Whatever you want to call it — pop country, stadium country, bro country — Florida Georgia Line makes music for the masses. And the masses turned out in great numbers Thursday night, for the duo’s Maine stop on its Dig Your Roots tour at the Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion in Bangor, part of the Machias Savings Bank concert series.
The duo, composed of singers Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, has already had 11 top ten country hits and two major pop hits with the songs “Cruise” and “Dirt.” Their music is an accessible blend of country, rock and hip hop — though the country elements are, for the most part, only to be found in the band’s harmonies, occasional use of dobro and mandolin, and lyrics, which is mostly of the trucks, partying, girls and and rural life sort of subject matter.
On a set bedecked with fire, fog and giant video screens, Hubbard and Kelley ran around the stage, opening with “This Is How We Roll,” and then playing hit after hit, including “It’z Just What We Do,” “Round Here,” “Anything Goes,” “Stay, “Confession,” and even a new song, “Smooth,” off the band’s new album, “Dig Your Roots,” set to come out in August.
Opening for Florida Georgia Line was Cole Swindell, who has had two major country hits with “Chillin’ It” and “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey,” as well as two other country acts, the Cadillac Three, known for their song “The South,” and Kane Brown, who had a hit last year with “Used To Love You Sober.” Drinking is a major theme of all four bands on the bill — and audience members took advantage of that attitude, with a larger selection of beer available for this year’s concert season, as well as a new tiki bar offering frozen margaritas.
The Florida Georgia Line concert is the second in a three-day stretch of Waterfront Concerts. Wednesday offered a show from Journey, the Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason, and Friday brings Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon and Tesla to the stage. For more information on all Waterfront Concerts visit waterfrontconcerts.com.