Greta Van Fleet - Live in Anaheim!

Photos and Review by Christina Hernandez

American Rock band Greta Van Fleet continued their Dreams in Gold Tour by putting on a jaw-dropping performance at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, on March 24th! Hailing from Long Beach, Rival Sons started the show strong. With the show being less than an hour from Rival Sons' hometown, it was packed to the brim with their family, friends, and fans. Kicking off the show, Jay Buchanan, lead vocalist of Rival Sons, came out onto the stage full of energy and with style. Jay was accompanied by bass player Dave Beste and guitarist Scott Holiday, both of whom were wearing the most iconic hats, which probably contributed to their great stage presence. Also on stage was Michael Miley, their drummer, who provided crushing beats through the night. The band made sure to put on their best performance when playing some of their most popular songs, like Do Your Worst, Nobody Wants to Die, and Rapture. Shortly after Rival Sons' set was sadly over, the anticipation started forming with the help of security. Riling up the crowd is one of the best ways to get those eager fans ready for an outstanding performance; one of the security guards at the barricade started asking the crowd if they were ready, and of course, fans would yell back, "YES!" This question and response was enthusiastically asked and answered numerous times leading up to Greta's set reveal. While waiting for Greta to start their performance, many fans from the pit and seats started to chant "Greta! Greta! Greta!" while desperately wanting them to come out because who wouldn't want to see them already!

After a short wait, Greta Van Fleet unveiled their unique outfits and stage set-up by having a curtain drop down from the ceiling. Fans were exhilarated to see their favorite band, considering some of them had been waiting in line since the day before just to get a good spot! Lead singer Josh Kiszka and twin brother Jake Kiszka, lead guitarist, walked out with their seemingly coordinating outfits with gold accents highlighting their exuberance. Bassist Sam Kiszka, brother of the Kiszka twins, joined with his iridescent wings connected to his suit. Last but not least, Daniel Wagner, drummer, completed the band with his eye makeup and matching black outfit. The fans were not ready for their performance one bit. The band started off strong with Build by Nations, allowing fans to get a taste of the night ahead. With the bright lighting, Sam's outfit glowed and reflected off beautifully. After this, they played Black Smoke Rising, which just so happened to include fire shooting into the air. Not only was this unexpected, but it begged the question of what else was in store for the night. GVF continued to play iconic tracks like Caravel, Heat Above, and Highway Tune, which was, unfortunately, their last song. Many more exciting songs were played, but this overall was just a top-tier performance put on by the band. That Friday night in Anaheim would not be forgotten by anyone there anytime soon. If you have not had the chance to see Greta Van Fleet yet, you have missed out on this tour, with the run ending last night in Sacramento. But, GVF is not going anywhere, so be sure to check them out on their next run!

You can see photos from Greta's set here!