Larry Fleet Lays It Down at Joe’s Live
Larry Fleet lit up Joe’s Live for the first time in his career this past Friday. Karley Scott Collins opened for Fleet for this weekend of tour dates. Some might know her from her acting roles or lending her voice to animated movies, but these days Karley uses her talents to wow crowds in the country music scene. She started her 30-minute set with “Hands on the Wheel.” She looked like every guy’s daydream with her curled blonde hair and flaming hot red dress. She rocked the stage with sass and hair flips. Her set also included unreleased “Marlboro Reds” and “Heavy Metal” which will be out November 3rd. Karley is one of the few openers I’ve seen this year that I can truthfully say I would go see again.
Taken with iPhone
Larry Fleet opened with “Working Man” without the accompaniment of his band which was a bold choice. Opening acoustically is not something all artists can pull off, but hearing the audience echo every word in the background sets the tone for the rest of the show. Even though he started with one of his older songs, Fleet sang nearly half of his latest album, “Earned It” which came out in September, including the title track, “Two Beer Plan,” “Taking the Long Way,” and “Things I Take for Granted.”
Taken with iPhone
The audience got their money’s worth with Larry hauling through over 20 full-length songs in just over an hour and a half. Fleet’s stage presence has improved over the years from the occasional toe-tapping while standing in place to being more interactive with his band. Larry brought Karley Scott Collins back out for a duet of the Merle Haggard classic “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” The crowd sang every word of Fleet’s first radio hit, “Where I Find God.” In my opinion, Larry Fleet is a cross between Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton in sound and looks.
Taken with iPhone
As someone who has seen Larry 5 times now, a pro tip I have is to stand where you have a good view of the bassist. While Larry might not move around the stage much, his bassist is the complete opposite. Eric Harley-Brown, who used to be a birdseed salesman, is nicknamed Crazy Legs for a reason. His dance moves are impressive, to say the least. He broke out his frog hopping skills in the first 10 minutes of the show and kept those legs movin’ the whole night without missing a note. He is probably one of the few bassists who has to do quad stretches before a show. Jon Jimmerson is also a pleasant addition to the band this year displaying his talents on steel guitar. He brought upbeat energy and liveliness to the show moving about the stage.
Taken with iPhone
“Lucky Dog” and “Layaway” are two songs that have to be heard live. “Layaway” is based on Fleet’s own experiences with having items on layaway at Kmart. While it might not be a radio hit, “Layaway” live showcases his band’s unique sound that isn’t captured on the record. “Lucky Dog” live also hits differently. It’s much more upbeat and has a rock edge to it. I was not expecting to be headbanging to a Larry Fleet song, but it happened. Fleet closed the show with a 3 song encore of “25-8,” “Lied About Love,” and “One For the Road.”
Taken with iPhone
I want to mention that I have been to over 20 concerts this year and this was the most respectful crowd I have ever been surrounded by. Crowd engagement, attitude, and etiquette are a huge part of the overall experience in standing-room venues and Larry’s fans are a perfect example of an ideal crowd. They were engrossed in the performance, enthusiastic, and polite. I think that is a reflection of Larry Fleet’s music and the kind of people it attracts. If you missed this show, you could catch Larry again in Springfield, IL on November 18th.
For more information on Larry Fleet – https://larryfleet.com/
For more information on Karley Scott Collins - https://www.karleyscottcollins.com/
