Staind with Shinedown, Chavelle and Halestorm

The Venue (Congress Theater, Chicago IL; (3/5)— A little out of the way of where most concerts are, my friend and I wound up taking a cab for fear of getting lost. Though it’s only a few blocks from a blue line stop.
Upon entering, it feels like you’ve stepped into a theater, rather than a concert venue. While the first “seating tier” has been gutted to accommodate a dance floor/pit area, the rest of the building still looks and feels very much like a theater complete with marble floors and a huge domed ceiling reminiscent of the pantheon in Rome. The balcony levels even still have red carpet. The stage also has some odd left over aspects of its theater days including the lighting system, which could be lowered after the show for easy adjustment/ clean up.

One thing that, I felt was interesting and kind of nice is that both the seated areas (balconies and what would be the “second tier”)and the dance floor were covered by “general admission” price (40$) so that if you want a place to sit or stash your merch, you can do so without shelling out extra money.
The floor itself is a little less nice than other places. It consists concrete floors and a shoddily carpeted sound booth made of untreated wood and duct taped in places.
The bars while lower contents than some of the concert hall bars I’ve seen they were clean and the tender friendly. I never buy more than water and often that comes in an awkward plastic cup, which you still have to pay four bucks for, or a small bottle. I was pleasantly surprised when I got two nice twenty-ounce bottles for fewer than five dollars.

The sound system, oh, the sound system. The first thing I noticed was it was nice and loud, which is quite frankly a must for a metal show (or any rock show for that matter) and the volume had little if any effect on the sound quality. There was still a little trouble with the voice to music ratio but not as much so as at the Vic.
I did not get to the bathrooms at this place, no report there. This was largely due to the fact that I did not want to leave the floor (see reviews below)
The crowd: (2/5 for most of the show 3/5 for Staind itself). This show illustrated the problem of being an opener, or going to a show explicitly for one of the openers—bored crowds. There’s a certain kind of attitude that happens in many concertgoers, which I find rather rude. They still and emanate boredom while very clearly thinking “Oh god, when is my band/ song coming on.” It’s an understandable, even forgivable, occurrence when the band is not that great, or it’s a band that truthfully has only one or two good songs. Despite understanding, I find it obnoxious that people don’t at least put a little effort forward for someone who is putting their life’s work out there and exposing raw nerves, for your entertainment.
However, the crowd seemed to slowly wake up as the night progressed, despite the first opener being far better than the second. When it came time for Staind, as is typical of the main act coming out, the crowd lit up substantially.
Which brings us to the acts themselves.

The First Front Act (Halestorm): (4/5). They had a hard slot to play the first of four bands the opener for the people opening for the opener; it’s no easy task to wake up the audience. As if that wasn’t enough, they are a female lead band in a genre that is still largely male dominated. It takes a very strong, often brazen, woman to get to break the genderwall and really rock out like she did. From the first second Lzzy (sic) Hale opened her mouth I was struck by her powerful chest voice which I am convinced , had it not been for the loud guitars, would have been able to reach the backmost section of the balconies without a microphone. Her appearance gave no indication that she possessed this capability; Hale had a slight frame, and a childlike face. The phrase that came to mind was from an old Meat Loaf number: She had “a heart of chrome and a voice like a horny angel.” Metal needs more women like Hale. While the band behind her was still a little green, I have confidence that they will grow into a very good band. I look forward to seeing them headline.
The Second Front Act (Chavelle): (3/5) Another hard slot to play for these guys. An avrage metal band. Chavelle was what I’d call a good opener, but not worthy of buying the CD (even if it was only 10 dollars) but a fun listen. A little more of the traditional “cookie-monster” voice and thrash guitar. However I felt they needed fewer seizure lights and more talent.

