LIVE: JIMMY BUFFETT – September 23, 2021

Venue: DTE Energy Music Theatre

City: Clarkston, MI

Date: September 23, 2021

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

There are concerts that are experiences and one of my favorites KISS falls into that category, but in the same category, but on the other end of a sonic spectrum is Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band.  From the minute you pull into the parking lot of the venue, you realize you are about to become part of something bigger than you, bigger than the music, hell maybe even bigger than the artist.  You are being fully immersed in a mindset that Jimmy’s fans that includes Parrot Heads and Land Sharks.  The parking lot parties, even on a drizzly and raining Thursday evening are enough to make you take notice.  Heading t the seating area on a night when a lot of people are wearing heavier coats, hats, scarves, and even some with gloves and mitten, the party atmosphere has not been dampened.  Looking around there are still plenty of tropical shirts, outfits, hats, and other miscellaneous wear that the diehards have pulled out for what is Jimmy’s 34th appearance at the venue.  Without an opener, Jimmy and his band hit the stage and launched into the opening track from one of his 2020 releases “Down at the Lah De Dah” with smiles, music, and a lot of visuals on the screen behind them.  The band sounds tight and Jimmy’s voice is crisp and ready to take us all away with him, even if just for a couple hours.  The setlist was full of classics, fan favorites, and even some covers.  Next up was the one-two punch of “Fins” and “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” which kept the energy and enthusiasm high and everyone within earshot singing along.  The While his catalog isn’t known to me by heart, I enjoyed hearing songs that were either not in my regular rotation or new to me like “Growing Older but Not Up” and “The Slow Lane” while it was obvious those around me waited with bated breath for “Son Of A Son Of A Sailor” which dropped between the former two songs.  A cover that I have always associated with Buffett, “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere” kept the party vibe alive and reminded us all why we were here tonight.  While other songs cascaded from the stage and through the sound system washing over the crowd, it was rambunctious and fun versions of “Why Don’t We Get Drunk” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise” that engaged just about everyone in the venue and reeled us all back into Buffett’s world (if you had left at all).  Other tracks from the catalog peppered the set and caused the crowd to join in the singing and fun over the course of the set, but the explosive energy was no more evident than when we all took a short trip with Jimmy and the Coral Reefer Band to “Margaritaville” to close out the set, but not the evening.  I doubt anyone in attendance didn’t know the words and looking around it was quite obvious this was a moment we all shared and seemed to enjoy on some level.  Taking a moment and tying himself to Detroit, he played what he explained was the only track he ever wrote with Detroit native Glenn Frey “Gypsies in the Palace” and followed it up with a great version of “Take It Easy.” Closing out the evening just as he started it – with music from his 30th release 2020’s Life On The Flip Side, he took us out with the disc’s closing track “Book on the Shelf” and then sent us all home to remember one of the last summer parties of 2021 and leaving us hopeful after a long drought of concerts, gatherings, and Buffett experiences.

Jimmy Buffett Setlist: Down at the Lah De Dah – Fins – Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes – Grapefruit—Juicy Fruit – Growing Older but Not Up – Son of a Son of a Sailor – The Slow Lane – Knees of My Heart – It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere (Alan Jackson cover) – Come Monday – One Particular Harbour – Little Martha (The Allman Brothers Band cover) – Nobody from Nowhere (Will Kimbrough cover) – Why Don’t We Get Drunk – Cheeseburger in Paradise – Volcano – Cowboy in the Jungle – The Wino and I Know – Back Where I Come From (Mac McAnally cover) – A Pirate Looks at Forty – Margaritaville – Southern Cross (Crosby, Stills & Nash cover) – Gypsies in the Palace – Take It Easy (Eagles cover) – Book on the Shelf

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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries