Zac Brown Band Concert Review: Live in Buffalo 11/5/2026

Zac Brown Band never disappoints, and their November 5, 2026 show at KeyBank Center in Buffalo was another reminder of just how much talent there is on that stage.

They put on a fantastic two-and-a-half-hour performance filled with songs spanning their career, plenty of fun covers, and some truly beautiful harmonies. The set was really well put together, with the band moving comfortably between country, rock, laid-back favorites, and more emotional moments.

And then came that encore. After a night that already offered so much, the band shared lead vocal duties through a string of covers before John Driskell Hopkins took the lead on an emotional performance of “Free Bird.” It was an incredible way to finish the show.

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Quick Details

Artist: Zac Brown Band
Venue: KeyBank Center
Location: Buffalo, New York
Date: November 5, 2026
Tour: Love & Fear Tour
Set length: Approximately two and a half hours

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Zac Brown Band Buffalo Setlist — November 5, 2026

Homegrown
Whiskey’s Gone
As She’s Walking Away
Keep Me in Mind
Hard Run
Toes
Butterfly
I Ain’t Worried About It
One Way Out — with Brothers Osborne
What You Gonna Do
Steal My Kisses — Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals cover
The Banjo Song — Mumford & Sons cover, with a snippet of “Island Song”
Sweet Annie
Settle Me Down — with a snippet of Jimmy Buffett’s “Volcano”
Jump Right In
Someone I Used to Know
Day That I Die
Same Boat
Free / Into the Mystic
Knee Deep — dedicated to Jimmy Buffett
Colder Weather / Take It to the Limit
Chicken Fried

Encore — shared lead vocals medley:

Heartache Tonight / Let’s Get It On / Loser / The Letter / Tití Me Preguntó / Chandelier / Pink Houses / Your Love / American Pie / Free Bird

A Set That Brought Everything Together

Opening with “Homegrown,” “Whiskey’s Gone,” “As She’s Walking Away,” and “Keep Me in Mind” gave the show a strong start. That opening stretch alone covered plenty of what makes this band so enjoyable, from the energy of “Whiskey’s Gone” to the harmonies that make a song like “As She’s Walking Away” such a pleasure to hear live.

The song selection throughout the night was excellent. “Toes,” “Knee Deep,” “Sweet Annie,” “Same Boat,” and “Chicken Fried” all had their place alongside newer material, and the covers added even more variety.

What I really liked was how well it all flowed. Over two and a half hours, there was room for the band to stretch out, have some fun, and give the quieter moments time to connect. The set covered a lot of ground while still feeling like one complete show.

That balance is a big part of what makes Zac Brown Band so good live. They have a catalog full of songs people want to hear, and the musicianship to take the night in all kinds of directions.

So Much Talent on One Stage

They sounded absolutely incredible all night long. There is so much going on musically with this band, and hearing everyone come together in person is something special.

Seeing Zac Brown Band live, their harmonies definitely stand out. Those voices blend so beautifully, giving the songs a warmth and fullness that makes them even more enjoyable live. As much as I love the big, energetic moments, hearing those harmonies fill the arena was every bit as impressive.

The pairings of “Free” with “Into the Mystic” and “Colder Weather” with “Take It to the Limit” fit beautifully into the set. Those combinations gave the band another opportunity to bring their own music together with songs that suit their voices and style so well.

There were plenty of moments throughout the night where I found myself simply appreciating how good this entire band is.

Tributes to Dolly Parton and Jimmy Buffett

Two of the most heartfelt moments of the night were the tributes to Dolly Parton and Jimmy Buffett, with pictures and videos of both filling the screen during their respective songs.

Before “Butterfly,” Zac talked about his close friendship with Dolly and shared that he had written the song for his kids. When Dolly heard it, she told him not to even think about recording it with anyone else—that one was going to be the two of them. Knowing that story made hearing the song, which features Dolly on the recording, even more special. It was such a sweet glimpse into their friendship and how that collaboration came together.

Zac also dedicated “Knee Deep,” which originally featured Jimmy Buffett, to the man who inspired him in both music and life. He spoke about Jimmy passing the torch to him to carry on that free-spirited approach to living that comes through so beautifully in Buffett’s music. Then he played a clip of Jimmy actually saying he was passing that torch to Zac. Hearing it directly from Jimmy made the tribute especially meaningful.

With pictures and videos of Jimmy on the screen, “Knee Deep” became a celebration of everything Zac had just talked about. That sense of freedom, joy, and taking a little time to enjoy life is something they share in their music, and this was a beautiful way to honor that connection.

Covers That Added to the Fun

The covers were a big part of what made this show so enjoyable. Zac Brown Band has the range to pull from different styles and make each one feel comfortable within the same set.

“One Way Out” brought Brothers Osborne into the mix, while Ben Harper’s “Steal My Kisses” added another fun change of pace. There was also “The Banjo Song” by Mumford & Sons, with a bit of “Island Song” woven in.

Between those selections and the songs worked into their own material, you never had to wait long for another interesting turn. I love when a band puts that kind of thought into a live set. The covers felt like another opportunity to enjoy the musicians onstage and the music they love playing together.

And they saved their biggest run of surprises for the encore.

Welcome to the Living Room

One of my favorite ideas of the night came while Zac was off to one side of the stage playing “What You Gonna Do” solo. While he played, the crew laid down a rug and set up couches at center stage. When the rest of the band joined him there, Zac said, “Welcome to the living room.”

They played the next four songs there, starting with Ben Harper’s “Steal My Kisses” and Mumford & Sons’ “The Banjo Song,” then moving into two of their own with “Sweet Annie” and “Settle Me Down.” It was a simple enough idea but really added something to the evening. Anything to make a big show at an arena feel a little more intimate is welcoming to me, and it was executed very well.

After “Settle Me Down,” there was a short intermission while the crew cleared the rug and couches. Then the band came back out with “Jump Right In,” which was a pretty fitting way to get things going again.

A Special Encore

Zac introduced the encore by telling us that everyone on that stage had a voice, and we were going to hear all of them. What followed was such a cool way to showcase the people who make this band what it is.

They took turns on lead vocals through a medley that included “Heartache Tonight,” “Let’s Get It On,” “Loser,” “The Letter,” “Tití Me Preguntó,” “Chandelier,” “Pink Houses,” “Your Love,” and “American Pie,” before finishing with “Free Bird.”

That is quite a mix of songs, and it made for a really fun way to close the night. After hearing their voices blend together throughout the main set, getting to hear them step forward individually gave the encore its own character.

The emotional high point came when John Driskell Hopkins took the lead on “Free Bird.”

Hopkins was diagnosed with ALS in 2021, and seeing him up there singing that song with his bandmates was incredibly moving. It gave the performance a weight that is hard to put into words. After all the fun of the encore, that final song became the lasting moment.

John Driskell Hopkins started a foundation to help speed up the chase for a cure to ALS. Their website is hoponacure.org

Click the link to learn more and donate…

ALS ISN’T INCURABLE

Final Thoughts

I loved this show. The setlist, the covers, the musicianship, and those beautiful harmonies all came together for two and a half hours of fantastic live music.

Zac Brown Band has so many talented people onstage, and this show gave us a chance to appreciate what each of them brings. Having everyone take a turn at lead vocals during the encore was a perfect way to celebrate that, and Hopkins singing “Free Bird” gave the night an emotional ending I’ll remember for a long time.

This band never disappoints. Buffalo got a great one.

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