Rock revivalists Greta Van Fleet exceed the buzz of being the hottest ticket in town

Photos by Trevor Woods

Something new and fresh transpired in Chicago over a three-night stretch of sold out shows at the Aragon Ballroom this past week. The new face of rock and roll, a band that will be around for decades, took to the stage to wow a crowd that featured faces of every generation who wanted to see what all the hype was about.

When keeping in mind that the oldest members are only 22, it’s safe to say Greta Van Fleet will only become bigger, likely grab at least a few Grammys and graduate to arenas in the not too distant future.

Greta Van Fleet, four young lads from Frankenmuth, Michigan, are fresh off receiving four Grammy nominations: “Best Rock Album,” “Best Rock Song,” “Best Rock Performance,” and “Best New Artist.” Friday’s edition started with a punch to the face and let the audience know they aren’t a gimmick of a band, but rather, true musicians. In the first fifteen minutes of the show, it was clear the foursome could duplicate how their recordings sound and expand upon them with extended jams that rip and roar.

The prime example of this was “Edge Of Darkness,” when guitarist Jake Kiszka had a solo that clocked in around six minutes. At one point during the lead, Jake channeled his inner “Guitar God” and put the instrument behind his back, sending fans into a frenzy. The guitarist receives comparisons to Jimmy Page, partly due to how he moves around on stage and because of his rad wardrobe choices, but to call him a Page clone would be entirely inaccurate. Jake has elements of Duane Allman, Ronnie Montrose, Jeff Beck, and other legends within him that he’s able to channel with fiery precision.

In addition to that 2017 track, the performance included offerings from Greta Van Fleet’s new album, “Anthem Of The Peaceful Army,” cuts off their previous EPs, and even a John Denver cover. Throughout the night, the Zeppelin comparisons were hard to ignore, particularly when hearing the vocals of Josh Kiszka, who can hoot and holler with a hippie vibe reminiscent of Robert Plant. “Watching Over,” “When The Curtain Falls,” and “Safari Song” all have Zep-like riffs and vocals, but there are hints of Rush and Geddy Lee-sounding melodies as well.

Bassist Sam Kiszka was just as busy flying up and down his axe with a style that should draw comparisons to John Entwistle of The Who. Sam doesn’t only play the bass, but he is a fine keyboardist who turned in a somewhat cryptic Hammond organ solo that could lead to the keyboard being used more heavily on future Greta Van Fleet projects. Drummer Danny Wagner, who’s just 19, was also able to showcase his abilities with a five-minute solo where he pounded his kit like a boxer training for his prize fight.

Yet Greta Van Fleet has become a polarizing band for some reason. There are the “get off my lawn” type of rock listeners who don’t want to embrace anything new, but then there are the millions of fans who love what they bring to the table. When keeping in mind that the oldest members are only 22, it’s safe to say Greta Van Fleet will only become bigger, likely grab at least a few Grammys and graduate to arenas in the not too distant future. Get on board, because these kids are the real deal with chops and writing abilities that will only grow and be bolstered by getting off to one hell of a start.

Click here for more photos of Greta Van Fleet at the Aragon Ballroom.

For additional information on Greta Van Fleet, visit GretaVanFleet.com.

For a list of upcoming Jam Productions shows, visit JamUSA.com.

For a list of upcoming shows at the Aragon Ballroom, visit Aragon.com.