As country artists have become increasingly indistinguishable from pop stars, the guys in the Zac Brown Band have continued to move in an opposite direction, embracing the loose, scruffy, chaotic style and approach of the jam-band scene, while maintaining their place in the world of country music. They’re focused on authentic musicianship, collaborating with rockers like the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and jam-band icons like Dave Matthews.
Although they bring in influences from Southern rock and jam bands, Brown and his bandmates are still country musicians at heart. The band’s 2012 album Uncaged won the Grammy for Best Country Album, and its singles “Goodbye in Her Eyes” and “Sweet Annie” topped Billboard’s country airplay chart. After recording singles with Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson, the Zac Brown Band enlisted jazz legend Trombone Shorty and alt-folkie Amos Lee to guest on Uncaged, expanding the band’s eclectic sound. “They’re confident, assured, even playful, having fun bending the rules and blurring boundaries, eager to please but never pandering,” said AllMusic about the band after Uncaged. Dave Grohl put it more bluntly after producing the follow-up EP: “I don’t even know what you would call it. It’s f*cking great,” he told Rolling Stone. That’s not something you hear about the average country superstar."
MGM Grand, 8 p.m. Oct. 17, $47 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
