Written by: Geoff Tischman

As a casual fan of the Marshall Tucker band, only familiar with hits like “Can’t You See” and “Heard It In A Love Song,” that I’d heard thousands of times on the radio in the ’70s and ’80s,  I really didn’t know what a night of amazing and beautiful music was in store for me when I took in Toy Factory Project at the Capitol Theater in New York.

Formed by MTB founder and drummer Paul T. Riddle as a way to bring back to life and honor the sounds of his late co-founding bandmate Toy Caldwell, whose previous band was The Toy Factory, TFP are a veritable supergroup, whose lineup is Marcus King, Oteil Burbridge and Charlie Starr (frontman/guitarist for Blackberry Smoke).

Along with Paul T. Riddle on drums, Josh Shilling on keyboards, violinist/fiddler Billy Contreras and percussionist Jimmy Rector, this lineup was top shelf.

Although only their third live performance, and second in a row at the Cap, the truly inspiring night of southern rock it sounded like the band had been playing these songs for decades.

“Hillbilly Band” kicked the show off and from there, numbers like “A New Life” and “Running Like The Wind” were effortless and perfect.

The two-set show was peppered with deep cuts from the MTB discography as well as time-honored favorites.

The closer “Heard It In A Love Song” rolled through the sold-out crowd with rootsy finesse.