Live From the Artists Den

On a warm summer evening, the Grammy award-winning Zac Brown Band brought music back to the historic Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills, NY with a hit-filled performance for the sold out stadium crowd under the stars. Zac Brown Band, one of the most successful and critically-acclaimed acts of its generation, incorporated a mix of country, bluegrass, reggae, Southern rock, and jam music into its performance which included such fan favorites as the Caribbean-inspired “Jump Right In,” lush ballad “Colder Weather,” and free spirited anthem “Free.”

Alabama Shakes delivered a crushingly electric set at the rustic-chic Loveless Barn outside of Nashville, behind the famous Loveless Cafe. The six-piece band dashed through blistering rockabilly boogies, eruptive country-soul ballads, and plenty else from both their breakout debut album, Boys & Girls, and their Album of the Year-nominated sophomore effort, Sound & Color. Front woman Brittany Howard testified to the deeply felt truths of the songs with ferocious flamboyance, and her bandmates were with her all the way—gutsy, dynamic, and altogether riveting.

Cage the Elephant brought their funky, soulfully psychedelic sound to the stage at the Santa Barbara Art Foundry for its episode of Live from the Artists Den. Thriving off the energy of the crowd, frontman Matt Shultz delivered an epic performance in an intimate setting, hurling himself around the small space like a man possessed, while the rest of the band equaled his intensity. The set, drawn mostly from the band’s Grammy-nominated album, Melophobia, ended with a shirtless Shultz held aloft by the cheering crowd, a triumphant exclamation point to an unforgettable night.

Damien Rice delivered an unforgettable performance at the Greenpoint Loft for his episode of Live from the Artists Den. The Irish singer-songwriter concentrated largely on material from his acclaimed album, My Favorite Faded Fantasy. While the concert — in an intimate, in-the-round setting on the top floor of a 19th century warehouse on the Brooklyn waterfront, with a dazzling view of the Manhattan skyline — was mostly played solo, Rice thrilled the fans with a surprise full choir backing him on “Trusty and True.”