Nickelback and others can still put on a show
Matt Libs
Issue date: 3/16/09 Section: Scene
In that nook of the music industry where gritty rock meets a country vibe, you'll find Nickelback. The Canadian-based group has been around for more than a decade but has only recently been propelled into the center of the music scene. Nickelback performed to a sold out crowd on March 12 at the Allstate Arena along with Seether and Saving Abel.
The last time I saw Nickelback at the Allstate, they were performing with Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace, but it seems that the bands they chose to play with this time suited the brand of music they play much better. A mix of sexual implications and catchy love ballads make up a majority of Nickelback's most recent album, Dark Horse, and needless to say, the concert was not for young audiences.
I was unsure of what to expect from the concert, seeing as how my views on Nickelback have changed considerably since I first started listening to them back in 2000 when they came out with The State. I know many rock fans think that Nickelback has "sold out" by having a more fan-friendly sound and hooky lyrics, but I still love them - I can't help it.
Regardless of your views on the band, their concerts consistently sell out and most people leave feeling satisfied. They know how to rock.
One thing I could have done without, however, was the five-minute crowd-interaction sessions in which lead singer Chad Kroeger talked about living life without boundaries and other things that got the audience going. While it gave most listeners' ears a rest, I heard many people yelling out, "Play some music!" and other profanities towards this lull in the concert atmosphere.
Nickelback performed many songs off their new album, including Gotta be Somebody, Burn It To the Ground and This Afternoon. Their guitarist, Ryan Peake, also performed an awesome cover of the Kings Of Leon song Use Somebody that really took me by surprise.
From the other two bands that opened for Nickelback, I felt that Seether really put on the best performance. They played the crowd favorites such as Fine Again, Fake It and Broken, while mixing in one of my personal favorite songs right now, Careless Whisper - a cover from the original Wham! song.
Seether really surprised me. I wasn't expecting to be so captivated by their performance, but they played like they were the headliner. After Saving Abel gave a more than forgettable performance, Seether paved the way for the main band by making people forget, at least periodically, that Nickelback still had to perform.
The concert had a steady flow for the most part. It started slow with Saving Abel, built up strong with Seether and finished with a pyrotechnic bang thanks to Nickelback. Although my roots usually steer me away from seeing these bands live, I was able to please my country-loving girlfriend and have an enjoyable experience at the same time.
The last time I saw Nickelback at the Allstate, they were performing with Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace, but it seems that the bands they chose to play with this time suited the brand of music they play much better. A mix of sexual implications and catchy love ballads make up a majority of Nickelback's most recent album, Dark Horse, and needless to say, the concert was not for young audiences.
I was unsure of what to expect from the concert, seeing as how my views on Nickelback have changed considerably since I first started listening to them back in 2000 when they came out with The State. I know many rock fans think that Nickelback has "sold out" by having a more fan-friendly sound and hooky lyrics, but I still love them - I can't help it.
Regardless of your views on the band, their concerts consistently sell out and most people leave feeling satisfied. They know how to rock.
One thing I could have done without, however, was the five-minute crowd-interaction sessions in which lead singer Chad Kroeger talked about living life without boundaries and other things that got the audience going. While it gave most listeners' ears a rest, I heard many people yelling out, "Play some music!" and other profanities towards this lull in the concert atmosphere.
Nickelback performed many songs off their new album, including Gotta be Somebody, Burn It To the Ground and This Afternoon. Their guitarist, Ryan Peake, also performed an awesome cover of the Kings Of Leon song Use Somebody that really took me by surprise.
From the other two bands that opened for Nickelback, I felt that Seether really put on the best performance. They played the crowd favorites such as Fine Again, Fake It and Broken, while mixing in one of my personal favorite songs right now, Careless Whisper - a cover from the original Wham! song.
Seether really surprised me. I wasn't expecting to be so captivated by their performance, but they played like they were the headliner. After Saving Abel gave a more than forgettable performance, Seether paved the way for the main band by making people forget, at least periodically, that Nickelback still had to perform.
The concert had a steady flow for the most part. It started slow with Saving Abel, built up strong with Seether and finished with a pyrotechnic bang thanks to Nickelback. Although my roots usually steer me away from seeing these bands live, I was able to please my country-loving girlfriend and have an enjoyable experience at the same time.
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