It almost feels like it can’t be summer unless Shinedown comes through town – whether it be headlining or opening for another monster rock act, the Florida-based band is a constant on the touring circuit. Last week they brought their Revolutions Live Tour to FivePoint Amphitheatre, this time bringing along the one and only Papa Roach.
A nearly sold-out venue welcomed the bands for what would be a solid night of hard rock.
After a brief opening set by Canadian rockers Spiritbox, the veteran rockers Papa Roach stormed the stage for what would be a nostalgic and hits-packed 13-song set.
“Between Angels and Insects” kicked the show off while “Kill the Noise” followed closely behind, the lead single off “Ego Trip,” and easily their best single in the past decade.
The band released “Ego Trip” last year and has been consistently touring in support. Lead singer Jacoby Shaddix sounds and looks as great as ever, making it hard to believe that this band has been together for 30 years now.
When their 2000 album “Infest” dropped, they were ruling then insanely popular nu metal genre.
The middle of the set brought two interesting cover songs: 2Pac’s “California Love” and “Firestarter” by Prodigy served as a virtual time machine for the responsive crowd. Of course they finished the night with their epic anthem, “Last Resort.”
To no surprise, there was not a single butt in a seat.
There are certain things that you always can expect from a Shinedown show – passionate, devoted fans AND tons of fireworks and fog machines. Their music is highly accessible and even more yet, relatable rock and roll.
Celebrating 22 years together as a band, Shinedown has a record 18 songs that have reached number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Another key element of any Shinedown show is the incredible high-stage production value and attention to detail. A video that chronicled the band’s evolution set the stage for the introduction of the band, as large doors opened and the four band members emerged from behind a wall of fog. Brent Smith immediately went into attack mode on the set opener, “Diamond Eyes.” Between his mohawk and intense attitude, the lead singer fully embraces his role of a rock star; he is beyond next-level theatrical.
A piano lined with purple neon dropped from a ceiling rig during the band’s third song, “I’ll Follow You.” Such a cool effect that created a fair share of “oohhs” and “aahhs” from the crowd. Smith then quipped, “Let’s dance,” prior to kicking off “State of My Head,” which saw him cover the entire multi-level stage from side to side. Pyro, fire and flames were brought out for “Devil” while a strong purple and red hue was cast on the stage for “Unity,” one of their biggest anthems.
Smith promised a mix of ‘new school and old school’ before acknowledging the 20th anniversary of their debut album, “Leave a Whisper.” He asked for the crowd’s help on “45,” a slower song that eventually turned into a full sing-along. With “Sound Of Madness,” the band finally had everyone fully invested in the evening with fist-pounding energy.
A couple of well-placed covers helped fill out the 17-song setlist. A fun version of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” with guitarist Zach Myers taking the vocal lead started out with acoustic treatment, but it turned into a fully-plugged-in performance as Shinedown’s stage hands and guitar techs helped play the second half of the song.
A cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” was followed by “Monsters,” while the set closer “Cut the Cord” brought even more fireworks and fire.
This Irvine show was the tail end of the Revolutions Live Tour, other than a handful of one-off shows in Texas and Connecticut.
After that, the band looks to be taking some time off, but I can’t imagine them staying quiet for long…
