Greta Van Fleet, a progressive rock group from Frankenmuth, Michigan, started their musical journey back in 2012. I have had the pleasure of listening to their music since 2017, when they released their debut studio EP, Black Smoke Rising. Their debut EP topped Billboard U.S. Mainstream Rock and Active Rock charts shortly after its release, and their second EP went on to earn a 2019 Grammy for Best Rock Album. The band started in 2012 because of Josh Kiszka’s long-time dream of being in a band. He enlisted his twin and his younger brother, Jake and Sam, and eventually family friend, Danny Wagner. The former drummer, Kyle Hauck, created the name of the band after hearing of Frankenmuth resident Gretna Van Fleet. The band started by playing music in their garage and this led to the eventual creation, and use in a local Detroit Chevy Equinox commercial, of Standing On. These achievements resulted in their song Highway Tune being used in the show Shameless in 2016 and led to their first tours alongside headliners such as The Struts and Bob Seger.
From the moment I first heard their music, I knew they were going to make a major splash in the rock world. Their sound reminded my dad and me of Led Zeppelin, as frontman Josh Kiszka’s vocals and the general sound of Greta Van Fleet were so similar to that of the 70’s rock group. I spent years begging my parents to go see their concerts live and almost had an opportunity to go to their show back in 2022. Unfortunately, I was unable to get tickets before they sold out. I was lucky this year to have gotten tickets to their Sept. 8 show in Detroit. I spent all summer delighted and preparing to finally see the band that had left such a lasting impression on me. The day started like any other, with me waking up early to spend time with my cat and roommates, but I couldn’t focus on anything other than my rising excitement to finally see my local musical heroes. I spent the whole week spamming my boyfriend with excited messages, and my TikTok “for you” page was full of people’s posts about their own show experiences, which only added to my enthusiasm.
After my class, I got all dolled-up and drove myself and my boyfriend to the venue. We got inside and found our seats and listened to the opening band, Surf Curse. Then, the time finally came for Greta Van Fleet to perform. They had lifted a curtain in front of the stage to cover themselves and their stage hands as they set everything up. The crowd chanted for their arrival, and the noise was deafening. The curtain dropped and the crowd of 20,000 fans at Little Caesars Arena erupted in applause.
They started with songs from their newest album, Starcatcher. Personally, this album has been one of my favorites. They released Starcatcher in July 2023, prior to the start of their tour. They also incorporated several long solos: a guitar solo by Jake, a bass solo by Sammy, a drum solo by Wagner, and even a harmonica duet. The solos were incredible and were designed to distract the crowd from Josh’s wardrobe changes, which were spectacular. Their show also included a shorter acoustic set, where they performed on a mini stage towards the back of the floor seats. Every fan poured out their love and support for the band the entire show, a majority even staying for two encore songs, including Light My Love.
Greta Van Fleet is still young, with members currently aged 27 and 24 – Jake and Josh being the oldest, and Sammy and Danny being 24. However, the energy these artists give to their shows is full of life, wisdom, and love. These young men are so jovial and care so deeply for their fans and for the music itself. Their love shows in each concert as they run through the crowd and as they toss roses out to the fans. They are dedicated to their craft, and I expect to see their love and dedication continue to produce more albums in the future.