Summerfest day 4: Makeshift Prodogy and Art of Dying (Summefest Rock Stage)

Venue: The Summerfest Rock Stage (4/6):

I have discovered this tiny, far away from everything else stage is fast becoming my favorite stage. While many of the bigger bands come to the Miller Light Oasis, I have had repeated problems with that stage. This stage often has better acts, and doesn’t have the overcrowding problem the Oasis and Harley Davison stages have.

Show:

Makeshift Prodigy: (3/6)

Ouch.

Makeshift Prodigy is one of my pet bands from back home in Chicago (I tangentially know their manager) however they have never quite made the leap from being decent to being really good. I’ve struggled to figure out exactly what didn’t quite click for me. I loved their style, their amicable nature, the lyrics were wonderful, the presentation fun.

But the frontman consistently does a few things that make is performance not quite solid.

First, he sings just a little outside of his vocal range. Which can be fine, however he does not have the breath support to hit some of the higher notes he aims for. The result is breathy and will break his voice if he doesn’t learn to support it. The second thing is easily corrected. Part of Anthony Banagara’s charm is that he’s shy-natured it lends to the intimacy of a lot of his shows; however, he does not pull the audience in. There is no eye contact. This gives the impression of a child rocking out in his bedroom, rather than an actual performer.

However, the talent is there, and the stage antics are positively adorable-- Banagara spent a lot of his time making his upright piano his personal jungle gym (doing flips over it, climbing/standing on it) and was very bouncy. He has a good sense of how to use his honed skill on the keyboard and the addition of a bowed guitar was a very nice touch and he managed to pull it off well.

The backup vocalist/keyboardist/tambourine player(yes really), however, had presence in spades and charm to spare. He also had vocal talent, which was wonderful.

Overall, these guys have always had promise, but in the two years I’ve been following them they have yet to really gain momentum. Good luck to them.

Art of Dying (flash warning) (4/6 recorded, 5.5/6 live):

You have to get up pretty early in the morning to put on a good show before sunset at a festival, doubly so to nearly earn a 6 from me. These guys did both.

Art Of Dying is feel good arena rock with a positivity that is rare in rock and roll these days without going soft and hackneyed.

This is my third Art of Dying show and they have consistently improved their act. I feel like their album at this point does them a disservice. While it is a great album, it lacks the arena rock style and charisma that Art of Dying bring live. Jonny Heatherington has charisma and a knack with the crowd that I’ve not seen in a long time. Gracious, but not humble Heatherington gives a dynamic show and has the ability to get even a lazy crowd on its feet. He is also very good about actually disappearing from the stage to let his band mates have their big moments--Including a killer drum solo and an extent guitar solo

The guitarist is also a very talented and has a powerful dynamic with the front dude

However, there were too many set breaks for an opener. Often bands that are well known enough to be the last opener forgets that they are intact still openers. You only have one hour tops, do your thing fast.

Another thing that went a long way with me was how courteous and friendly the entire band was and what a  fun sense of humor Heatherington showed.

I look forward to meeting them again. 

Shinedown with The Art Of Dying at the House of Blues Chicago

Venue: House of Blues Chicago (5/6) I have personal bias toward the House of Blues. It was the first venue I ever patroned to of my own volition in Chicago. For a while it was the only one I went to, as I was scared of getting lost. It is my home venue. It is big enough to house a few thousand, but small enough that there isn’t a truly bad vantage point, save for behind one of the massive pillars that support the ornately painted celing. It’s a very clean venue with friendly staff and wonderful security. I often refer to their security as ninjas, nearly invisible unless there is a problem in which case suddenly you find yourself in close proximity with five burly gentlemen in bright yellow shirts.

I also find it a gorgeous venue peppered with unique art and statuary lining two layers of balcony seating along with the standing room floor.  The bathrooms are also some of the nicest I’ve seen in any venue. Which doesn’t mean anything about the other venues, but adds a certain degree of class to the House of Blues.

The Show:

Art of Dying: (4/6) This is the second time I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Art Of Dying. Their classic rock sound combined with upbeat, motivational lyrics make for a show that makes the listener feel like they are capable of anything.  Vocalist Jonny Hetherington worked the crowd surprisingly well and kept lively interaction going throughout the show. Greg Bradley’s style is precise and distinct without being over rehearsed. In fact, the overall sound of the band was very clear and had a great deal of personality. There was no mixing up Art of Dying’s sound with any other. Eighties aesthetic meshes with a more modern sensibility nicely in this little four man band. I found art of dying to be a great opener for Shinedown, as their sound complemented Shinedown’s well

Shinedown (5/6):

 Shinedown continually brings a powerhouse of emotional content ranging from the highflying “Amaryllis” to the cutthroat “Devour” and the quiet pain in  “45.”  Vocalist and lyricist Brent Smith gives all  of himself to his music and it shows. His energy matches his graciousness in its boundlessness.  He is wonderful to both his fans and his band mates; you can really see how much Smith understands that the band is a unit, not simply a vehicle for the front man.  It was especially fun to see his dynamic with guitarist Zach Myers. It is apparent that these two have been working together for a very long time and share a strong chemistry that is a rare treat in the rock world.

Myers is a showman in his own right.  With his clean-cut hair and pretty-boy face, Myer’s bold power scream vocals are quite a surprise. His guitar work is powerful and occasionally sassy. Myers also has an innate understanding of how to place himself on stage and, as mentioned above, has a wonderful dynamic with his band mates.

On the whole, Shinedown continues to bring a fierce, engaging show and a professionalism that a lot of artists simply lack.  I cannot wait to see them again.