Greta Van Fleet and Dorothy Proved To The Observatory North Park That Rock And Roll Is Far From Dead
Watching Greta Van Fleet and Dorothy perform is akin to walking in to a 70s time machine. Taken out of the banality of life, you’re thrown into a packed, intimate setting alongside hundreds of others. Blaring guitars overwhelm the senses, forcing attendees to head-bang along with the rhythm. You see your dad in the audience. The sensations which both bands manage to achieve are not to be understated; these performances were outright impressive.
Dorothy dropped jaws and stopped hearts with an incredibly rousing performance, setting the stage for the night by utilizing classic rock style similar to Greta Van Fleet’s. Thankfully, their sound well received and resonated deeply with their audience; a good thing, considering they were promoting their new album 28 Days in the Valley. Ending their set with bravado and style, Dorothy received unanimous applause and praise from the audience. To quote one drunken group of dads in the crowd: “Now that’s fucking rock!”
Criticism has been lain against Greta Van Fleet for taking too much inspiration from 70’s super-group Led Zeppelin. Regardless of one’s feelings upon the issue, Greta Van Fleet definitely mimics some of Led Zeppelin’s best attributes, including the ability to command a stage. These young rocker’s have taken note of the greats, and are putting these learned behaviors into effective use. Strutting out to a wave of applause, the band began throwing flowers to the audience before playing, sending the crowd into an even greater frenzy (though they missed a perfect opportunity to start their set with “Flower Power.”)
With songs which seemed to stretch an eternity, Greta Van Fleet’s set seemed to last a lifetime. Whether it be the buildup, the bridges, or the long, drawn out finale, the band knew how to milk every ounce of worth from each of their songs. While primarily playing songs from their debut album, From the Fires, the second half of their set was composed of a Howlin’ Wolf cover and singles off their unreleased Anthem of the Peaceful Army. After a brief intermission, during which the crowd was apparently split between cheering and demanding more music, the band returned for an encore to play their popular “Safari Song.”
Overall, Greta Van Fleet and Dorothy knew exactly how to play to their strengths. The energy they carry onstage with them more than makes up for the lack of originality in their sound. Should anyone be looking to experience some music reminiscent of “the good ol’ days,” then listening, or better yet, witnessing these acts is absolutely the way to go.
Written by: Peter Swan
Photos by: Kristy Walker