Zach Person (2024)

One Liner: Blues rock goodness in the vein of Gary Clark Jr.

Wikipedia Genre:  No Wikipedia, Blues rock
Home: Austin!

Poster Position: 25
Weekend One Only.
Day: Saturday at 12:05

Tito's Tent.

Thoughts:  Cool stuff - this guy is legit.  Getting a Gary Clark Jr. vibe from this - bluesy rock stuff.  It's not the same at all, he uses drum machines on some of these tracks, and his guitarwork isn't nearly as volcanic, but its in that same wheelhouse.  He was last here in 2021.

He was on American Idol in 2016, and even played Gary Clark Jr. for his audition tune.  He made it to the top 50 on the season, and then got cut.  From one article I read, it sounds like he used to play as a three piece, but during the pandemic slimmed down to just him and his drummer.  He says he grew up in North Carolina, then in Houston.  He claims inspiration from John Mayer as well, which I can see.  Kinda bluesy but also rock-based and catchy.  In that American Idol video, he can jam on the acoustic, and has a lot of confidence.  Three yes'es from the judges - pretty damn good.

His second-most streamed track is "Can't Stop Running," with 136k streams.  His eyes are freaking me out.

That video is awesomely bad.  Like, made for $300 in a friend's art studio in 30 minutes bad.  But I still love it.  And a good tune - got some guitar fireworks and a catchy jam.

Two albums, starting with 2021's Zach Person.  On the cover, he's in a swanky bathtub with a tumbler of drink in his hand, looking all sort of relaxed and nonchalant.  He's not getting just a ton of streams - most of his tunes have less than ten thousand.  Which is a shame - I think this is very enjoyable.  His fourth-most streamed is "Send Me Away," with 53k streams.

Huh - I had no clue that those drum sounds were being played by a live human.  Thought that was just a drum track when I listened before.  But another rock tune steeped in the blues and dripping with a slinky soul.  Dig it.  That guitar solo is tight.

Since then, he released 2024's Let's Get Loud, and has a bigger hit on his hands.  "Muddy Water" currently has 319k streams and so it wins his streaming wars.  Freaking good too.

Definitely is not angling away from the Gary Clark Jr comparisons with that sound.  That guitar tone is freaking bad ass.

Unfortunately, his poster position likely means he'll be playing the crappy early slot.  Maybe we'll get up there in time to see him, but that seems like too early for Saturday.  We'll see - I definitely think he's worth checking out if you are going to be there.