What do you get when you place the force to be reckoned with that is Briana Buckmaster, guitar god Billy Moran, musical genius Jason Manns, and Scotland’s finest Paul Carella on the same stage throughout the course of one evening? Magic. Pure, unfiltered magic.
The second stop of Dogwood Events‘ #PBJTour was held in the bustling city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at an intimate venue — The Fire. Despite the ongoing heat wave, fans flocked to the show to be a part of what was guaranteed to be an incredible evening. The bar area was teeming with excitement and anticipation as people waited for the night to begin.
The concert kicked off with a VIP pre-show, during which Briana, Billy, Jason, and Paul answered questions from the crowd on-stage (with some added banter, of course.) They also played a few familiar tunes, including: “Whiskey And You” (Paul), “Girl Crush” (Briana and Billy), “Stand By Me” (Jason), “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay” (Jason), and “Wrecking Ball” (Briana and Billy). The VIP pre-show is a must-do for any leg of this tour, because it’s a fantastic way to start off the evening before everyone is wrapped up in the performances. When the VIP session ended, a large group photo with the crowd was taken, followed by the chance for individual group selfies with Briana, Billy, Jason, and Paul.
For the main show, the group split up to perform their solo sets. Paul was up first, and he performed eight songs: “I Tried,” “My Little Lady,” “Hero,” “Bad Things,” “New Age,” “Chasing Echoes”, “One Last Time” (apparently one of Paul’s favorite songs that he’s written!), and “Red Sole Woman.” Watching a performance by Paul is truly a treat, as he has an unbelievable voice and clearly works to put on a show that the audience will enjoy. Also, seemingly, nobody has guessed the correct meaning behind “Chasing Echoes” yet (Paul owes the whole bar to whoever guesses correctly!)
Jason was next to step up on stage, bringing with him his wonderful musical talents, fun and witty attitude, and even a quick bit of beat boxing. His set consisted of six songs, “Soul,” “Journey,” “I Remember,” “Who’s Lovin’ You,” “Down,” and “Another Number.” The crowd’s love for Jason was made clear when he announced his final song — they hummed in good-natured disappointment because they wanted him to continue singing. Jason is a musician through and through, and his dedication to his craft always shines clearly in his performances.
Briana and Billy were the final performers, a dynamic duo that we absolutely cannot wait to see more from in the future. This recent team-up of two very talented individuals has proven to be a success of epic proportions. Briana’s powerhouse vocals are complemented wonderfully by Billy’s untouchable guitar talents. They performed eight songs: “Good Love,” “Rise Up,” “Valerie,” “Better Than That,” “Angel,” “Wave,” “Gunpowder and Lead,” and “Carry On Wayward Son.” The duo’s rendition of “Carry On Wayward Son,” which was unreal, elicited a surge of emotions throughout the crowd as they joined in singing for each chorus.
To conclude the show, Jason and Paul hopped back on stage to perform a crowd favorite — “Wagon Wheel.” Fans were even treated to the highly-sought-after vocals of Billy Moran for a verse, during which the already energetic crowd erupted in excitement.
After the show concluded, Paul, Briana, Billy, and Jason mingled amongst the crowd to sign autographs, take photos, and just chat with fans — catching up with familiar faces and warmly welcoming newcomers. This experience in itself is a true testament to how great those four are, as they stepped down from their spots on stage — most likely feeling quite hot and tired — and gave fans a unique and wonderful opportunity to communicate with them in a laid back setting.
Stay tuned for further coverage for the last two stops of the tour, info for which can be found here! The talented Hayden Lee will be joining the group for the rest of the shows. Those that are unable to attend can purchase tickets to watch a special Stageit performance with Briana, Billy, Jason, and Paul today, July 23!
