Billed as an intimate evening of acoustic songs and stories. Stories I can tell you that’s exactly what I got! You know fairness I think it’s important that I mention that I have seen Godsmack at least seven times over the years. It’s always been a great show but completely different from last night. Their typical shows are filled with a lot of anger, aggression and pyro. All of it in a good way, i always look forward to seeing them because they’re very exciting. But the last night was a truly special show. I would have to say even though I love everything that is the band, last night was the best show I’ve ever seen them perform.
There are elements in this show that have a tendency to be forgotten at times. When you’re playing large festivals to a huge stadium and you have all of the extras with the pyro and smoke and everything else, it’s not as easy to connect with the concert goers in an intimate fashion. This show did exactly that and brought back some of the elements of connection with the audience and storytelling that I used to see as a kid when I would go and see artists like James Taylor, Cat Stevens and others from that genre. This was less of a concert and more of a performance.
Whenever a band performs cover songs that they don’t normally perform, I’m always interested as to why they chose what they chose. I don’t really have an answer for you in this situation but I can share with you the four songs that they covered which were all spectacular. They opened up the show with pink Floyd’s time. They did a really incredible rendition of no quarter from Led Zeppelin. Sully told some stories and went into nothing else matters by Metallica. The last song of the night was long train running by The Doobie Brothers. In between the beginning and the end was a mixture of deep cuts from their body of work over 25 years.
The part that struck me the most in this show is how open Sully was and connected with the audience. I’m not saying that in a normal Godsmack show that he isn’t giving it his all but when it’s loud and everything is going on you don’t really get to know much of the performer you just watch the performance of the songs. Not only did he talk about writing some songs but he went into great detail about what it is that makes people react to music the way they do. How that music is more of a feeling than it is a sound. He also talked about breaking up with a long term relationship and going into a big depression. Which led to their new single truth. It was all about the break up with his girlfriend.
It’s nice when that artist peels a layer of the onion and shows you something you don’t expect to see. I found him to be very connected, humble and grateful. He started a charity organization that helps people with depression and mental illness. If you would like to donate or support these efforts, please visit wwwscarsfoundation.org. It sounds like a great organization that he’s very proud of the work that they are doing.
On average I photograph over 200 bands a year. I am the head photographer at several festivals and the photographer at a total of 6. All types of styles of music. This has to be the best show I have seen in the last six months. I will also go on to say that it was so impressive that I actually want them to put out a live record. That’s saying something from my point of view because I’m typically more of a studio music fan. I will typically choose the album versions that have been recorded over a live version. It had a real Alice In Chains vibe to it as well with the way the stage was set up. They’re only part way through this tour and i know they’re doing some side shows this summer at festivals. This band deserves your attention, trust me when I say if they’re coming to your town, go and see them you will love this tour.
