JOHN BUTLER TRIO
No one’s gonna sway you to listen to Dave Matthews’ brand of pop-rock at this point, so let’s look at the opener. John Butler has a similar style of folk-infused rock, but it’s guitar playing that’s the centerpiece here. A set of press-on nails ensures that his fingers can pick with the best of ’em, as his fretwork is some of the most underrated in music today. Check out just about any live version of the song “Ocean,” an instrumental that stirs up just about every emotion over the course of its roughly 10 minutes. In the three times I’ve seen the song performed live, I’ve been surrounded by tears, smiles and mouths agape. That song alone is worth the price of admission. Opening for Dave Matthews Band. $52.85-$89.70. July 24, 7 p.m. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, 707 Pavilion Blvd. 704-549-1292.
This article appears in Jul 17-23, 2013.
