Collective Soul, Concert Review Options

[LiveRoCkS77]

Well, they managed to sell out a 6,000 seat venue in a small city. Which tells me that fans of this band are alive and well.

From what I've heard, Roland rarely ever swears, but this changed a little this night. It starts off with him coming out only to realize his monitors aren't working. So he tells the crowd "fuck these guys, I'll entertain you while they get their shit worked out." He plays a song solo acoustic and asks some guy if their shit is in order yet and when the guy flahes a flashlight at him, Roland responds "I don't know what a flashing fucking light in my eyes means, are we ready?"

Ok, so while I'll readily admit that this guy is a little goofy and off, I kinda like it. Don't really care if little fuckhead faggots like Nick and Hoodsucker don't....

During one point in All That I Know, Ed asks the crowd to sing two lines after he sings em. He says, "you're all now the lead singer of Collective Soul!" So he sings the two lines and the band stops so you can hear the crowd. He laughs out loud and says "not bad, now you're all fucking fired!" I actually started to laugh when I heard him say it, just didn't expect it I guess.

Now to the show. The band sounded fucking great. Joel Kosche(SP?) is really a damn good guitarist. One of the highlights of the night was plating Georgia Girl from their new CD afterwords. For such a slow song, it was really well done with a gorgeous guitar solo from Joel in the middle. Ed sounded off to me from the last time I seen them but he seemed to be having a really great time. He wished a girl in the front a happy birthday and was responding to what the crowd was saying quite a bit. At one point saying to somebody "what? what you want to do what to me?" Something like that. Another guy asking a question apparently and Ed asking him what he said and all the guy screams is EDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!! Roland says "EDDDD, that not a fucking question!" Laughing the whole time. I dunno, but he seemed really confident and it rubbed off on the crowd.

The crowd was tame for the first while but by the end of the show, the whole place was standing and going nuts. Their rendition of Shine was fucking fantastic. Lasted about 6 or 7 minutes and the guitar solos by Joel just flat out kicked ass. Roland wasn't even asking the crowd to sing but for the last half of the song, they were louder than Roland himself. He turned and shrugged his shoulders to the band as if to say, "holy shit, listen to these people!" The song wass utterly fantastic, gave me goosebumps.

But the biggest highlight had to be a song that I actually totally despise. Their first single from their new record Hollywood was fucking awesome in concert. Three or four times the guitar changed over to the main riff in Thunderstruck from AC/DC and it was fucking amazing. Wow can this Joel guy play guitar. Same as in the song Listen, he had it a wailing and it resonated right deep down inside of me.

Overall, another great performance. Thought I'd enjoy them sober this time since last time I was hammered and thought maybe that biased my opinion. But it didn't, they were just as good if not better. Roland is much more personable and in touch with the crowd than our Ed. This guy actually gives a fuck if his fans are enjoying the show. I'll definately see them anytime they come back and to be honest, if they tour with Live again, I'll be there more to see this band than I will for Live, that's for god damn sure.

[Existentialist]

I don't know anything about Collective Soul in concert, but I have to say I have been increasingly disappointed with Live's stage effort in the past few years. I don't doubt that they're trying somewhat, but at their age they're going to have to try harder. Shit, how hard would it be to change the setlist every night? They've only had 10+ years to practice all the songs people are interested in hearing. The crowds are losing interest because everyone in their right mind knows the old Live is better than the new Live, and yet Live continues to play a shitload of new songs.

[LiveRoCkS77]

I don't know anything about Collective Soul in concert, but I have to say I have been increasingly disappointed with Live's stage effort in the past few years. I don't doubt that they're trying somewhat, but at their age they're going to have to try harder. Shit, how hard would it be to change the setlist every night? They've only had 10+ years to practice all the songs people are interested in hearing. The crowds are losing interest because everyone in their right mind knows the old Live is better than the new Live, and yet Live continues to play a shitload of new songs.

What? Somebody with some brains here? Figures it's be you...

Anyways yeah, the show I just went to see was completely different than the last one. Not only that, do you remember when Live used to get creative with some of their songs? They'd do numerous extended versions of I Alone and weirded out versions of POD?

Well, seeing CS again reminded me of that. They extended version of listen and Shine, just to name a few. Shine rambled on for about 8 minutes or so, with a mind blowing guitar solo by Joel and an extended session of the band jamming the fuck out of the song. In my opinion, Shine rocked out 10 times harder than LJ or WD, the last 4 or 5 times I've heard Live play them. I'm not just going to sit here and say LIVE hit it harder than CS simply because I'm a huge fan of LIVE. Collective Soul is so much better than them on stage right now it's not even funny. They may be a bit goofy and all that, but they're enjoyable and almost all of their songs fucking rock in concert. Even the song Heavy fucking absolutely murders anything I've seen Live perfvorm the last 3 times I've seen them.

That's pathetic really considering how much harder Live is than CS. It shows why thousands of fans have deserted this band and said fuck it. They've gone softer than richard simmons cock in front of a hot chick. This band is at it's best when it's creating and rocking the fuck out. All their best songs are the driving rock songs that pound the fuck out of your ears. Surely these guys recognize this when they perform them no? They'd have to be utter fucking retards not to. So now why come out with this pansy faggot music? They play it in concert and it's obvious nobody likes it, so what's the fucking point? I'm sincerely befuddled at what the fuck they're thinking. Because all I can think of is that they suck, they've lost it and just don't have it in em to make music like they did 10 years ago. Real creative rock music with bridges and kick ass anthmic build ups. Not this three minute pop shit that any fucking ass clown could make to a 3 chord melody. Fuck that shit. If that's all this band has got left. I'm joining the 5 to 10 million or so fans that have jumped ship already. Keep losing em boys and there'll be none left.

Well, mexcept Nick, who'll be standing alone in the front with his mouth open, waiting to plop your balls in his mouth.