Last night I went to see the Eli Young Band in Raleigh, NC. They were great, as always, with a tight sound, great energy, and a crowd that knew every word. But surprisingly, the highlight of my night wasn’t the headliner. It was a brand-new artist named Ellrod, who played his very first show and somehow managed to steal the spotlight.
Ellrod came out with just his guitar and an acoustic setup, but from the second he started singing, you could feel the room shift. His voice had this raw, honest quality to it, passionate but controlled, and it drew everyone in. You could tell he wasn’t just performing songs; he was truly feeling the music.
I actually got to meet him before the show, and he was one of the nicest people I’ve ever talked to at a concert. No ego, no pretense, just a guy who was genuinely excited to be there. We talked like we’d known each other for years, and that same energy carried over when he hit the stage. He had this natural way of making a big crowd feel small, like he was singing to each person individually.
What really impressed me was how confident he seemed, even though nobody in the audience knew his songs yet. That’s not easy to pull off. He mixed in a few covers, including a killer version of a Post Malone song that had everyone singing, but his original songs were what really stood out. You could tell there’s something special there.
He doesn’t have any music out yet, but after hearing him live, I have no doubt that’ll change soon. There’s something about Ellrod, his voice, his presence, the way he connects with people, that makes you believe he’s just getting started.
If you haven’t heard the name Ellrod yet, trust me, you will. And when you do, you’ll be glad you were paying attention early.