The third front act (Shinedown): (4/5) I had the same potential problem with Shinedown as I did with Our Lady Peace. I had been previously blown away by their performance when I saw them in July and had very high expectations. Shinedown was my impetus for attending so , in fact. Despite the crowd’s general ennui, front man Brent Smith brought a commanding performance and even got the majority of the crowd moving.
Smith’s graciousness and almost regal presence isn’t all he brings to the stage. He engages the audience constantly with direct crowd interaction and commanding vocals. Smith puts a lot of power behind his work and you can tell that this isn’t just for show. Genuine emotion comes through in his music despite his professional behavior. Smith also clearly loves his fans like his own family and, while he oozes confidence from every pore, he also is very sincere when thanking his fans. Unlike many metal vocalists, he is also incredibly articulate both in his performing and when speaking between numbers.
In addition to how the treatment of the fans, I feel you can tell a lot about a performer by how they treat their band mates. Smith’s dynamic with his band mates was very strong both in sound and in physical interaction. He often sang face to face with his guitarist or bassist. The strong relationships on that stage were nearly palpable in the audience. Equal parts bond and talent these interactions were as powerful as the show itself.

Smith’s lyrics are hard edged, and emotionally charged while still eloquent and sincere. Instead of using his music as a vent for depression as many artsist do, Smith's uses his songs to inspire confidence. Instead of licking wounds, he encourages listeners to take the grievances visited upon them and use that pain to push forward and become stronger. This is particularly notable in “Sin With a Grin” and “Devour.” However, Shinedown is not a one trick pony, Smith’s slower(including "45" and "Second Chance") songs evoke genuine pain and a vulnerability not common in metal.

The Main Act (Staind) (3.5/5): I confess, going in I did not have high expectations for Staind. I hadn’t heard more than one or two songs of theirs since their 2001 album “Break the Cycle” They have always been in my head a touch whiney and “teenager music” for lack of other descriptor. However, I positively adore their slower songs, and Halestorm was signing afterward so I stayed. With a low bar, set I was pleasantly surprised when Staind brought a decidedly more metal edge to the stage than anticipated. They grew up from a whining, but marginally talented band to a genuinely good metal band. I was very tired at this point having been jumping and head banging for approximately 3 hours prior, so many of the songs I wasn’t as familiar with blended together so parts of the show felt a little hazy. Then towards the end of the show, something snapped into place and the crowd sparked with a new life hitherto unseen. (It didn’t hurt that it was catalyzed by one of my favorite guilty pleasure songs entitled “For You,” whose lyrics, I think, prove that front man Aaron Lewis has some severe mommy/daddy issues to work out.) The crowd was on fire.
Then for two of the last three numbers Lewis moved from the front stage to a “stage” in the sound booth, which was right behind where my friend and I stood. From here he talked about, and sang the two songs that put stained on the map (“Outside” and “It's Been a While”) With just him and his guitar I was able to see what I had mistaken for simple whininess was, in fact, genuine emotion. Every single person in that room was singing along during those two numbers. It was almost like it was a different show—it was very powerful. Lewis’ face also showed a genuine surprise and gratitude at the amount of love coming from the fans. That kind of reaction goes far for me, proving that you haven’t, in your climb to fame, forgotten who put you there.

Good show on Staind’s half, however, I have to agree with the analysis of a fellow fan, Shinedown belonged in the front line space at this show, with Staind as an opener. Not the other way around.

Audience Survey.

But, again, I'd like your input:
when reviewing would you like me to add things like ticket price and accessibility via public transport?
(Prizes for responding)

Audience poll:

I don't expect much of a response being as this is a fairly young blog. However, I don't want to alienate the few followers I do have so:

Being as even an avid audiophile like myself cannot go to concerts every week, in between shows what would you like to see?
a) older music reviews, albums that I'm fond of etc.
b)ramblings of mine on music in general, and the politics that surround it.
c) all of the above
d) snowflake answer, comment below.

Our Lady Peace with Meece at the Vic Theater (Chicago, IL)

The Venue(Vic Theater-- Chicago, IL):(3/5 stars) The venue was very much designed to be a concert hall. (as opposed to many venues which are no more than bars with a stage stuck in the back) It seemed to want to be like The House of Blues on a low budget, fused with a traditional bar. Neon signs indicated the location of the bathrooms(I'll get to those) there were three bars: one to either the side and back of the floor as well as a waitress that roamed the floor. There were several booth-style benches, which was a nice change from the standing room only tradition of many venues in this price range. The ceiling and balcony were decorated with mock-gilded carvings and small candelabras that stayed lit during the show, which was a very pretty touch, save for those with burnt out bulbs. The otherwise predominantly black decor made it feel bar-like.

