Saving his special guests for the Saturday show, Will Hoge‘s sold-out Friday night benefit for Vanderbilt University Medical Center was predictable to any weathered Hoge fan. Playing a wide and varied collection of songs from his storied discography, Will Hoge did exactly what Will Hoge does best: put on a solid and heartfelt rock set that leaves the audience nearly as exhausted as the artist putting on the show. Gone (or hibernating) are the days when Hoge would stop a show entirely to quiet a chatty crowd, but the singer-songwriter can still subdue an audience by telling them that "this song sounds a whole lot better when it’s quiet in here." If you buy a ticket to one of his shows expecting the same sweaty rock show you got the last time, the Franklin native will make sure you get your money’s worth.
Though the Saturday set featured appearances by Vince Gill in addition to cameos from seemingly the entire cast of ABC’s Nashville, Friday’s benefit was intimate, with Josh Hoge opening and Will filling the quiet moments with stories and anecdotes about his journey as a musician.
After seven albums, countless tours, and a life-threatening accident that seemed to put it all into perspective, Will Hoge’s live show continues to prove that substance and talent trump publicity stunts and wardrobe changes. –Brianne Turner