This band has the potential to go someplace. No matter what, Midland has made traditional country cool again. The crowd begged for the band to return to the stage but … that was all for tonight. As the house lights were raised and the band bowed at center stage “Sweet Caroline” was blasted over the PA. The band concluded the show with a cover of “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac. Highlights included the rocking “21st Century Honky Tonk American Band,” a duo of drinking songs, “Every Songs A Drinkin’ Song” along with”Drinkin ’Problem,” “Gator Boys,” and “Fourteen Songs” which was written entirely by Wystrach. The group played for close to ninety minutes with the majority of the set centered around their latest release Let It Roll. Mark Wystrach was front and center with an open Hawaiian style shirt leading the band. This controversy was lost on most of the fans in attendance. The band maintains the roots of country music and delivers it to the masses. In concert the band provided the bridge between independent and mainstream country.
The need for street cred is unfortunate since the music is so good and that is all that matters. The true history of the band may be stretched, thus their authenticity has been questioned. There has been some controversy on how “real” this band is. In good conscience I cannot ignore the criticism this band has endured. The extraordinary three part harmonies and catchy hooks made for an amazing performance.
The small room provided a barroom intimacy to the concert. the band strolled out and immediately launched into “Playboys”, “Let It Roll”, and “Burn Out”. The number of females in the audience was exceptionally high and daisy dukes matched with cowboy boots dominated the crowd and the gentlemen were dressed in boots, cowboy hats, and western style shirts. The fans in the audience were dressed for the occasion. Originating from Texas, the trio of Mark Wystrach (lead vocals/guitar), Jess Carson (vocals/guitar), and Cameron Duddy (vocals/bass) made a stopover on their way to Australia. Therefore no one should be surprised Midland sold out The Republik, in Honolulu, Hawaii on a Wednesday night. Both are integral pieces of country and western history. And even fewer visitors are aware the steel guitar was developed in Hawaii by Joseph Kekuku in the late 19th century. Few realize Hawaiian cowboys, known as paniolos, were herding cattle on the Hawaiian Islands decades before cowboys roamed the range of the American West. Visitors associate the Hawaiian landscape with palm trees, sun, and some of the best surf in the world. Hawaii has strong roots in the country music tradition.
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