Ole 60, a six-piece band hailing from the town of Hawensville, Kentucky, recently graced Baltimore with their presence. Self-described with the tagline, “not your father’s country band,” Ole 60 has cultivated a loyal following by blending the traditional folk sound with a more angst-filled alternative rock sound. This blend gives the band an entirely unique folk/rock/country sound that is hard to find elsewhere.
When the Ole 60 set began at Power Plant Live! on May 9, it may have been late, but almost every single fan stayed for the hour and 15-minute set. Ole 60 went straight into “Rose,” a song that shows off both the heavier and softer sound of the band. Their on-stage energy is much more raw and powerful than their studio recordings. The set progressed into “Dust 2 Dust,” a track from their debut EP that the band says was inspired by Pearl Jam. The song was definitely a crowd favorite, with powerful guitar riffs and solos, and melodic vocals that the Baltimore crowd passionately shouted back at the band.
There comes an interesting live dynamic when the band is on tour, largely due to the deep ensemble of the group. The music almost sounds fuller in the live setting, rather than layered in the studio. The integration of traditional bluegrass instruments with heavy rock percussion and several electric guitars ends up creating a dense sound that largely distinguishes the band from the rest of the alternative folk rock scene. The band can easily pivot between intimate acoustic songs like “Thoughts of You” and much heavier anthems like “Dust 2 Dust”; each member of the band clearly knows their part to play on stage.
Watch Ole 60 perform “Dust 2 Dust” live for The Print Shop on YouTube:
A clearly talented member of the band was frontman Jacob Young. His vocals are a mix of soft melodic vulnerability and a much more abrasive power. Young’s voice had a spectrum that was very impressive, able to pull off both the high and more gravelly notes that define the band’s versatile nature.
The middle of the set stood out: Ole 60 performed their rendition of Coldplay’s “Yellow.” Now I know what you’re thinking: what does a country rock band have any business covering a British pop anthem? But, having released the cover as part of their Smokestack Town album, the band transformed the ballad into a grittier, soulful rock-sounding piece. The crowd’s reaction was deafening, providing for a very unexpected but welcome moment of unification throughout the venue.
The final segment of the evening plunged into the more deep emotional cuts of their catalog, beginning with Nancy Avenue and Thoughts of You. The latter, a breakout track from their Songs About You EP that topped charts. This song prompted another massive wave of crowd participation. The concert concluded with Smoke & a Light, as the track single-handedly amassed hundreds of millions of streams; its placement at the end was almost predictable. The song describes a realization of discovering a partner’s infidelity. The live delivery was again deafening. Every voice in Power Plant Live screamed the lyrics back at the stage.
This being the third time seeing the band and interacting with the tour crew, they are incredibly proud of their rapid ascent from a small Kentucky town to becoming a national headliner. The band is absolutely deserving of this honor, backed by substantial musical talent and a natural understanding of how to deliver a live performance. The visceral energy of the live performance is something to be rivaled.
Setlist
Rose
Dust 2 Dust
Can’t Take It With You
Walls
Memphis
Watching Me Bleed
Let You Down
Say the Word
Yellow (Coldplay cover)
Brother Joe
Insane
Next to You
Starting New
Nutshell (Alice in Chains cover)
Nancy Avenue
Thoughts of You
Really Wanna Know
Smoke & a Light
All photographs from Ole 60’s performance at Power Plant Live! on May 9, 2026, are copyright and courtesy of Caden Forrester (@flicksby4ster).
