Why does the Zac Brown Band keep coming back to CMAC? Drummer Chris Fryar shares insights
Locals will gather at the Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center this Sunday to get " Knee-Deep" in Zac Brown Band music for their latest summer concert.
The band is quite familiar with Western New York. They made their debut at CMAC in 2010.
What is it about this region that consistently entices the Zac Brown Band?
"The fans are amazing," drummer Chris Fryar said. "That's what brings us back every year."
Fryar said every place they go has a different vibe, depending on the fans. Certain songs are more popular in some areas of the country over others, so they switch up the setlist a little bit for every show.
This area of the country tends to appreciate when the band experiments with their lesser-known songs during performances.
"It really seems like we can go a little deeper on the album cuts in that part of the country," Fryar said. "It never lets us down; we come anywhere in upstate NY, and we can go a little deeper on the song list, and the fans love it."
Though Canandaigua isn't typically considered upstate, "it's a cool area for music; a lot of great musicians have come out of that part of the country," he added.
In the past, Fryar said he's typically never ventured too far out from their venue site; however, recently, he and percussionist Daniel De Los Reyes have started compiling a list of all the local restaurants and mom-and-pop shops in the communities where they perform.
"As I get older, I realized the value of experiencing the local culture of any place that I visit, and that's really what I want to go do," the drummer shared.
Fryar mentioned that the band has yet to explore any spots in Canandaigua but is eager to begin the discovery process.
What to Expect for Sunday's Zac Brown Band Show at CMAC
According to Fryar, you can anticipate hearing the band's well-known hits along with some covers, but he also mentioned the band's inclination to shake things up, so be prepared for surprises.
In recent years, Fryar said the band has been experimenting more with different styles of music, taking inspiration from their favorite artists outside the country genre.
In 2015, Zac Brown Band released an electronic, pop-style track titled "Beautiful Drug." That same year, they released another song, "Heavy is the Head," featuring Chris Cornell, which went No. 1 on the rock charts.
"The beautiful part is we get together, and we start drawing upon all of our little influences, and it's sort of like this melting pot of ideas," Fryar said.
This year, the band paid tribute to the late legend Jimmy Buffet in their new track, "Pirates and Parrots."
Zac Brown, the band's founder and lead singer, wrote the song and included the line, "Adios my friends," a quote Buffet was known to say quite often, according to Fryar.
"We think it's very important to not only keep his legacy alive in some way but also to recognize just how important of an impression he made in the world of music," he said.
Fryar recalled the band's memories of jamming with Buffett during their 2010 "CMT Crossroads" episode, a show where newly established artists make music and pay tribute to their biggest influences.
"In the middle of the whole thing, Jimmy literally says, 'Hey, I'm passing the torch,'" Fryar said. "And it was a really huge moment for us all."
Even if you aren't a huge country fan, Fryar insists there will be something for everybody during Sunday's set.
"Just come out and have a good time."
Zac Brown Band creates the soundtrack to our lives
Chris Fryar's journey with the band began in 2008, and since then, the band has toured every year except for 2020 during the pandemic.
Their music has transcended through the decades, evolving and growing.
Fryar said if you listen to a live version of "Toes" from 2008 compared to a live version of it now, they would sound like two different interpretations of the same song.
He believes their tunes, especially the most popular ones, have universal themes people can relate to, which is why they have longevity. "Music just connects people," he said.
In November last year, Fryar encountered a couple who journeyed from Brazil to Florida to celebrate their honeymoon at one of their shows. He mentioned the song they selected for their first dance was "Free."
"We create the soundtrack to our lives, and it becomes the fabric woven into our memories," Fryar said.
To purchase tickets for the Zac Brown Band show on June 2, you can visit CMAC's website. The show starts at 6:30 at 3355 Marvin Sands Drive, Canandaigua, NY.
Do you have any restaurant recommendations the band should try during their time here? Head to our Instagram page (@democratandchronicle) and leave some suggestions.
Want more music? CMAC summer concerts: Here's who is coming in 2024
— Madison Scott is a journalist with the Democrat and Chronicle who edited our Weld Street Project and also did reporting for it. She has an interest in how the system helps or doesn't help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Zac Brown Band drummer Chris Fryar reflects on playing at CMAC in NY
