The spirit of Jimmy Buffett was alive and well at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Jan. 24 as the Coral Reefer Band kept the party going for their legendary frontman with a beautiful tribute concert.
Buffett, who died in 2023, attracted thousands of Parrotheads every time he played in Atlantic City, which was at least six times since 2007.
With only three dates announced by Buffet’s legendary backup band since 1975, the event drew people from all over. Just next to me in the stands to the right were three generations of Buffett fans, and to my left were friends, one who lives locally and the other who lives in Fort Myers, Florida, who came to see the show.
Both groups said they planned on seeing The Coral Reefer band at its other two shows March 14 at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida and March 15 at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida.
Mac McAnally, who played on the beach to celebrate the opening of Margaritaville at Resorts Casino and Hotel on June 15, 2013, with Buffett, poked his head out from behind the curtain to cheers from the crowd seated near me stage left.
The evening began at 8:20 PM with Scott Emerick, known for his songwriting collaborations with Toby Keith, setting the tone with a mix of humor and honesty with McAnally and percussionist Eric Darken.
Emerick shared personal stories, including his first encounter with Willie Nelson, and performed classics like “Ain’t As Good As I Once Was” and “I Love This Bar,” while reminding the crowd that everyone was there to celebrate one man: Jimmy Buffett.
The energy in the venue was palpable even before the main act, with security playfully batting beach balls back into the crowd and a Captain’s wheel placed center stage, a symbolic gesture to their departed leader.
At 8:48 p.m., the atmosphere shifted as a Jimmy Buffett montage began playing, featuring the iconic Rocky statue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before the Coral Reefer Band took the stage to the infectious rhythm of “Hot Hot Hot,” amongst a stage set to look like an aquarium.
The band consists of Doyle Grisham on pedal steel guitar, Robert Greenidge on steel drums, lead guitarist Peter Mayer, bassist Jim Mayer, drummer, Roger Guth, trumpet player John Lovell, McAnally on vocals and guitar, backup singers Nadirah Shakoor and Tina Gullickson, who also plays acoustic guitar, Darken, keyboard player Mick Utley, Emerick playing guitar and vocals and Will Kimbrough also singing and playing guitar.
“Only one person who’s ever lived who could get us all other this evening,” McAnally said.
Despite the winter chill, the band promised the audience their “license to chill” for the evening, launching appropriately into “License to Chill.”
The setlist masterfully wove through Buffett’s extensive catalog, beginning with “Workin’ N’ Playin'” before moving into crowd favorites.
“Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitudes” and “Son of a Son of a Sailor” showcased why Buffett’s salt-water anthems have become timeless classics.
A touching video interlude of Jimmy himself, from an August 2015 show in Mansfield, Massachusetts, introduced “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” bringing both laughter and nostalgia, particularly when he joked about detecting “medical marijuana” in the crowd.
The presence of a cardboard cutout of Buffett’s bodyguard Charleston Miles, who passed away Jan. 14, added another layer of poignancy to the evening.
The show’s “food portion” delighted fans with the playful combination of “Grapefruit—Juicy Fruit” before heading to Cajun country with “I Will Play for Gumbo,” which had ladies on stage coordinating their dance moves.
The culinary theme culminated in the crowd-pleasing “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” which even inspired an impromptu Eagles chant from the Philadelphia-area crowd.
The emotional core of the show surged through classics like “Come Monday” and “Pencil Thin Mustache,” before the energy exploded with “Volcano.”
The band kept the momentum going with “One Particular Harbour,” which had everyone up dancing. As the clock approached 9:40 PM, the band announced they would forego their usual intermission, with McAnally noting “Jimmy’s got a lot of songs.”
“Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season” paid tribute to Key West, North Carolina, and those affected by California wildfires.
The emotional weight of performing with Buffett’s microphone was acknowledged during “Bubbles Up,” with the band affirming that “Nobody is going to replace Jimmy Buffett,” McAnally said. The sentiment emphasized by Mac’s guitar strap.
The crowd was engaged the entire show, mainly standing and dancing, and responded to “Bubbles Up” by blowing bubbles in the air.
Will Kimbrough’s “Piece of Work” and a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Scarlet Begonias” showcased the band’s versatility, while Mac McAnally adapted “Back Where I Come From” for the local crowd with a spirited “Go Birds!”
The show’s final stretch included powerful renditions of “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” which was introduced as the first Jimmy Buffett song some band members learned and Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Southern Cross.”
The classic “Fins” was introduced by introduced by Savannah Buffett. “It was my dad’s dream for this band to keep playing for y’all, she said. “Thank you for keeping the dream alive.”
The inevitable “Margaritaville” arrived at 10:23 p.m. featuring a “New Jersey cutie” reference that delighted the Atlantic City audience.
The encore began at 10:24 p.m. with a vibrant rendition of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” complete with an impressive drum solo.
The concert proved that while Jimmy Buffett may be gone, his musical legacy lives on through the Coral Reefer Band, who maintain the beach-party atmosphere and positive vibes that have defined their performances for decades.
The evening wasn’t just a concert – it was a family reunion, a celebration of life, and a testament to the enduring power of Buffett’s music to bring people together.
“Part of the reason you had to love Jimmy he was exactly who you thought he was,” McAnally told the crowd.
He also mused that Buffett had the best songs written about salt water, which is why boats will come preloaded with Jimmy Buffett songs “100 years from now.”
This performance of The Coral Reefer Band showed why his musical legacy will continue to resonate with future generations.
Setlist
Workin’ N’ Playin’
Hot Hot Hot
License to Chill
It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere (Alan Jackson cover)
Son of a Son of a Sailor
Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
Grapefruit—Juicy Fruit
I Will Play for Gumbo
Cheeseburger in Paradise
Come Monday
Pencil Thin Mustache
Volcano
One Particular Harbour
Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season
Bubbles Up
Piece of Work (Will Kimbrough)
Scarlet Begonias (Grateful Dead cover)
Back Where I Come From (Mac McAnally)
A Pirate Looks at Forty
Southern Cross (Crosby, Stills & Nash cover)
Fins
Margaritaville
Encore
Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison cover)
