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Sevendust
Nonpoint
Socialburn
One
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Orbit Room
Grand Rapids, MI
3/18/2006
By: Dan Bennett
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This day was about anticipation - and Rock & Roll. Sevendust
and Nonpoint headlined this show with good reason. If you
are a hard rock fan, this tour does not disappoint.
One, the opener, is a nu-metal type band shrouded in
mystery. I had tried to do my research and dig up the goods
on this band to no avail. I googled, I myspaced, I
purevolumed, and I couldn't find anything on these guys.
The other mystery is why they were on this tour at all. The
band was very local sounding and seemingly unprepared
and sloppy. And for being on the road 2 months already on
this tour, I couldn't figure out why they seemed so bored.
With talking to rapping to screaming, it was hard to groove
with this band. But I do have to point out that their drummer
was a joy to watch and very entertaining.
I was excited to see the next band, Socialburn, after my interview with them earlier. They are great
guys, and what followed made me a fan for life. I was first
struck by how these guys set up all their own gear and were
the farthest thing from rock stars you would ever see. But
none of that mattered once they started their set.
What followed was 110% energy and feeling, from the first
note to the last lyric. And with a stage presence to match,
anyone out there knows what I mean when I say, 'Some
bands just have it and some don't. Socialburn
definitely has it.
Also impressive was how spot-on Neil's lead vocals and
Dusty's backing vocals were. They had the raw edge of a
live show but the tightness to make any Socialburn CD
owner happy. A bright spot on this tour for sure, Socialburn
is worth seeing anytime they are close to your
area.
Then came Nonpoint...
I may make some enemies for this one, but being a
Nonpoint fan myself, I was thoroughly unimpressed as this
was the first time I had seen them live. Now don't get me
wrong, there were over 1,000 other people there who
disagreed with me and rocked out to Nonpoint with huge
energy. But I was expecting much more from these
veterans. There stage show was quite good, but the music
and vocals were sloppy at times. But alas the fans got what
they wanted and it was a great build up for what was to
come....
Sevendust...
All night a giant black curtain had covered the back of the
stage, and all night I just wanted it to fall. Well after
nonpoint cleared the stage I got my wish.
The boys of Sevendust started with "Hero" off from the their
new album Next, playing with the curtain still
up. After the verse kicked in heavy, the curtain dropped to
expose a custom stage that ramped up behind [drummer]
Morgan - with the other band members
assembled.
All the guys came down from the top of the ramp and took
the main stage. An incredible show followed - and never
relented. It was like plugging a "Best Of Sevendust" record
into the player. And I must salute the newest Sevendust
member Sonny Mayo on guitar. For the first 2 songs I
missed [former Sevendust and current Dark New Day
guitarist Clint Lowery], but by the time things got rolling I
definitely enjoyed Sonny as part of the Sevendust
mix.
I think bands owe it to fans to kick their asses and make
them forget about the $30 ticket, and Sevendust does just
that. If you aren't a Sevendust fan, go see them anyway and
then you will know what a rock show should
look like.
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