The Avett Brothers made their way back to Chaifetz Arena on Saturday, Oct. 7th, having been here last in June 2016, continuing their True Sadness Tour. The band, composed of Scott Avett, Seth Avett, Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon, came to tour their ninth studio album, “True Sadness.”

The indie-folk-rock sound of the band enticed fans of all ages to Chaifetz, from teenagers to parents with young kids. All  generations gathered under one roof to hear the unique genre that brought them together in the first place.

The Avett Brothers started the show off later than planned, coming on nearly half an hour late, but as soon as the lights were dimmed, the band graced the stage with their charisma. They started off with their song, “Satan Pulls the Strings,” a high-energy tune that almost seemed like an apology to the fans for having to be wait patiently for them. This energy continued with Scott Avett coming out into the crowd within the first three songs and traveling into different sections, sending those sections into a frenzy. He weaved through the audience before finally making his way back to the stage to join the rest of the band once more.

The band kept the energy high for a while, playing songs that would get the crowd up on their feet. Then, about halfway through the show, Seth and Scott, the original Avett brothers, slowed down the show with an acoustic set. The two brothers demonstrated their raw talent and the crowd that was once jumping and full of energy stayed quiet and calm so that their gentle voices could fill the air.

After the acoustic breakdown, the rest of the band came back and immediately ramped up the energy in the crowd again. The light arrangements throughout the sets were phenomenal, capturing the vibe of the concert as it played out in front of the audience. The stage was covered in Persian rugs to give way to the indie vibe they produce, but the stage itself seemed a bit crowded with the four “brothers,” two back-up singers, and drummer. It made it awkward for anyone to move around on stage, leaving them all pretty stationary. Movement from the members could have made the show more entertaining to watch, and would have made the crowd even livelier than they were.

After a whopping 22 songs, the Avett Brothers left the stage. The crowd started a loud standing ovation, and brightened the arena with their cell phone lights to encourage the band to return to the stage. After a few minutes, the band slowly made their way back to the stage and immediately went into a moving tribute for Tom Petty, performing his song, “You Don’t Know How It Feels.” The encore included three more songs, making the final total for their setlist 26 songs, almost double what a normal setlist would include.

Overall, the show consisted of a little bit of everything to satisfy the crowd that was a little bit of everything. The dedication of the crowd just showed how loyal the fans of the Avett Brothers are and how they will always be here waiting for them and their return to St. Louis.