Let the good times re-roll

So I had the pleasure of attending what I have elsewhere referred to as a "trifecta of has-beens." The headliners: Collective Soul, Blues Traveler, and Live. Thus, in one night, I and a few thousand of my dear friends were transported back to 1994 for a few glorious hours. In order to enable the dweller of the twenty-first century to appreciate the ups and downs of such a time warp, I offer a brief review.

BAND 1: COLLECTIVE SOUL

(Here they are, the boys in ... I guess mostly black.)

This was the one band in the 90s that I always wanted to see but never did. When they broke up, circa 1999, I thought that mine was a dead dream. But they re-formed, partially re-invented, and came back with a new series of albums. For the most part, they did not disappoint.

The "Soul," if you will, played a conservative game, relying heavily on their established hits and singles. Not too much diversion from what the average joe who paid $30 for a bit of nostalgia would expect to hear. In this, they were probably the most successful, with a large portion of the crowd singing along. Their stage presence was impressive, including Ed Roland's new penchant for throwing the microphone stand up in the air and catching it.

Bottom Line: They were worth the 14-year wait.

BAND 2: BLUES TRAVELER

(John Popper, front man and, as it turns out, has-been)

Sigh.

I have never seen a hopeful audience so quickly silenced. The band, the audience's response, and the whole hour-long set were unpleasantly surprising. In fairness, Blues Traveler did not have the same arsenal of hits as their two counterparts this night. But the collection of unfamiliar songs provided the audience with a sad revelation: all B.T. songs are the same. You get a bit of a jam-session, bridged in the center by a long and elaborate harmonica solo. So formulaic were the various songs, that when the band finally played "But Anyway," off the "Kingpin" soundtrack, I don't think any one even recognized it. The whole thing had the air of a somewhat irritating intermission between the real performers.

Bottom Line: Once a year or so, you're going to hear "Hook" on a mix radio station. That will suffice.

BAND 3: LIVE

(Ed Kowalczyk: Prince Among Men)

In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that I am one of the few remaining die-hard Live fans. I own albums of theirs that you've never heard of. I'm not ashamed.

This was the fifth time I've seen the boys from York, PA on stage. Since the early 1990s they have cultivated a solid stage performance, with just the right amount of banter. They held a middle ground in between the other two bands: they played a good number of singles, but also mixed in a handful of songs that only the true fans (both of us) knew. They paid a price for this--there was a steady outflow of concert-goers during any unfamiliar song--but it was a nice nod to the faithful. In addition, when the opening lines of "I Alone" or "The Dolphin's Cry" echoed through the pavilion, butts left the ground and throngs cheered. They even brought out John Popper to play the harmonica on "Waitress," in a supreme act of charity.

One got the sense that with this band, the crowd got exactly what it paid for: a chance to go back and re-live that tender age when flannel was in, boy bands were not yet ascendant, and Throwing Copper surfed the airwaves.

Bottom Line: If you get the chance, go see Live. I promise they won't play too much stuff off the last few albums.



All in all, a night well spent. Heaven's light shone down, lightning crashed, and ... um ... Blues Traveler was there, too.