Shinedown in Concert
One of the things that has excited me about moving back to Ontario is access to more concerts. Many bands, if they come to Canada at all, only come to Toronto. The first concert we have seen is Shinedown.
Before getting into my thoughts on Shinedown, I will comment on the opening acts. I have been to many concerts where the opening acts were a bore. That was not the case.
The first band was From Ashes to New. They are a rap/metal band. I am definitely NOT a rap fan but this band was fantastic. It is great music with a mix of rap and traditional singing. They really knew how to work a crowd and it was extremely enjoyable.
They were followed by Coheed And Cambria. It was a bit of a transition between the two bands as From Ashes to New was such high energy and Coheed And Cambria is much more of a traditional style. While they probably did not have the same engagement with the audience, they were very good. It felt like a 1970s classic rock concert. It was my style.
Then the main event.
I am surprised by how many people have never heard of Shinedown. Part of the problem is the difficulty of pinning down their genre. They are rock but it is hard to pick another band to compare them with.
What I like about them is they have complex music with thoughtful lyrics. They are incredible musicians and they know how to interact with the audience. There was a deep connection right from the start. It was about appreciating the music but also about tapping into emotions.
Shinedown has a number of great songs and I have really been enjoying getting into their music. But perhaps the highlight of the concert was their rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Simple Man. It was powerful and I have described it as almost a spiritual experience in a church.
I have generally been known as a fan of older music but Shinedown has won me over. They have exactly what I appreciated about older classic rock. They can be fun and serious, loud and thoughtful, catchy and complex.
If you have never listened to Shinedown, I recommend you give them a try.
I went to this concert with two of my children. All three of us thoroughly enjoyed the show and appreciated all three bands. It was a great evening to spend together as we created rock and roll memories.
