Cowboy hats, jeans and boots filled the Iroquois Amphitheater Saturday night, as Eli Young Band took the stage. Originally a garage band from Texas, the popular quartet proved to be a little bit country and a helluva lot rock and roll. Their sound weaved through jangly, up-tempo, steel-laden country songs to swooning ballads with hints of Tom Petty and the Eagles.
The crowd was with the band the entire night: couples twirling about, throwing back beer after beer, hands up, dancing and singing along. Hits like "Even If It Breaks Your Heart," "Crazy Girl," and "Drunk Last Night," received mass applause. Feeding off this energy, frontman Mike Eli passionately thanked those who serve our country and promptly pulled out a megaphone, energizing the already amped up audience. Though Eli tends to garner the most attention, drummer Chris Thompson also showed off a little by frequently tossing his sticks.
Dynamic duo David and Whitney, who hail from just across the river in Southern Indiana, kicked off the night and pleased the crowd with their buoyancy and charm. Though it rained early on, there were plenty of covered seats; making for a warm and dry evening of tunes.
Photos by Tim Girton.
