GRETA VAN FLEET - LIVE FROM RCA STUDIO A
During the age of machines we currently live in, I’ve come to find that the appreciation for live music has faltered. Concert etiquette has shot itself in the foot, ticket pricing is all over the place, and a large majority of people don’t seem to respect when artists sound even slightly different during a live performance. Extended songs, added instrumental breakdowns, mini jam sessions in real time, none of that is valued in a live setting anymore by the general population and it has seriously impacted the culture surrounding concerts.
Greta Van Fleet, though, is going against the grain when it comes to this snobby opinion. The four piece consisting of Kiszka siblings Josh, Jake, and Sam with their brother from another mother Daniel Wagner has always held the beauty of showmanship in a high regard, even back when they were playing biker bars at the fresh ages of 16 and 19. With time, their skill in performance has skyrocketed to the point where even the oldest of fans have no expectations because as far as they are concerned, those were surpassed by the time the band’s first full length album came out in 2018. The group never shies away from adding pizzazz to every show: they want it to be a fun, electric, and unique setting that gives them space to fly free rather than a boring setlist that sounds just as it would if you were listening to it at home.
In July of 2023, the band released their third studio album; Starcatcher. After releasing the record, touring around the world, and preparing for the next leg of shows and projects, Greta Van Fleet gave fans one more thing: live sessions of a few Starcatcher songs, recorded right at Nashville’s own RCA Studio A.
THE INDIGO STREAK - LIVE FROM RCA STUDIO A
The Indigo Streak’s live rendition was the first of the five songs the band made a live taping of, released on Youtube on January 24th. In a concert setting, The Indigo Streak is of course a legendary component that the band prolongs, specifically its guitar solo. But in this adaptation, the general length remains to be the same as the studio recording. However, frontman and lead vocalist Josh Kiszka is no longer the only singer on the track. The band appears to bring on a collection of backing vocalists to accompany Kiszka and though the detail may seem minute to some, it actually makes a monumental difference in comparison. The backing vocalists add further depth to the song and they allow Kiszka to toy with other vocal contributions such as scatting; improvising, in a nutshell. In a concert setting, he does this frequently, especially during instrumental breakdowns, so to have it outlined in this format was a nice little taste of the Starcatcher show I got to attend (and the one I will be attending this spring!).
MEETING THE MASTER - LIVE FROM RCA STUDIO A
I had high expectations for Meeting The Master, as it’s become a staple piece from the band for this new era of music and overall style. I should know by now that Greta Van Fleet never fails to impress but I still went in with my critic’s hat on, only for that to be obliterated in mere seconds. This version of Meeting The Master is definitely more stripped down, since it lacks certain effects on the guitar and keys, but that surprisingly gives it more allure. The star of this in particular was Sam Kiszka on the piano, who stole the show despite being out of frame for a decent chunk of the video. In the studio version, Meeting The Master’s key piece is more difficult to pinpoint excluding a few measures where it’s highlighted, but live like this, it’s easier to hear and admire. Kiszka, in classic nature, added some live pizzazz during this performance that especially made the piano stand out; proving that it not only belongs in rock, but it blooms in such a genre.
THE FALLING SKY - LIVE FROM RCA STUDIO A
Just when I thought the instrumentals on Starcatcher couldn’t possibly get any better, Greta Van Fleet went ahead and tossed out this number. On top of The Falling Sky’s run-of-the-mill instrumentals consisting of guitar, bass, and drums, this taping has an orchestral accompaniment layered onto it as well. On the Starcatcher World Tour, a string medley of the album is played just before the curtain drops, and even that didn’t prepare me for the beauty of this. Never in my life would I believe a rock n roll song such as The Falling Sky could translate so well on the violin or viola but it just works all across the board; I like to believe that it shows how diverse and appreciative of music the band members are: just because they play a certain genre of music, doesn’t mean they’re restricting themselves from trying unorthodox things that stretch the “rules” of rock n roll.
SACRED THE THREAD - LIVE FROM RCA STUDIO A
As Josh himself once wisely stated; “the power of music transcends sound itself. Those of us who cannot hear it, feel it. Like the dancing of a heartbeat is a reminder that humans love. We know that first in darkness, like a great drum in a mother's chest”, and this version of Sacred The Thread embodies that principle flawlessly. It is raw, powerful, and manages to underline not only the instrumental foundations of Greta Van Fleet but also the true intelligence and skill the young members possess. Jake’s SG melds beautifully with the orchestra, Josh’s voice coats the sound with a feverous lilt, Daniel’s rhythm keeps the song afloat, and Sam’s contributions on both bass and keys wraps it up like the true gift it is. This was by far the best live taping we received because it genuinely instills the feeling of being there front and center as if you were in the pit on the barricade rather than at home on the couch.
FAREWELL FOR NOW - LIVE FROM RCA STUDIO A
A truly fitting punctuation for this series of live performances was one for Farewell for Now, the final song off of Starcatcher and a track the band ends every show with. This taping was truly a rejoice that held everything that thus far, made the other live recordings so special. Backing vocalists, an orchestra, vocal improvisation, and the all-around love that Josh seems to exude like the sun. Sam, again, helped to uplift the piece on the keys by adding that sparkly cadence, and you can tell when viewing that each musician, director, and cameraman in that room felt the jubilation of Farewell For Now because as we all know, it’s never truly a goodbye.
After this lovely gift of live recordings from the band, Greta Van Fleet has several tour dates and festival sets planned for this year. They will be finishing out the second American leg of the Starcatcher World Tour in cities such as St. Louis, Austin, Grand Rapids and more with New York band Geese as their opening act this spring including performances at Welcome to Rockville Fest, Tons of Rock Fest, Rock Werchter Fest, Mad Cool Fest, and several others. They will also be supporting Metallica in Mexico City this September for their M72 World Tour, which could quite possibly be one of the last times Greta Van Fleet opens for a rock act given their rapid growing success.