Article by: Sarah Todd
Raleigh, NC — On February 17, 2023, PNC Arena in Raleigh hosted the highly anticipated Hootie and the Blowfish concert, a one-night only show for fans in advance of the Carolina Hurricanes game the following day. The band consists of lead singer Darius Rucker, guitarist Mark Bryan, bassist Dean Felber, and drummer Jim Sonefeld. They have been together since 1986 and have been making music ever since. These guys released a countless number of hits since the 90s, and the crowd who came out to see them in Raleigh were excited to hear it all.
The concert began with Darius and his fellow bandmates taking the stage and welcoming their fans, then going right into an impressive “I Go Blind,” (originally recorded by the band 54-40, but famously covered by Hootie and the Blowfish on their debut studio album, Cracked Rear View) which had the whole arena cheering. The band performed some of their greatest hits, such as “Hold My Hand,” “Let Her Cry,” and “Time.” The crowd sang along to every word and were captivated by the band’s energy and enthusiasm. Hootie and the Blowfish’s most recent studio album, Imperfect Circle, was released in 2019, and was the first studio album from the group in fourteen years. It was a highly anticipated release, and the Raleigh crowd enjoyed hearing some of these newer songs thrown into the mix. The band also threw in some well known and surprising covers, such as R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” and “Champagne Supernova” by Oasis.
When it was time for the encore, the audience was on its feet and cheering for more. After closing the show with their biggest hit song, “Only Wanna Be With You,” the audience erupted in applause and the band thanked everyone for coming out.
Overall, the Hootie and the Blowfish concert at PNC Arena was a night to remember. The setlist allowed fans to relish in some wonderful ’90s nostalgia while also discovering some new favorite songs. The show was a celebration of the band’s legacy, and it was clear that Hootie and the Blowfish are still just as musically entertaining as ever.