Koe Wetzel at Mohegan Sun Arena

Pittsburg, Texas native Koe Wetzel brought his highly anticipated "Damn Near Normal Tour" to the Mohegan Sun Arena on Thursday night.

The tour is named after the lead single from Wetzel's recently released album "9 Lives." Wetzel made his bones and built his fanbase the grassroots way, independently releasing several albums before being picked up by Columbia Records. The move to a major label provided Wetzel a way to put his music in front of more people. His music bridges genres, with bits of country, rock and grunge mixed together to make something that is singularly unique."9 Lives" is chock full of potential hit songs.

Since this tour isn't coming through the Capital District, I decided to revive my old "Daytripper" series of concert reviews from my time at Nippertown. I created the Daytripper series for those of you in the Capital District that don't mind an occasional road trip for a great concert. Mohegan Sun Arena is only a two and a half hour drive from Albany, making it the perfect road trip destination. The arena inside the casino is a treat. With a capacity of 10,000, the venue has the ability to host large tours, while remaining a more intimate setting than larger arenas. It is a cliché but there really is not a bad seat in the house. I cannot say enough good things about this venue. The parking is easy. The food and drink options are fantastic and the staff couldn't be more friendly.

Wetzel hit the stage with the raucous "Twister," welcoming the screaming crowd to "the belly of the beast." The production on this tour is top notch with an enormous video wall, pyrotechnics and cryo-jets. Wetzel's love of hard rock can definitely be seen in the production. Koe Wetzel is a Country artist but make no mistake, this is a ROCK show. He is the epitome of a rock-star. With his custom Gibson J200 slung low, he could be mistaken for a punk rock artist. The swagger of "Fuss and Fight" followed as the thousands of fans in attendance danced and sang along with every ounce of energy that they had. Wetzel's band was like a freight train, with the rhythm section of Jared Easterling on drums and Mason Morris on bass guitar. They were the engine that propelled this train, giving the trio of guitarists a rock solid foundation on which to explore sonically. That trio of Michael Odis Parrish, Josh Serrato and Shiloh Powers on guitar really brought that hard rock edge to the music. The live versions of these songs are heavier than the studio versions.

The setlist pulled from five of Wetzel's six albums, so there was something for all of his fans, old and new. His songs are known for their soaring melodies like the choruses on "Good Die Young" and "February 28, 2016." A brand new song "Casamigos" went over really well with the crowd. It is unreleased but about half of those in attendance already knew the words. The show was closed out with Wetzel's most recent single, "High Road" and fan favorite "Something to Talk About." Hopefully he comes to the Capital District on his next tour. If he doesn't, don't be afraid to take a road trip. This show was worth it.

Fellow Texans Treaty Oak Revival held down the direct support slot with a stellar 45 minute set. Their blend of hard rock and country brings to mind the Allmans and Skynyrd, but there is so much more to them. They are part of the Texas Red Dirt music scene that has birthed such great acts as Cross Canadian Ragweed, Randy Rogers Band, Stoney LaRue and Turnpike Troubadours. You can hear their influences on tracks like "In Between" and "Stop and Stare." They have built a solid following by playing energetic shows. They routinely sell 5000 tickets to shows in and around West Texas. Singer Sam Canty and the rest of this band are born performers. Guitarists Lance and Jeremiah Vanley bounded from one side of the stage to the other trading off leads, while bass player Andrew Carey brought a thunderous bottom end to the songs. Drummer Cody Holloway kept impeccable time and offered up some fantastic fills to accentuate his fierce playing. They are touring in support of their latest record, 2023's "Have a Nice Day." I always say this in my concert reviews but it bears repeating: GET TO THE SHOW EARLY AND WATCH THE OPENERS. You never know when the unknown opener will become the next big thing. That being said, I did miss the opening act, Dylan Wheeler entirely as I was at the Koe Wetzel Meet and Greet. Sometimes you need to pick your battles. Get out there and see some live music. Thank me later.