Despite Rain Under The Sun Shines Through Clearfield

Concert Review
Under The Sun Tour
Clearfield County Fair
Clearfield, PA
Saturday August 8, 2015
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto

The 155th Clearfield County Fair closed out with a visit from The Under The Sun tour Saturday evening. Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath summer tour extravaganza is now in its third season highlighting band’s who came to prominence in the nineties. Besides Sugar Ray this year featured Uncle Kracker, Better Than Ezra and Eve 6.

In keeping with tradition McGrath himself came out before each act to introduce them just as did when the he was first involved with that other nineties tour he was with back in 2012. It had just started to drizzle when McGrath guaranteed it would not rain although his tongue was in cheek. Despite a little drizzle here and there it did not dampen the spirit of the crowd.

Eve 6 opened the show and played a solid set that concluded with their biggest hit “Inside Out”. The band is still intact and features singer/bassist Max Collins, guitarist Jon Siebels and drummer Tony Fagenson. Eve 6 was the perfect choice to open as they set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Surprisingly Sugar Ray was up next as they rolled through most of their hits and a few choice covers including a great version of EMF’s “Unbelievable”. McGrath knows how to work a crowd as he bounced from one side of the stage to the other. For the tour McGrath enlisted drummer Dean Butterworth (Good Charlotte, Morrissey) who has been aboard since 2012 and bassist Kristian Attard (Heart).

Up next was the New Orleans based outfit Better Than Ezra. The band still consists of original members vocalist/guitarist Kevin Griffin and bassist Tom Drummond. Joining them were drummer Michael Jerome and James Arthur Payne who played guitar and keyboards.

The band kicked off their all too brief 45-minute set with “King Of New Orleans”. The band for the most part chose covers which was kind of stupefying considering the band has seven albums of their own material to choose from. They finished with “In The Blood” a minor radio hit from their platinum album Deluxe.

Matthew Shafer better known by the stage name of Uncle Kracker closed the affair. Getting things started with the appropriately titled “Saturday Night” started the fast paced set in the right direction.

Backed by a solid five piece band Shafer and company plowed through hits like “Follow Me”, the Dobie Gray cover “Drift Away” and ended the affair with Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long”.

Once again Mark McGrath has brought a winning line up for this year’s Under The Sun Tour. This marked the third year of Under The Sun. It makes us wait with anticipation to see what next year will bring to the table. With McGrath you know one thing it will have diversity and be very bombastic.

Eve 6
Open Road Song
Promise
Victoria
Think Twice
On The Roof Again
Here’s To The Night
Inside Out

Sugar Ray
Summertime’s Coming
Someday
Every Morning
What The World Needs is Love
When It’s Over
Unbelievable
Fly

Better Than Ezra
King Of New Orleans
What I Got
Good
Rush mix
Feel Good (Gorillaz cover)
Miss You/Juicy/Rapper’s Delight/O.P.P.
In The Blood

Uncle Kracker
Saturday Night
Good To Be With Me
In A Little While
Follow Me/You Shook Me All Night Long
When The Sun Goes Down
No Stranger 2 Shame/The Joker
Smile
Drift Away
All Summer Long

Under The Sun Tour Dates Click Here