands blend really well, as would later be repeated when Rateliff and crew joined MMJ for a ripping “Sympathy for the Devil.”
Rateliff took the audience to church with “Intro,” it’s “Ah, hey” congregational response to the Rateliff’s call, setting up a closing set of “I Never Get Old,” the hit “S.O.B.” and “Love Don’t.”
Somewhere in the middle of the show, Rateliff took time to thank the audience, for attending, the shared nature of creating art and finding people that share in it, and the amazing change of circumstances that finding a successful career has brought him. NR&TNS continue to put on a great show, but for those who follow his widely accessible music but perhaps pay less attention to the lyrics, give them a try.
Setlist:
