Concert Review
Shinedown
W/Three Days Grace & P.O.D.
Blue Cross Arena
Rochester, NY
Friday Feb 22, 2013
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
Shinedown returned to Rochester after a slight hiatus as duly noted by singer Brent Smith during the bands show on Friday evening (a 2010 show at The Armory was the prior visit). The Blue Cross arena played host as Three Days Grace and P.O.D., also along for the festivities played to an appreciative crowd.
As the show began with the hard hitting “Enemies”, Smith, guitarist Zach Myers and bassist Eric Bass were near the rear of the arena floor on two risers that surrounded the soundboard. About halfway through, they stopped, were escorted through the arena and onto the main stage to complete the song and join drummer Barry Kerch who had been on the main stage from the get go.
The multi-platinum band is touring in support of their fourth studio release Amaryllis, which was released almost a year ago. This jaunt brings the band to smaller markets playing larger arenas as opposed to the smaller clubs when the first leg of the tour commenced in March of last year.
The only disappointment I could find was the glaring omission of perhaps the bands biggest song “I Dare You” from the 2005 release Us And Them. Not playing it would almost be equivalent to going to an Aerosmith show and not hearing them sing “Dream On”. Despite the ommission, Shinedown put on a solid show from start to finish.
During the encore Myers and Smith once again found themselves on the riser behind the soundboard as they played an acoustic cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” and dedicated to a member of their road crew. They ended with Amaryllis’ first single “Bully”.
Originally when the tour was first announced Three Days Grace singer Adam Gontier was to tour. However, on January 9, 2013, it was announced he had resigned. So the band were able to get My Darkest Days singer Matt Walst to fill in for the tour. Matt of course is the brother of bassist Brad Walst. Just before taking the stage a small contingent of fans were audibly heard shouting “We want Adam!”
The band began their set with “Chalk Outline” a cut from their latest offering Transit Of Venus. Having seen the band once before I know what they sounded like with Gontier on vocals and there really isn’t any drop off with Walst handling the task. Walst really stood out on “Pain” and “Animal I Have Become”. Perhaps a slightly cleaner vocal, but overall he does do the songs justice. By the end of the show even some of the naysayers were probably won over. Members of Walst’s other band My Darkest Days were in attendance as well to support their frontman as he fills in to help out Three Days Grace.
Warming up the crowd were the California band P.O.D., who did exactly what they were supposed to do by playing an energy filled set which featured “Southtown” and “Youth of The Nation”, both mainstays in the bands sets.
Overall a solid night of good music, good performances, I can’t think of a better way to spend a cold February night.
Shinedown
Enemies
Devour
Unity
The Crow & The Butterfly
Save Me
I’ll Follow You
Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)
If You Only Knew
Amaryllis
45
Encore
Sound of Madness
Second Chance
Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd Cover)
Bully
Three Days Grace
Chalk Outline
Just Like You
Pain
Home
The High Road
Get Out Alive
Break
The Good Life
Piano/Drum Solo
Misery Loves My Company
World So Cold
I Hate Everything About You
Animal I Have Become
Never Too Late
Break Stuff (Limp Bizkit Cover)
Riot
P.O.D.
Lost in Forever
Boom
Set It Off
Murdered Love
Southtown
Panic & Run
Without Jah, Nothin’
Youth of the Nation
Alive
What I Got (Sublime Cover)
