CONCERT COVERAGE: John Butler Trio Charms Ohio Crowd
Date of show: August 10, 2019 Location: Rose Music Center at the Heights in Huber Heights, OH Photos & Review by: Nina Martin (copyediting by Miranda Martin) John Butler Trio recently made a stop at the Rose Music Center at the Heights in Huber Heights, OH as part of his US Summer Tour. Butler has been on tour for much of the past year in support of his most recent studio album, Home, which was released late last year. Trevor Hall hit the stage as the evening began (characteristically barefoot, mind you), playing some fan-favorites from his own repertoire. Hall is known for his very unique and raw playing style, which fans genuinely appreciated in the live setting. Hall extended his condolences and expressed empathy toward the recent tragedy that struck Dayton, OH, telling the crowd "We pray that these songs give you light and healing." Hits like "Green Mountain State" and his haunting cover of The Cranberries' "Zombie" were deeply moving, and brought a sense of solidarity and healing to the crowd. As John Butler Trio took the stage, Butler started the night off with two songs from his latest release ("Wade in the Water" and "Tahitian Blue", respectively.) John Butler Trio enthralled the crowd and all in attendance knew this would be a night to remember. At one point, John Butler took a short break between songs and spoke his peace about the crazy times we are all living in; he spoke mainly about perception, and how we all perceive our respective “journeys”. Butler continued to say things such as, "We all have our own trip we are on, and all I know is I'm on a journey." Just before playing the beginning notes of his song "Faith," Butler wrapped up his moving speech by saying, "Somewhere amongst the madness I find peace, and I hope you find peace, too," which left the audience with a feeling of clarity. There's something to be said about the way John Butler performs and presents live-- it just comes so naturally to him. Butler is a seasoned touring artist and it shows in the way he interacts with his fans through his charming personality and talent for live music. It's as if he was made to be on stage, impressing and impacting his audience (and/or anyone that is lucky enough to see him play.) Before going into his well loved instrumental hit "Ocean," Butler took some time to express his own condolences and sentiments toward the recent tragedy Dayton, OH had experienced. He stated, "We feel for you, and we are honored to be in your presence." Butler also mentioned how he “had no words,” and was a bit emotional over throughout it all, simply stating "We love you guys." Furthermore, the band had a bucket that was passed around by venue staff throughout the show in an effort to collect charitable donations for the victims of the Dayton shooting. John Butler also decided all merchandise sales for the evening would go towards helping victims and their families. These acts were a true testament of compassion and were well received (with much gratitude) by the audience. JBT will continue to tour the US throughout August, wrapping up the year back home in Australia (with Butler performing solo at the Handpicked Festival in November, and with the band at the Sydney Coliseum Theatre in December.) John Butler Trio is truly one of Australia's best kept secrets. It is an absolute honor to not only have them tour the US, but to see them perform live as well. Butler is yet another highly recommended live act by the team here at ECL. https://www.trevorhallmusic.com/ https://www.facebook.com/trevorhall https://www.youtube.com/user/trevorhallmusic https://johnbutlertrio.com/ https://www.facebook.com/JohnButlerTrio/ https://www.youtube.com/user/jbtdotcom
