Rapid City, SD – The crowd showed up for a night of Bluegrass, Honky Tonk and Country music Saturday night at the Summit Arena at The Monument. Fringe, boots and cowboy hats decorated the crowd as opener Jake worthington warmed up the crowd. Described by a concert goer as a country version of Meatloaf, his stage presence welcomed everyone and showed his appreciation for the love of country music.
Decked out in a Canadian tuxedo, Zach Top took the stage and the crowd through his journey of songs from post-divorce to cold beer and country music. Having two albums under his belt, hsi first album, Cold Beer and Country Music was nominated for Album of the Year at the 59th Annual CMA Awards. It was the first debut album to be nominated for the award in a decade. His most recent album, Ain’t In It For My Health, earned a nomination for Best Traditional Country Album for the upcoming Grammy Awards.
This isn’t the first time Zach Top has performed in this area, The first time was at the Black Hills Bluegrass Festival. He described staying at the “haunted” Alex Johnson Hotel and watched Silence of the Lambs with his band. Going back to his bluegrass roots, the band brought out the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, acoustic guitar and played some of the music that launched Zach Top into the music world.
“There was no bad luck hanging around” as the crowd was dancing the two step in the aisles and line dancing on the main floor. It quickly turned the Summit Arena into a stadium version of a cowboy bar. It was “a piece of heaven on earth” for his fans.
The night was a tribute to old country flair, highlighting steel guitar, storytelling and country twang. The concert was teaser of NFR and an ache for the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo.Until the next gathering of cowboys, we will just have to keep “just tryin’ to keep on livin’ between the ditches.”
