In the middle of Hollywood Forever Cemetery, up-and-coming rock band Greta Van Fleet invited fans for a free private screening of their new film and intimate performance for Apple Music on Sept. 4.
“What I fear most now is being consumed, destroyed by what is a very extreme lifestyle,” lead singer Josh Kiszka said in the film.
While most people hadn’t heard of the band just last year, this year they have found themselves performing at Coachella, Lollapalooza and on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, quickly gaining notoriety for their 1970s-inspired rock music.
So far in their young career, the Michigan natives have released a double EP, “From the Fires,” as well as two singles for their upcoming album “Anthem of the Peaceful Army,” which will be released Oct.19.
The new singles, “When the Curtain Falls” and “Watching Over,” have created a powerful beginning to a new era of their music.
Greta Van Fleet credits nature as an inspiration for their music, and their new short film followed that theme, showing the band hiking, playing music and exploring the mountains and fields of Boulder, Colorado.
It’s kind of like being in the eye of the storm. There’s so much going on around you that it’s kind of difficult to understand how much is going on and in the very center of it its very calm, but all around its chaos,” guitarist Jake Kiszka said on their newfound fame.
The band opened the show with their fiery song “Highway Tune” as Josh Kiszka belted the lyrics, making the crowd go ecstatic. The band jammed away the rest of the night with poise and confidence to the point that anyone who didn’t know who they were would think they were stage veterans.
Brothers Sam and Jake Kiszka bounced off one another’s energy while drummer Danny Wagner led them through an incredible performance.
“The fact that I got to go see this show for free was probably the coolest thing the band could do for fans. They are such an amazing band to see live and I love what they are doing with rock music,” rhetoric and writing studies junior Kelly Brady said. .
In previous interviews, the rockers have expressed their desire to continue making rock music in the style of legendary from past decades. But while they do implement the sounds of classic rock, their modern take on the old sound has proved that they are ready to create a new wave of rock.
The band played Haight-Ashbury inspired song “Flower Power,” which Josh Kiszka expressed to be his favorite. Sam Kiszka sat down at the keyboard, barefoot as usual, as he began the performance with the song’s beautiful, transcendent sound.As the performance moved along, Josh interacted with the crowd, making fans feel a part of the performance.
“The reason I’m not really scared of anything is because we have each other,” the singer said in the film. And while the brothers have each other, they also have the rock world in the palm of their hands, awaiting what else Greta Van Fleet has to deliver.
Greta Van Fleet will be stopping in San Diego for a sold-out show at the Observatory in North Park on Sept. 23.
