Midland Brings The Last Resort Tour to the Fillmore Charlotte
No matter your opinion on the current state of country music radio a few things remain constant in the genre. Songwriting is still considered sacred and the ability to captivate through performance remains at the heart of the musical style. With those core tenets, some country acts choose to embrace elements of sounds that are new and nontraditional, and well, some acts choose to embrace the history of the genre. The term frequently used to describe acts that “emphasize the instrumentation and traditional vocal stylings of country music” is Neotraditional Country. Overall, it may seem a bit odd to label acts performing an established sound in a genre as a new version, but Country music has always seen a return to roots as the sound has evolved from generation to generation. Now, each time the sound “returns to roots” the artist leading the way do tend to put their spin on it and their more specific influences do find ways to help their new take on the sound appear with a fresh face. Midland is one such band. With a sound that fans of country most certainly recognize, they have showcased that the ability to craft great country music does not mean that you must simply follow the trends. With a talent for great songwriting and an understanding of how to have a good time on stage, Midland is one of the best acts in the genre currently. Stopping in Charlotte NC as part of their Last Resort tour the band brought with them some great openers and Charlotte turned out in full force to welcome them.
Opening the evening singer and songwriter Wyatt McCubbin took the stage to an already packed house with fans eager to hear some music. Just a man and his guitar Wyatt was clearly enthused to be on stage this evening and during his set showcased an impressive collection of songs. With clever lyrics and catchy tunes, you could tell that the heart of his songs were born from a love of country music. While the studio versions of many of his songs take on a bit more of a country-rock approach, this solo performance showed a different side. You know a song works when stripped-down versions grab you, and Wyatt’s full set did just that.
Taking the stage next was Hailey Whitters. With a full band backing her Hailey immediately took the energy of the room up to another level. Engaging the crowd and smiling for the camera Hailey worked both with ease. As a songwriter, Hailey has established herself as a part of the Nashville scene and you can tell that her talent carries well beyond songwriting. With a great voice and gleeful presence her set shared her and the band’s good time on stage with the audience and the crowd seemed to return that energy in favor. A set of mostly original songs one stand out was a cover of John Anderson’s “Straight Tequila Night”. Only a standout because it was a cover; it was a great addition to Hailey’s wonderfully crafted music and talent-filled stage performance from both her and the band. Greeting fans back at the merch booth after her set you could see the genuine love Hailey has for the fact that fans enjoy her music and performance, and the fans were there to let her know.
The headliners of the evening Midland joined the room to a roar of fans and jumped into what seemed to be a shortened version of their song “Electric Rodeo.” Not just in sound but most definitely in attire Midland lets you know real quick what you can expect from their music and of course their stage performance. At its core, Midland consists of three primary members. Mark Wystrach, Jess Carson, and Cameron Duddy make up the band and during most of the set, each takes their place front and center on stage. Sharing in harmony and presence the band rolled on through a selection of originals and a surprising amount of very well-received covers.
Dropping in Jerry Reed’s “Eastbound and Down” midway through the set the band later brought back out Hailey Whitters to cover “Seminole Wind” another John Anderson song. They even played a Bruce Springsteen cover in the encore. Not to be outdone by covers by a long shot, stand out performances from the evening were the songs “Playboys” and of course their breakthrough track “Drinking Problems” which had the whole room singing along with a raised cup. As the band took a set break and the house lights rose everyone from the crowd to apparently the Fillmore staff were not sure if there would be an encore as some exited the building and the staff started the stage breakdown. Returning to the stage it took a moment to plug a few things back in and Midland closed out the night with just a few more and then locked arms to thank the crowd and take their bows as the room and band sang along to “Sweet Caroline” from Neil Diamond. It was an interesting set that showcased not only the talent from Midland and their backing band but also their love of music and everyone in the room was happy for it.
Personally, I could not tell you what songs are popular on country music radio right now or even over the last few years. For someone like me that grew up with ’80s and ’90s country radio always around, I have spent my time rebelling against that genre of music. As time has gone on though, my interest in the sound of country music that was prevalent during my childhood has brought me more than just nostalgia but a real appreciation for what those musicians were doing and what bands Like Midland continue to do with their music which draws such strong influence from that time. Ever since their 2017 debut On the Rocks, I have looked forward to each release. This night simply cemented what I already appreciated and I will continue to look forward to what is next from the band.
