Review by Ksenia Epstein
On October 2nd, 2026, the Georgia Theatre was packed to the brim. A huge crowd showed up to support the Appalachian possum rock band, Cigarettes @ Sunset. Possum rock is the band’s own name for their unique genre that is a blend of Appalachian folk, indie-rock, and Americana. With Garret Dellinger at center stage with his spirited vocals and rhythm guitar, Wells Whitman on bass and backing vocals, Ethan Moore on drums, Sarah Vann on violin and vocals, and Ryland Bagbey on lead guitar, expectations were already high, but the performance somehow managed to exceed them.
Before diving into the headliner, the two incredible openers that started the night must be credited for their truly spectacular performances. The first set was by Yesterday’s Clothes, an alternative indie band delivering exactly the kind of groovy sound the genre promises, and the second set was by Frigga’s Five, with a performance that was super energetic and really set the crowd on fire with its indie-rock setlist. These two openers knew exactly how to set the vibe and get the audience hyped for the headliner. The lead singer of Frigga’s Five was showing off all his best dance moves on the stage and having so much fun dancing and singing that it was contagious. And the singer from Yesterday’s Clothes could not stop himself from jumping and dancing on stage as he played some phenomenal guitar riffs. At the end of their set, the guitarist even threw his guitar in the air, which is an example of one of the many things that made this concert so exciting and interesting. The enthusiasm only increased when Frigga’s Five played a cover of “Pony,” by Ginuwine. The crowd absolutely loved that one. Both bands created a sense of togetherness within the audience that was only possible with superb audience engagement, and of course insane musical talent.
Moving on to the star of the show, Cigarettes @ Sunset made a dramatic appearance as they revealed themselves all at once with an intense guitar-driven hook under smokey blue lights. They started off strong with songs such as Neil Young’s “Vampire Blues,” their original song “Theresa,” and an older track called “Perfume.” Gary, the lead vocalist, made the audience laugh with his backstory about “Theresa,” which is about someone calling him the wrong name in bed. This gave the audience a good laugh and got quite a few knowing chuckles. In fact, Gary actually talked to the audience quite a lot during the set, which made the band’s fans feel seen, especially as he kept thanking them for supporting the band and helping them get to the level of success they are at now. Several heartfelt quotes from the band really stood out, one of them being from lead guitarist Ryland. “I say this a lot but kids from our town don’t get to do this.” Coming from the small town of Boone, North Carolina, to selling out the Georgia Theatre, the band seemed genuinely appreciative and even emotional about how far they’ve come. The lead vocalist Gary also shared a vulnerable moment with the crowd before performing “Old Bleached Hair,” an emotional song that deals with themes of mental health and self-harm. Gary leads into it by sharing his personal story with mental health struggles, and telling the audience, “If you’re feeling a weight on your shoulders, I hope you know that everyone on stage believes in you, and the world is better with you alive in it.” The atmosphere in the room shifted after that line, as the audience members felt deeply impacted by his words. The band’s authenticity and openness with their audience is one of the many things that makes them stand out among so many other talented musicians.
But in terms of musical distinction, Cigarettes @ Sunset has something that most bands don’t: a violin, played by the one and only Sarah Vann. Although the band already has a unique genre of music that they call possum rock, the violin is a unique factor and adds so much depth to the music. Sometimes the violin would add a folksy tune, while other times it would create a beautiful, almost eerie sound that felt sad and nostalgic. In a way, it felt like the embodiment of the Appalachian Mountains. Sarah’s vocal skills were also brought to light as she and Gary spontaneously sang a duet of “White Blank Page” by Mumford & Sons. This duet was bewitching, with Sarah’s violin and vocals adding elegance and emotion, and Gary’s acoustic guitar and raspy vocals adding intensity but also softness.
The band also played “Carolina Shakedown,” their newest release, which was when Gary switched to acoustic guitar from electric. The audience sang along to this one, and afterward the band gave even more speeches on how grateful they were to have sold out their first three headliner tours. The cheers in the room spoke for the audience as a whole. Their fanbase is loyal and supportive, and it was clear the band felt emotional and grateful the entire time, especially when they realized the audience knew the lyrics to their songs.
But along with being heartfelt, the concert had an energetic and exciting atmosphere. Because the venue was so full, it was easy for the band to find fun ways to engage with the audience, such as asking the crowd to clap, shine their flashlights, or even crowd surf during “My Fix.” One of the coolest moments was when the singer asked the crowd to form a mosh pit. There was such a sense of community at this concert because the band treats their audience well and truly cares about them, which makes the audience care for them as well. People were just there to have fun and listen to good music, which made the concert feel like a happy escape from the outside world.
To end their set, other songs the band played included “Play Dead” which Gary wrote about being a possum, and “Pavement” which got the crowd in their feels as everyone turned on their flashlights and waved their arms to the music while singing along. This was where the sense of community Cigarettes @ Sunset managed to create through love of music and shared experiences became especially evident. On stage, Gary was also putting on the best performance to end the night, at one point lying down on his back with his legs up and shredding on his guitar.
And of course, the audience could not let the band go without an encore, so the crowd chanted “Gasoline,” an important and popular song that they hadn’t played yet. The band could not end the show without playing one of their most streamed songs to date. “Gasoline” was a huge crowd pleaser, with nearly everyone in the crowd singing along. The encore was such a fun end to the night that even a guitarist from one of the openers joined on stage, which made it even more special.
Cigarettes @ Sunset has truly done it all, from creating their own unique genre of music, to being amazing performers. Their music has impacted so many and it was most evident in the lively and passionate atmosphere of the venue throughout the entire show. The sense of community they create, the emotional weight of their lyrics, and their happiness and excitement to be performing makes Cigarettes @ Sunset a must-see concert that is guaranteed to make anyone feel Appalachian for the night.
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