Incubus & LIVE
4th April 2024
Trusts Arena, Auckland, New Zealand
Review by Sarah Kidd with photography by Doug Peters.
For music lovers, there really isn’t anything much better than seeing your favourite band live, whether it be local or international. But not one but two of your favourite international acts playing back-to-back sets? Well, be still my beating heart.
Since the announcement of the show, April the 4th has been circled in red on many a punters calendar, the chance for some top-notch music wrapped in the comforting blanket of nostalgic memories (both bands boasting careers that span thirty plus years) certainly something to look forward to. And Thursday is close enough to the end of the week that it can be classified as a Friday and therefore carry those same weekend vibes.
Held at Trusts Arena in the heart of West Auckland, the venue was already heaving with bodies as Pennsylvania rockers LIVE entered to a beautiful instrumental, their name emblazoned across a backdrop of burning embers blown by the wind. A fitting entrance for a band who have always embodied a somewhat spiritual element to their music.
Fronted by Ed Kowalczyk – who since 2022 is now the only original member – LIVE has produced some of the biggest rock bangers of the nineties that are still on regular rotation today on many a radio station. Therefore it was no surprise that following opening track ‘Hold Me Up’ that they hit attendees with one of their big ones; ‘All Over You’ soon seeing the mosh pit down front bouncing as Ed, sunglasses in place and guitar slung over shoulder serenaded them with those iconic vocals, sumptuous visuals accompanying the track perfectly.
Joking about how this was the “time machine’s first trip”, Ed spoke of how the band were about to go back to 1997 and the album Secret Samadhi, the track ‘Freaks’ welcomed by many, Robin Diaz on drums and Zak Loy on lead guitar embellishing it with just the right touches in all the right places.
Day one fans would have been left surprised but extremely happy with what followed next however as ‘Shit Towne’ from the 1994 album Throwing Copper made a tour debut appearance, the song describing Ed’s hometown of York.
Throughout the set it was evident that Ed has lost none of his vocal range as he competently hit all the notes both highs and lows. It seemed that his humour was also still intact as following an exemplary version of ‘The Dolphin’s Cry’ – a song that is always guaranteed to get the blood pumping and performed live was even more exhilarating – the band did a cover of ‘Leave the Radio On’ by Goose Blackstone. Who is Goose Blackstone you may ask? Well avid fans of Ed would know exactly who that is; Ed writing a record under the name back in 2019 just before COVID brought the world to a screaming halt. So, it was Ed, doing a cover of … well Ed!
Closing the set on ‘Lakini’s Juice’ with that instantly recognisable opening distorted riff, Chris Heerlein coming in with juicy bass that reverberated behind it and Ed’s vocals soared, fans heads moving in time before the chorus once again saw bodies jump.
An encore was of course required, as there was no way that LIVE could leave their New Zealand hanging without two of the biggest tracks of unarguably their most popular album Throwing Copper.
‘I Alone’ is easily a track to get even the most lethargic of music fans moving, the ballad style opening verse growing in intensity, till the chorus kicks in with full bodied rock overtones. The song in some ways a mouth-watering rollercoaster as it dips into those quieter moments before the rhythmical breakdown takes you to the highest peak, attendees punching the air as they screamed “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” as the song finishes in a wall of sound.
But to close it had to be ‘Lightning Crashes’, the arena erupting in cheers as the opening bars quickly settled them into a beautiful choir of voices that knew every word and sang them with open hearts and an overwhelming sense of reverent joy. This is what the live experience is all about and Ed and the boys knew it.
Quick changeover, drinks run and toilet breaks taken and fans were quickly back in place for Incubus, the arena – already buzzing from LIVE’s fantastic set – primed for what was to come next.
Opening with ‘Quicksand’ from the 2006 album Light Grenades, it was immediately evident that just like Kowalczyk, front man Brandon Boyd is still at the top of his game vocally despite the band forming back in 1991. Anyone with any doubts only having to be present for the very next song off the rank, the hugely popular ‘Nice to Know You’ ushered in under hues of purples and greens, Incubus teasing out the intro before laying into the heavy riffs.
‘Anna Molly’ kept the momentum going, Mike Einziger on lead guitar and Nicole Row on bass tearing it up as the ever popular and instantly recognisable Chris Kilmore stationed on a riser behind the band surrounded by his plethora of turntables and keys embellished the track beautifully. ‘Stellar’ from the 1999’s Make Yourself rounding out the opening perfectly.
Boyd seemed to be having the time of his life on stage, his continuous smile and front man flare emanating from him in waves. His energy levels showing no sign of slowing down as he moved through ‘Sick Sad Little World’ and ‘Circles’ with ease, just behind him, José Pasillas matching his vibrancy on the skins.
Following a killer rendition of ‘Pardon Me’, a monster of a track that really allows Kilmore to steal the limelight, it was time for a few covers. While some fans may be in disagreement about this, covers are often a great insight into what has influenced a band as a whole, Incubus’s cover of The Beatles ‘Come Together’ well worth the inclusion. This was quickly followed by ‘Are You In?’ but with a twist; the song led into by a (partial) glorious cover of ‘Riders on the Storm’ by none other than the inimitable The Doors, images of lightning and clouds pulsating on the big screen behind them.
Boyd bantered here and there with the crowd throughout the evening, his affable nature putting everyone at ease. Shirt off and tucked into the side of his jeans, every time Boyd smiled it was if the entire room smiled back.
But it seemed that the band weren’t done with the covers yet, Portishead’s ‘Glory Box’ given the treatment it deserves before a rendition of one of the greatest musicians of all time, David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ really sealed the deal.
It was hard to believe that the night was almost at an end, both bands having flown by thanks to just how damn good they were. Incubus of course keeping a couple of biggies up their sleeve to see the fans off in good spirits.
‘Drive’ prompted another mass karaoke session, a sight and sound that is always something to behold as a punter, especially at a show such as this where many of the fans now had their kids in tow.
To close out the night, Incubus took Auckland back to 2002 and the album Morning View, ‘Wish You Were Here’ a song that is almost a time capsule for their sound that twenty-two years ago was uniquely their own in many ways.
As fans poured through the doors and into the refreshingly and rather welcomed night air, there was an overwhelming feeling of exultation. And that right there is what live music is all about.
Incubus:
Live:
Midwave Breaks:
Were you there at Trusts Arena for this huge rock double-header gig? Or have you seen Incubus or LIVE perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Incubus Setlist:
- Quicksand
- Nice to Know You
- Anna Molly
- Stellar
- Sick Sad Little World
- Circles
- The Warmth
- Pardon Me
- Karma, Come Back
- Come Together [Beatles cover]
- Are You In?
- Vitamin
- Glory Box [Portishead cover]
- Echo
- Let’s Dance [David Bowie cover]
- Drive
- Wish You Were Here
LIVE Setlist:
- Hold Me Up
- All Over You
- Selling the Drama
- Freaks
- Shit Towne
- Pillar of Davidson
- The Dolphin’s Cry
- Leave the Radion On [Goose Blackstone cover]
- Turn My Head
- White, Discussion
- Lakini’s Juice
- I Alone [encore]
- Lightning Crashes [encore]
Note: Ambient Light was provided passes to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product using an affiliate link, Ambient Light will automatically receive a small commission at no cost to you.
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