Concert review: Collective Soul
Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland (Associated Press photo)
TULSA – Collective Soul did better than “Shine” Tuesday night.
The rock band lit up the SpiritBank Event Center with a high-energy show that melded new songs with huge hits.
Tuesday’s show was the latest stop on the Georgia-based rockers’ co-headlining tour with singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw. The 4,500-seat venue filled up slowly, but by the time Collective Soul took the stage, it was three-quarters full of fervent fans eager to see the multi-platinum-selling group.
The band opened its more than hour-long set with the punchy powerhouse (not to mention appropriate) new single “Welcome All Again,” which got the crowd pumped up though many were likely hearing it for the first time. The song is featured on the band’s forthcoming self-titled album, nicknamed “Rabbit,” which frontman Ed Roland good-naturedly ordered the audience to buy when it goes on sale Aug. 25.
Showing off the scope of their impressive catalog, Collective Soul alternated between intense, guitar-driven rockers like ”Heavy,” “December” and “Why, Pt. 2″ and lushly beautiful power ballads such as “Run,” “Listen” and “The World I Know.”
Collective Soul paid tribute to its ’80s rock heroes like U2, INXS and the Cars with the ultra-peppy “Hollywood,” and introduced the new song “Dig,” also from “Rabbit.”
Fans of the band’s critically acclaimed 1999 album “Dosage” and followers of the blockbuster film “Twilight” alike grooved to the upbeat but heartfelt “Tremble for My Beloved.”
My parents, sister and I attended the show together, and we fit among the crowd, which included grandparents, 20-something and teenage couples, tweens and other parent-kid combos.
The band’s love for playing live was apparent, and the quintet clearly fed off the crowd’s positive vibe. The fans often could be heard crooning along with the familiar lyrics of their hits.
Ed Roland is a charismatic showman, performing his trademark microphone stand twirls and tosses in between belting out lyrics and adding his acoustic or electric guitar to the band’s usual three-axe lineup. He turned the opening of the thoughtful rocker “Gel” into a bit of spoken word poetry, frequently cracked jokes and occasionally played keyboards.
His younger brother Dean Roland, whom Ed described as the “heavyweight rhythm guitarist of the world,” remained more laidback, though he often illuminated the stage with a bright smile at the fans or his bandmates. He also played keyboards every once in a while.
Lead guitarist Joel Kosche and bassist/backup singer Will Turpin were the epitome of rock-star cool, with Kosche shredding through the snazzy solos and Turpin keeping the beat and making funny faces as he “ooh-oohed” along with Ed Roland.
New drummer Cheney Brannon proved a talented and worthwhile addition to the band, steadily and enthusiatically keeping the beat.
When the rockers exited the stage, fans screamed, stomped and clapped until the band reappeared for an encore, starting with another new song, the earnest, mid-tempo love song “Staring Down.” They got the audience singing along with the grinding “Where the River Flows,” and Ed Roland then got concert-goers warmed up with some vocal exercises before closing the show with the band’s still-infectious breakout hit, “Shine.”
Since I’m a huge Collective Soul fan and own a copy of the concert film “Home,” I expected a terrific live show from the band. But the group exceeded even my high expectations, proving they’ve lost none of their passion and skill in their more than 15-year musical history.
Also exceeding my expectations were opening act Green River Ordinance. The Fort Worth, Texas-based band did an admirable job warming up the crowd with its energetic pop-rock music. They are definitely a group to watch in the future.
-BAM
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Collective Soul is one of the best live performance bands in the world, but they’re underappreciated. I’ll be seeing them in Newport RI on 8/13 and I can’t wait!. You’re review is excellent.