Friday Jul 24, 2015
Friday, July 24, 7:30PM
Weesner Family Amphitheater – Minnesota Zoo
13000 Zoo Blvd
Apple Valley, MN 55124
The five bandmates of Blackberry Smoke have, from the beginning, shown a steady evolution from rough-edged club act to arena-ready rock’n’roll juggernaut. Since its formation in 2000, the band has never shied away from hard work, playing more than 250 shows a year and building an ever-expanding audience on the strength of its live shows, and with a noticeable lack of mainstream hype. Along the way, Blackberry Smoke has recorded a handful of independent releases, including the albums Bad Luck Ain’t No Crime, Little Piece of Dixie, andThe Whippoorwill (the latter on country megastar Zac Brown’s Southern Ground label), plus a pair of EPs, the concert DVD Live at the Georgia Theatre, and the live CD/DVD set Leave A Scar. Although those releases found favor with fans and were received warmly by critics, the band members feel that their newest album, Holding All the Roses, marks the first time that Blackberry Smoke has had the time and resources to make an album that properly captures their musical essence. Holding All the Roses compellingly displays the energy, attitude and honesty that have already helped to make Blackberry Smoke one of America’s hottest live rock ‘n’ roll outfits, as well as a grass-roots phenomenon with a large and fiercely loyal fan base that reflects the band’s tireless touring regimen and staunch blue-collar work ethic.