Edwin opened the show with an acoustic set featuring himself, his guitarist and his saxophone player. Coming in hot with “I could not ask for more” the entire crowd started to settle in for a flash of the past. Edwin is just as fantastic on the stage as he is in all of his tik-toks, his humor and talent was so welcomed. He praised the song “I’ll be” crediting it to his success throughout the years (and thank you for such an iconic prom song).
Edwin McCain at Hollywood Casino Amp 6/1/24 – Mick Lite Photography
Mick Lite Photography
The stage was set, but the crowd wasn’t ready for Collective Soul. The front man Ed Roland immediately stole the show with his pink suit emerging from the shadows. This is what everyone was waiting for. This set was high energy from start to finish. My favorite song on this set was their cover of “Dirty Deeds” by AC/DC featuring- Edwin McCain, so happy to see them collab!! It was so bad ass. Collective Soul is a highly recommended concert experience chocked full of groovy guitar riffs and plenty of good-time vibes, if you ever have the chance to see them- DO IT!
Collective Soul at Hollywood Casino Amp 6/1/24 – Mick Lite Photography
Mick Lite Photography
Two decades later and the crowd buzzed louder than cicadas when the lights went out in anticipation for the main event- HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH. The band takes the stage, and then enters Mr. Rucker. He was jazzed up and ready to sing. Every single person in that amphitheater had smiles on their faces. We have craved this for a long time. The band is back together.
The band was alive and thriving. The stories between every song was such a charming addition to the laundry list of bangers this band put out. This night was all about Hootie. I found myself actually paying attention to everyone that made up this band, and not just Darius! Even when they performed Darius’ solo stuff such as Alright and his cover of Wagon Wheel, it still felt like Hootie. The crowd CAME TO LIFE during these songs. I almost didn’t even hear Darius. It was comedic but also so cool to see so many generations in attendance for such feel good music. My favorite part was to see how impactful this band was to so many people surrounding me! I found myself enjoying the couple in front of me just LIVING thier best lives singing every word to every song they played. They drove six hours to see these guys. It was such an amazing experience to have shared with such a passionate crowd. This has been one of my hardest reviews to date because of how lost in the moment I was during this entire event.
Hootie & The Blowfish at Hollywood Casino Amp 6/1/24 – Mick Lite Photography
Mick Lite Photography
The three song encore was a bittersweet end to the evening. I was so lost in reliving my teenage years, I never wanted the night to end. The final song “only wanna be with you”, was the cherry on top! The house lights came on and we were all instantly reminded it was WAY past our bedtimes. Hootie, thank you for taking us back. Thank you for an evening of lost youth. You’ve held our hand through some tough times, but the old man and me have to work in the morning. It’s TIME to go home and wait for the next tour!
Melissa O'Rourke
Melissa O’Rourke aka WickedWitchofSTL is a jack of all trades. By day she’s an established tattooist and piercer, by night a mother to her amazing son (who is a hell of a guitarist). Melissa has a musical background and can often be found at a local karaoke joint, or a concert when she’s not driving across the country for an adventure. This social butterfly always welcomes conversation so come say hi! See y’all at the next gig!
