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Above photo from Zach Top’s official website. 

Last Thursday, my friends and I scrambled to the Poughkeepsie train station just shy of five o’clock in the afternoon to catch the train into Grand Central. We were on our way to see country star Zach Top at Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen and we were all super excited. 

Hailing from Washington State, Zach Top grew up listening to classic country music on his family’s farm. Following the release of his acclaimed debut album Cold Beer & Country Music in 2024, Zach Top has been on a roll ever since. His debut album landed on several “Best of 2024” lists, including Rolling Stone, Billboard, and The New York Times. He kicked off his headlining tour in January and brought the show to Terminal 5 on May 1. 

I had never been to Terminal 5, but I had read mixed reviews about the venue, so I was apprehensive on the way there. When we got there, it was just past seven o’clock and we got in without issue. Upon entering the venue, it was already packed, so we ended up just staying near the side where we entered. We made a quick stop at the bar to grab water and beverages, and then wormed our way towards the stage just in time for Jake Worthington, the opener, to take the stage. 

A note regarding concert etiquette 

Before we get into the actual show itself, which was fantastic, I have to say that this may have been one of the rudest crowds that I have ever encountered at a live show. There was no decorum, everyone was pushing and shoving, trying in vain to get towards the front of the crowd despite there being literally no room to get closer. 

There’s a certain level of irritation that you come to expect when being in the pit or the floor at shows and I’ve put up with my fair share of my toes getting stepped on, my view getting blocked, and just generally getting shoved and pushed around. 

However, the crowd was just generally rude and obnoxious, and in some cases, downright disrespectful. There were multiple fights that broke out on the floor that security had to get involved in. During one of Zach Top’s slower, lesser known songs, people were talking so loudly that you could hear the crowd noise more clearly than him singing. And last but not least, I got elbowed and nearly knocked over more times than I can count (and I might be small, but I’m sturdy and have pretty good balance, so it’s hard to knock me over!) 

So in terms of the crowd and just general vibe, it was probably one of, if not the worst concert I’ve ever been to. However, talking about the music, the show itself was incredible! 

Making New York City sound like a honkytonk 

Zach started off with his hit, “Sounds Like The Radio,” from his 2024 debut album Cold Beer & Country Music. This track immediately got the crowd excited and in the country groove. He followed it up with “I Don’t Mind,” from his 2022 self-titled EP and a cover of George Jones’ “The Love Bug.”  

One of the most appealing things about Zach Top as an artist is that he’s bringing back that classic country sound at a time while the genre is being so inundated with other genre sounds (which inherently, is not a bad thing, but can make you more apt to appreciate the country roots that the genre was built upon). He is also fond of incorporating classic country covers at his live shows, which is always a nice throwback moment. 

He went on to perform three more hits from his 2024 album, including “Beer for Breakfast,” “Lonely for Long,” and “Dirt Turns to Gold,” before briefly turning the mic over to his bass player, Jimmy, for a cover of the Commodores’ “Brick House.” It was a fun little segue, and wouldn’t be the only time that Zach turned the mic over to another member of his band during the show. 

He continued on with “Ain’t That a Heartbreak” and “There’s the Sun,” from Cold Beer & Country Music, followed by a cover of Merle Haggard’s “Ramblin’ Fever.” 

After performing “The Kinda Woman I Like” and “In a World Gone Wrong,” Zach went on to perform a handful of classic country covers, including “Don’t Cheat in Our Hometown,” by Ricky Skaggs, “Kentucky Bluebird,” by Keith Whitley, and “If I Didn’t Have You,” by Randy Travis. 

Next, he launched into fan-favorite “Bad Luck,” before turning the mic over to his guitarist, Cheyenne, for a cover of Sara Evans’ “Suds in the Bucket.” Every girl in that venue was singing their heads off to this country throwback – it was such a good pick! 

“Use Me,” came next, followed by a cover of George Strait’s “Amarillo by Morning,” and Merle Haggard’s “Footlights.” To close out the show, Zach got back to his own music, performing “Justa Jonesin,’” “Cowboys Like Me Do,” “I Never Lie,” “Things To Do,” and finally, “Cold Beer & Country Music.” 

Final thoughts 

Overall, Zach himself put on an incredible show. He sounds exactly the same live – if not even better – than on the recordings. I really admire his style when he performs – no frills or dramatics, just him and his band performing their raw talent. While I didn’t love the venue and certainly didn’t love the crowd, I would definitely go see him perform again at a different venue.