There's something to be said for a band that is so raring to go that they actually start early. Such was the case with the Outlaws at a recent show in Red Bank, NJ at the famed Count Basie Theatre.
Looking very relaxed, these veteran rockers who've recently released a live two disc set, "Legacy Live," have totally lived up to the title. Their brief but fantastic eight song set featured some of their best known material and served as the perfect opening for the evening's headliner, The Charlie Daniels Band.
Opening with, "There Goes Another Love Song," the boys instantly grabbed the crowd; many of whom were now scurrying to their seats. The song sounded as fresh now as it did when it was released in 1975 and showed once again why it was a Top 40 hit but more importantly one could tell that the band was having fun right from the opening chord.
"Hurry Sundown," was next and it too sounded fresh and lively as the band nailed it perfectly. "Freeborn Man," a cover of the old Paul Revere and The Raiders tune was taken up a notch and featured a dizzying vintage Hammond B3 solo by Dave Robbins.
Long time band member and front man Henry Paul introduced the next offering as, "The only motorcycle song we ever wrote," and they launched head first into, "Born To Be Bad." A now raucous crowd was on hand as the music flowed as smoothly as Paul's seemingly ageless voice.
"We wrote this next one about growing up on the road," said Paul. "We were pretty young and we had some really good teachers to watch over us. This was written about when we'd be on the road with The Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and sometimes with our good friends the Allman Brothers and of course Charlie Daniels. This one's called, "It's About Pride." This was the first tune of the evening featuring the duel lead guitar harmonies which the group is well known for and the now standing audience showed their approval with thunderous applause, cat calls and lots of hoots and hollers.
After a brief pause, drummer Monte Yoho began the familiar intro to the classic instrumental, "Waterhole" as the already dancing zealots began to sing the guitar parts in unison. Yoho showed off his incredibly tasty ability as he played the drum solo section so well that none of those dancing ever broke stride and then,"Knoxville Girl" kept the party going with its twangy southern style and well played crisp guitar leads and harmonies.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end and the band saved their best for last as they performed their signature work, "Green Grass and High Tides" and closed their portion of the show. All of the parts were there working perfectly in sync; the searing guitar licks, the guitar harmonies, the dynamics and vocal harmonies which make this epic the classic that it was and still is. They seemed to really let it all out on this masterpiece while keeping it fresh and exciting with some unexpected deviations but not far enough from the original where it detracted from the norm.
Kudos to these Outlaws of rock 'n' roll; even though there was no encore the set ended at 8:21 p.m. and was well worth the price of admission. Just as "Legacy Live" captures the band on record, their live show is one for the ages and a definite must see event.
To discover more about the Outlaws, please go to, www.outlawsmusic.com.
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.
With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.
A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].
