
The Red Clay Strays have come a long way since their hardscrabble days playing small clubs. Looking out at the crowded arena at TD Garden on the night of August 1, lead vocalist Brandon Coleman recalled an early gig playing the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, commenting dryly on the band’s progress as “quite an upgrade.”
The Alabamian country rockers came to town for the second stop of their “Grateful” tour, celebrating their third studio album. With support from Haley Reinhart and The Revivalists, the show was defined by soulful vocal performances. Although the tour is The Red Clay Strays’ most ambitious yet, the large venue suited them well. The band’s powerful delivery of songs like “Drowning”, “I’m Still Fine”, and “Devil In My Ear” filled the Garden with the full-bodied twang of Brandon Coleman’s vocals and even twangier guitar. Songs like “Fool’s Gold” and “Down South” were a sampling of the band’s unabashedly honky-tonk side, which was counter-balanced by slower-paced, sentimental tracks like “Moments”, “Wondering Why”, and the title track, making for a pleasantly varied set.
True to the name of the album and the tour, The Red Clay Strays made a point of emphasizing how grateful they were for their good fortune. Coleman thanked the audience at the end of the night: “Y’all really made us rockstars for tonight! Appreciate it!”
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