Live - Strand Theater 3/12/2012, First Show - Dress Rehearsal Celebration!! Options

[OutToDry]

All pics and reviews here folks......It's a celebration ___________!!!!

[thefunkyredcaboose]

I need a sick high quality photo from last night's show to use with my article, anyone got one that is available?

Also, I'll post a more fan-ey review later but I did want you guys to read this before it goes up on the webz. There may be some typos or factual problems (I wrote this last night at 3 AM), so if you see anything let me know!

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A wise person once told me - “You know you are old when you live to see one of your favorite bands change lead singers.” They were right – I do feel old – but I am also ecstatic, and I’m not the only one. The 1,200 people gathered at the Strand in Live’s hometown of York, Pennsylvania were just as thrilled as I was to welcome Chris Shinn to the front man position that was made vacant when singer Ed Kowalczyk split for a solo career in 2008.

The show was a homecoming “tour dress rehearsal” for the three very original members of Live, guitarist Chad Taylor, drummer Chad Gracey, and bassist Patrick Dahlheimer - who put York on the map in the mid ‘90s with a string of radio hits including the eternal “Lightning Crashes.” It also felt like a homecoming for Chris Shinn as well. Shinn has been around a long time, working with past and present members of groups like Blind Melon and Pearl Jam, but he has never found a place to really shine. The music business is tough, and Chris has been on the verge of breaking wide open since his career started. He has found a home in Live and their city.

Let me not be remiss – when I say homecoming I mean it. I met the bass player’s mother for goodness sakes (she is so sweet!). What set this homecoming apart is how Chad, Chad, and Patrick are giving back to their community. Let me be blunt – York, PA has fallen on hard times. The band even wrote several songs about that very subject on their multi-platinum smash Throwing Copper. But rather than abandon the town in the wake of their fame, the guys have decided to invest in it – literally. They are working to bring business to York in the form of building renovations and working with musicians who are trying to make it just like they did. It’s no small feat, but that makes the work all the more admirable. You know you are doing something right when the mayor comes out to a rock show just to thank you.

Despite the apparent good the band hopes to do for its town, the announcement of a new lead singer won’t arrive without controversy in the communities who still follow Live. The departure of Ed Kowalczyk was controversial at best, but there was an air of sincerity that was unprecedented in such an event. “There’s no bad blood” said a clearly humbled Chris Shinn before one of the final songs, “I’m so blessed to be here.” It was a very real moment in the midst of a show that featured more rock bravado than you could shake a Les Paul at.

Speaking of the show, Live’s revamped sound (potentially) features a little synth and drum loops and the guitar stylings of Sean Hennesy (Candlebox, The Gracious Few), along with the brand new vocals. It’s a risky move, but one that went a long way to make the show not feel like “Live and their new lead singer.” It felt new, it felt fresh, and by the way, the band’s biggest songs and their deepest back catalogue are very, very safe in the hands of Chris Shinn. For a band of guys hovering around their forties (with the exception of the two possible new members) the show was extremely aggressive and energetic, channeling the spirit of hits like “I Alone” and “All Over You” as if they were in their twenties again. It was a sight to behold and one any rock fan could appreciate.

The only thing I can’t answer for are what the new Live songs will be like. What made Live unique was the collaboration of the four band members and the deep, and often dark, spirituality of the lyrics. Even though the band’s more recent releases lacked the depth that made them famous, Live always had a lot to say about the world. So with its core lyrical voice touring as a solo Christian artist, it will be interesting to see where the band ends up lyrically, but if last night’s show is any indication the band is most assuredly back on their feet creatively.

All that speculation will have to wait for another day - what we know now is that the band millions fell in love with in the ‘90s is back with a new voice and a desire to give back to the people who helped them along the way. In an industry where greed, sexuality, and drug abuse often steal headlines, it is a true inspiration to see someone do something different.

Good show, guys, good show.

This post has been edited by thefunkyredcaboose: Mar 13 2012, 9:51 am