The viral sensation said he was nervous about this massive hometown outing. He needn’t be.
It was just north of Richmond that Oliver Anthony took the stage in his native Virginia. He kicked off the 2024 After-Hours concert season at the SERVPRO Pavilion on Friday (May 17th).
When last we saw Anthony, he was readying his debut album. Now, Hymnal of a Troubled Man’s Mind is out. And his fan base is stronger than ever. It was said from the stage that Oliver Anthony’s show was the highest-attended in the After Hours concert series’ history.
In the field at the storied Meadow Event Park were Oliver’s ilk: the blue-collar worker found in the rural corners of America. Doswell is the perfect example of this kind of idealized America. They are also the people that Oliver sings about. Worn down by the realities of the world, but always hopeful that things can improve for themselves and their country.
Oliver Anthony’s voice soared through the field of ten thousand fans. “Cobwebs and Cocaine” is as powerful in the open air as it was at the intimate Ryman show. “Always Love You (Like an Old Dog)” and “Ain’t Got a Dollar” were crowd favorites.
As a surprise, Anthony brought special guest Little Ozzy out for a dobro-tinged metal cover. It oddly worked, and Anthony may have created a new sub-genre of bluegrass. A cover of Jamey Johnson’s “In Color” conjured a singalong.
By the time Oliver Anthony and his backing band reached that big hit, the crowd was ready. Ten thousand strong sang with such vigor, that you thought (and hoped) DC just might be able to hear it.
This special evening in Doswell was a meeting of Anthony and the people who put him where he is today. Back in March, I said that he was successful if he could keep it. Now that his debut album has launched and he’s commanded an arena-size crowd, I’m confident he’ll keep that success for a long, long time.
