Marcus King’s Southern blues rock lights up the Landmark
Marcus King lights up Landmark with Southern blues rock
Review: The up-and-coming guitarist gives traditional country and blues a modern twist.

The ornate art deco interior of Syracuse’s Landmark Theatre was filled to its seam Saturday night with a couple thousand concertgoers decked out in cowboy hats, shiny coats and white boots.
The fans of Marcus King were abuzz as they awaited the Grammy-nominated artist to take the stage for the latest stop of a touring to support his new album Mood Swings.
The highly talented musician hailing from Greenville, South Carolina’s music is a compelling blend of Southern blues, rock and soul that showcase his exceptional guitar skills and deep, emotive voice.
Influenced by his father, musician Marvin King, the younger King quickly gained a reputation at an early age for his virtuosic guitar playing that drew comparisons to legendary artists like Duane Allman and Warren Haynes of The Allman Brothers Band fame. Over the past decade, King has released several critically acclaimed albums and built a dedicated fan base, cementing his place as a prominent figure in the contemporary blues and Southern rock scenes.
At the Landmark on Saturday, King and his nine-piece band entered the stage with the opening theme from Ennio Morricone’s iconic soundtrack for The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly which was met with uproarious cheering from the crowd.
King’s opening song was a slow country waltz “Beautiful Stranger,” which had a classic country feel with some modern twists.
He then made the seamless transition to the song “It’s Too Late” which upped the venue’s energy significantly as he and his fellow guitarist Drew Smithers ripped through the song with ferocity, reminiscent of artists like Chris Stapleton and Hardy. Some concertgoers were quick to dance along throughout the 90-minute set that emphasized King’s unique blues singing mixed with modern country and rock.


At an almost dizzying pace, several more tracks followed from his new record and old hits such as “Lie Lie Lie,” and “Me or Tennesee” before closing out the main set with a cover of Cliff Nobles and Co.’s funky soul track “The Horse.”
Much of the audience swayed throughout his show, King’s guitar skills were on full display as he effortlessly created intricate layers of guitar chords and riffs that built up throughout each song.
The stage’s neon lights and white spotlight created a fittingly dramatic ambiance to the song’s topics which included addiction, love and mental health.
For the encore, King returned to play the highly streamed “Wildflowers & Wine” from his 2020 album El Dorado, before delivering a take on Black Sabbath’s legendary “War Pigs” that left the crowd feeling electrified.

Opener Cecilia Castleman captivated those who showed up early with her powerful voice and charismatic presence. At just 23 years old, the Nashville singer resonated deeply with the audience, who responded with enthusiasm and applause.
Castleman’s first song, “Lonely Nights,” was particularly well-received, drawing a lot of whistles and cheers from the crowd — setting a high bar for a set that would leave a lasting impression.
