Orlando, Florida kicked off their free outdoor Spring concert series Saturday night with Atlanta Georgia’s Blackberry Smoke. The band opened with “Six Ways to Sunday” from the The Whippoorwill album released in 2012. When the dust settled after their third song, Charlie Starr greeted the crowd and went into a favorite from the last album “Waiting for The Thunder”.

Blackberry Smoke’s 6th studio album, “Find A Light” is due to be released April 6, 2018. And they teased the fans with a sneak peek of the track "Best Seat in the House".

Blackberry Smoke has been absent from bringing their outlaw honky-tonk country style to Central Florida since 2016, and the packed crowd let them know they were missed. If their new effort “Find A Light”, is anything similar to the response of their 2016 release “Like An Arrow”, which was released on, “Three Legged Records”, “Find A Light” will sail to the top of the US Billboard Country and Americana/Folk charts as before.

Blackberry Smoke is Charlie Starr (lead Vocals and Guitar), Paul Jackson (Backup vocals and guitar), Richard Turner (Bass), Brit Turner (Drums) and newest member (2009) Brandon Still on Keyboards. Saturday nights set list was as follows, Six Ways to Sunday (2012), Good One Comin’ On (2008), Ought to Know (2016), Waiting for the Thunder (2016), Crimson Moon (2012), Let it Burn (2016), Sleeping Dogs/Come Together (2012/Beatles 1969), Shakin’ Hands With The Holy Ghost (2012), Best Seat In The House (Unreleased), Lucky Seven (2012), Up in Smoke (2009), Ain’t Got the Blues (2012).

Before the members came on stage, as I watched the empty stage waiting for the bands arrival, listening to the PA blast out the preconcert music, a man appeared holding a soldering object. He proceeded to perform a ritual of coating each microphone and amplifier on stage with this mysterious smoke that could barely be seen in the dim stage lighting. One could only surmise it was Blackberry Smoke. If you are a fan of Southern Rock, put Blackberry Smoke on your list to attend their next show next time they come around to Central Florida. Orlando’s free concert series are really magnificent events to attend has they are bring in some of the finest entertainment available.