Concert Review: Nine Inch Nails w/A Perfect Circle @ The Arrowhead Pond, 6/6/2000

Summer 2001: the world belongs to Staind we are just allowed to listen in on it. This year, the boys of Staind own the concert circuit, the charts, airplay, and anything else they want. The are the hottest ticket selling as far as the summer concert line up goes. If you've been living under a rock you may not have noticed that Staind has become pretty much the biggest rock act in the country. Their new album, Break the Cycle has broken double platinum in less than 8 weeks, and it is still topping the Billboard charts.

Something about this band connects to fans in a way other metal acts can not. There seems to be something heartfelt behind the band's fury. It's hard-core with a method and reason to the madness, and it brings the angst to a level more people can identify with. Aaron's potent vocals create a landscape of emotion that somehow calls out to the fans. Staind's overall level of intensity reaches in and grabs you.

In Staind's short one-hour set they demonstrated their range of seductively aggressive emotion. They played from 9:30 to 10:30. They opened with 'Mudshovel', the song that popped the radio cherry to the Staind sound. Vocalist Aaron Lewis, guitarist Mike Mushok, drummer Jon Wysocki, and bassist Johnny April sounded real tight, and made a better impression than they had in previous shows. Aaron connected to the audience like he was part of it. He had a way of making the arena seem like an intimate venue, just you, the band and a small mosh pit. The band went from song to song with little conversation in between. Aaron threw out the occasional song titles, but only spoke briefly twice. Staind played 14 songs about half-and-half from Dysfunction and Break the Cycle.

Photos By Lois Razonski


Staind Remac Arena,San Diego 6/20/01
By Caren Spitler

Summer 2001: the world belongs to Staind we are just allowed to listen in on it. This year, the boys of Staind own the concert circuit, the charts, airplay, and anything else they want. The are the hottest ticket selling as far as the summer concert line up goes. If you've been living under a rock you may not have noticed that Staind has become pretty much the biggest rock act in the country. Their new album, Break the Cycle has broken double platinum in less than 8 weeks, and it is still topping the Billboard charts.

Something about this band connects to fans in a way other metal acts can not. There seems to be something heartfelt behind the band's fury. It's hard-core with a method and reason to the madness, and it brings the angst to a level more people can identify with. Aaron's potent vocals create a landscape of emotion that somehow calls out to the fans. Staind's overall level of intensity reaches in and grabs you.

In Staind's short one-hour set they demonstrated their range of seductively aggressive emotion. They played from 9:30 to 10:30. They opened with 'Mudshovel', the song that popped the radio cherry to the Staind sound. Vocalist Aaron Lewis, guitarist Mike Mushok, drummer Jon Wysocki, and bassist Johnny April sounded real tight, and made a better impression than they had in previous shows. Aaron connected to the audience like he was part of it. He had a way of making the arena seem like an intimate venue, just you, the band and a small mosh pit. The band went from song to song with little conversation in between. Aaron threw out the occasional song titles, but only spoke briefly twice. Staind played 14 songs about half-and-half from Dysfunction and Break the Cycle.





The first half of the set was marked by songs like 'Pressure', with its raw tension, and the Staind style fractured rock lullaby 'Suffer'. About midway into the set, they played the two radio hits off of the new CD. Aaron got his acoustic guitar and sat down center-stage and went into an all acoustic version of 'Outside'. It's almost a shame they changed it for Break the Cycle because the song is just perfect in its simple form (just Aaron and the guitar). It was a magical moment; the crowd was singing along, hands waving in the air, and lighters casting a warm sparkle of light through the arena. Aaron stayed seated with his guitar for 'It's Been Awhile', but the band played along on this one. Aaron laid back and let the crowd take over some of the singing. Most of the band's set was slightly more intense, and highly mosh worthy. Later they played 'Can't Believe', where Aaron alternates from his explosive screams in the verses, to the more vocally expressive chorus. They wrapped it up with 'Fade', 'Raw', and 'Spleen'. Sorry, no encore; the set was short but it was perfect. This show left even this unsure audience member appreciating the band even more.




Photos by Lois Razonski
All Material © 2001 The Scene Los Angeles