Backroad Anthem Live at Georges Majestic Lounge

Backroad Anthem Explodes Onto The Country Scene with Performance at Georges Majestic Lounge, Headed Somewhere Fast!

I have a feeling that sometime soon, I’ll be telling everyone how I met the boys from Backroad Anthem before they made it big. I first stumbled across this group of local talent when they opened for Dustin Lynch at Georges Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, AR at the beginning of January. I didn’t even know they were on the night’s bill until I got to the show, and I was immediately blown away by the energy in their performance, their original sound, and how they had the fans on their feet and grooving in a matter of seconds.

I thought maybe Dustin’s fans were just particularly exuberant, but I caught Backroad again just a little over a week ago when they headlined at George‘s and sold out the venue. For the second time, I was taken aback by these guys, especially considering that, as I later learned, they’ve only been together a short time (less than six months!). No matter the short time frame, these talented young men have hit just the right note, and they’re headed in the right direction.

The Energy

The first thing you’ll notice about Backroad Anthem is the raw, no holds barred energy that they put into their performances. according to lead vocalist frontman  Craig Strickland this is exactly what they’re aiming for.

“We want to offer people somewhat of a country power band, where everyone is incredibly talented at their instrument. When people walk out the door from a live show we want them saying ‘That band had something that other bands don’t have. Their crazy energy on stage is addictive.’” – Craig Strickland

For his part, Strickland never stays in one spot for long as he’s constantly jumping, running around on stage, dancing on an amp or interacting with the crowd. At the same time the extraordinarily talented fiddle player, Eric Dysart, isn’t taking any breaks either and keeps things upbeat and sizzling with his superb skills. Meanwhile, Isaac Senty kills it on the drums, Toby Freeman‘s smooth vocals balance out Craig’s more rocker vibe while adding to the overall sound with his rhythm electric, and Josh Bryant keeps a cool demeanor without holding back as he fires away as lead guitarist.  Every single one of them is constantly giving it their all, and the result is a loud, well-performed, high energy show that has the audience on their feet, dancing, singing along, and cheering for more the entire time. Bottom line, one thing is for sure, the crowd won’t leave without having a great time.

The Sound

Besides the high energy of their shows, Backroad Anthem has an interesting and original sound, and is sure to draw folks back for more. Granted, at this early stage, they are still filling their set with a lot of covers of popular country hits, but even still, they demonstrate a pretty wide range in the process. They cover classics like Garth Brooks but also do a great job with songs by Florida Georgia Line, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and others. They can do the classic thing. They can do the pop-country thing. They also really know how to rock. Even when they perform the covers of these songs, they still manage to make them their own, and you can distinctly hear their own style coming through.

Luckily at this last show though, Backroad performed three original songs (“Country Crazy,” “Small Town Fame,” and “8 Days In A Week“) that they’re currently working on for an upcoming EP set to release later this year, most likely in the Spring or early summer. All three songs were upbeat, quick, and were fantastic tunes for a live show. The crowd got particularly into “8 Days In A Week” a love song with a pop-country vibe that is already radio friendly. I can’t wait to hear more original work from Anthem, and I can’t wait for our readers to have the chance to hear it too, as I’m sure you’ll dig it as much as I do!

The Fans

Even beyond high energy performance and a cool original sound that blends classic, pop and rock country, one thing that is truly impressive about Backroad Anthem is the ability to draw a crowd. Like I said, they’ve only been together a short time, but already sold out George’s Majestic Lounge, and have performed at many other local venues. It’s not just warm bodies in the room though either. The folks that show up are really, really into it. I’ve been to a lot of live shows, and the reaction that Anthem gets is usually reserved for folks that have been working the grind for a much longer time. If they keep it up at the rate they’re going now, there is no doubt that these boys will be headed for big things very soon. So, keep your eyes and ears open, and get more on Backroad Anthem below!

Backroad Anthem Does “The Devil Went Down To Georgia.”

Check out photos from Backroad Anthem’s Back to School Bash at Georges Majestic Lounge!

Find more great photos on Facebook and Twitter!

Backroad Anthem Is:

• Craig Strickland (Front Man/Vocals)

• Toby Freeman (Vocals/Rhythm Electric)

• Eric Dysart (Fiddle/Vocals)

• Josh Bryant (Lead Guitar)

• Brandon Robold (Bass/Vocals)

• Isaac Senty (Drums)