The audio equipment, while far from the worst I’ve heard, was not as good as other venues. Especially, with regard to the sound balance between the vocals and the instruments.

Word to the wise about this place: the bathrooms are, sketchy to say the least. Being female bodied, I didn't see the men's room. The "coat check" outside the bathroom held no attendant and some rickety racks, and stools. The women's restroom had mirrors designed for people who are either under five feet tall or would rather stare at their own breasts than their faces. Broken cherubs dangled between said mirrors over a long broken paper towel holder that is now simply a steel box with several rolls of paper towel stashed in them. There were four graffiti coated stalls, some of which didn't even close. I managed to find the one with the most functional lock; it had no knob, I had to stick my finger in the mechanism to "lock" it, and even then the bolt didn't line up.

 The crowd(3/5):  while not something you can control as an artist or a venue, I find that the energy dynamic of the crowd can often make or break a show.

This crowd was odd. Initially, they were a decent crowd but something felt a little off about them. They seemed to be putting up with the music in places. Once the band played "Innocent," however, a lot of people left and the crowd improved tenfold.


The Front Act(Meece):(2.5/5) They were decidedly "meh." Neither good nor  bad, if dull.  It felt like they were trying to be Heartstop, (Warning: Audio embedded)  and falling short.  Some of their songs were catchy, however.  One thing that lost them points in my book is that the front man Patrick Meese only introduced the guitarist, his brother.

The Main Act (Our Lady Peace) (4.5/5):A favorite of mine. This was the second time I saw  Our Lady Peace in concert, the first being this past Summerfest. They put on a breathtaking performance there, so the bar was set high for this show, which often leads to some disappointment.   So, i expected a little let down.

I was pleasantly disappointed.

From opening number to encore, Our Lady Peace pulled off a fantastic show, that a lesser band could not have done on  the equipment at The Vic. Front man Raine Madia's unique voice carried strongly through the shoddy microphone, demonstrating good range, vocal control and the ability to use these talents to make an engaging sound that fit the tone of the songs played.  If his talent weren’t enough by itself, Madia's presence demands the eye's attention, and his gracious, charismatic demeanor makes him a striking performer.

Madia wasn't the only one on that stage whose abilities, frankly, blew my mind.  Guitarist, Mike Turner (no relationship to Tina and Ike)'s brilliant handy work complemented Madia's vocals with jagged riffs and smooth undertones. 

Let me just add a note about Madia's lyrics, they strike a cord with the inner teenager without coming across as shallow and childish. Instead, they remind you what it felt like to be seventeen (this sentiment is especially evoked in "Innocent").  Even if your inner teenager has grown up, Madia's lyrics have a lot to offer anyone who's had to push through pain. Rebirth seems to be a subtle theme in a lot of his work.

This lyrical enchantment was balanced with a mix of songs from all of their albums so that fans of any era of their music could enjoy the show.

Overall, it was an amazing show, and I can only wonder what this  fantastic band will do next.

Audioaddiction and You

Greetings Denizen of the Internet:
I'm Arin, and I'm an audioaddict  (hi arin!). at any time I usually have  at least my iPod on me.  I've decided to put my addiction to good use.

a little about myself:
I'm a post-collegiate  author based out of Evanston, IL who specializes in sf/f my pet genera  is "Urban Fantasy." When not reading, writing and going to concerts, I volunteer with PAWS  and I'm teaching myself to  do various crafts.  I'm also a Geek of Many Trades-- i role play and indulge in video games quite a bit.

What, you may ask, does this have to do with a concert and music review blog?

Part of it is to explain my habit of rambling  a bit. I'm used to novels,  lots more room there, it also gives you more than just a random text machine. I'm a person.

Anyway, next few reviews will be:
Our Lady Peace (at  the Vic theater).
Shinedown
The Accedmy is..
Kill Hannah