Concert Review: Collective Soul 4/12/05

A couple of months ago I was checking upcoming concert listings, and what did I see? Collective Soul was paying a visit. I had no idea that these guys were still around, much less touring. I quickly found that they have also released a new album. Anyway, I remember liking them a lot back in the early and mid 1990's, when they had a string of hits. They always had a unique sound which helped them stand out from other bands in the genre. So, I of course decided that I must see them.

I got to the club just as the doors were opening, bumping into a friend and his girlfriend in the process, we made out way to the line and waited for the inevitable carding and pat down at the door. Once inside, we made our way to a pretty good vantage point, maybe 15-20 feet from center stage. We talked music until the lights dimmed signalling the start of the show.

There must have been some scheduling change, the advertised opening act was called Low Millions, but they were not the band that was taking the stage. The band was called North Allen from just outside of Albany, NY. I must admit, I thought they were a decent band. They sounded like a cross between like Better Than Ezra, or The Lemonheads, crossed with the Dave Matthews Band. They are a five piece act featuring both electric and acoustic guitars. When they first started playing, I was a bit, shall we say, non-plussed. The band was tight, but the singer could use a charisma injection and his voice was a touch to the mumbly side. But as their set went on, they won over the crowd, including me. Their confidence grew, and they loosened up, and it did wonders for their performance. They each had some solo segments, the most impressive being the bass player, who when let go on his own shone brightly, there were some nice guitar licks as well. The best part of the set came towards the end with an extended jam which used portions of "All Along the Watchtower" and "Stairway to Heaven." In the end, they were quite impressive, and I was happy that they had almost an hour to develop the performance.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

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