On Saturday, Oct. 17, the acoustic side-project from Shinedown members, Brent Smith and Zach Myers, played a drive-in event on The Crofoot festival grounds in Pontiac.
The show was the first in a series of drive-in concerts that The Crofoot will be showcasing in the wake of COVID.
This was not a pre-recorded show like many that have been presented recently, but rather the popular pair were live on-stage playing to the packed, but socially distanced crowd, with two huge video screens on each end of the stage also broadcasting the show for those in the back.
The show was broadcast over FM radio, as well as over the stage PA system, and featured the band performing 21 tracks pulled from Shinedown's catalog, their solo work as Smith & Myers and a number of covers with their own twist.
J.R. Moore & Zack Mac got the crowd warmed up as the opening act, performing a solid set of their country/folk/rock mix.
Shortly after that, Smith & Myers hit the stage to the delight of the crowd as those standing outside their cars clapped and those inside them beeped in celebration.
Shinedown is known for their versatile catalog and even though the pair didn't have the rest of the band to back them up, they still brought the same excitement and energy level to their set.
They mixed in some of the lighter Shinedown acoustic-ready tracks like "Shed Some Light" and "Call Me," but it was heavy tracks like "Cut The Cord" and "State of My Head," that were truly impressive as the pair re-imagined the tracks.
They also performed Shinedown's latest release, "Atlas Falls," which was released back in May to help raise money for pandemic support.
Smith's multi-faceted vocals and Myers' killer acoustic guitar work beautifully complemented one another and provided fans with a much-needed night of fantastic music.
In between songs, Smith & Myers bantered back and forth and shared some behind the scenes information on the tracks, as well as provided some positivity in a world that's currently shrouded in darkness.
The pair is out on the road in support of their new records, Smith & Myers Volume 1 and Smith & Myers Volume 2, and they performed their popular new singles, "Bad At Love" and "Not Mad Enough," which were well-received by the enthusiastic crowd.
The crowd also welcomed their unique take on a number of covers including Soul Asylym's "Runaway Train" and INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart."
Set highlights included Myers getting his shot on vocals as he performed a inspired version of Prince's "Little Red Corvette" and Bob Seger's "Night Moves."
The pair finished the evening with their fiery version of "Simple Man", a rocking take on Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" and closed with the popular Shinedown staple, "Sound of Madness."
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