Shakenstir » Shinedown Tour: Manchester!

It’s testament to the sucess of a band like Shinedown that they can roll into the UK on the back of limited radio play, and even a rock media circle that largely has ignorned them (I have not see them front cover of (many magazines). It’s bands like this (along with Disturbed/Papa Roach/Kid Rock, etc.) who get ignored by the so- called ‘Metal Press’ who are supposed to be supporting the whole scene and not dividing it. Rock is Rock, no matter the genre for f**k’s sake…

This tour has been upgraded from the 1,000 capacity Academy II into the main Academy (2,500) here in Manchester and it proves the point that great music will shine (down) regardless of the walls and barriers placed in front of it. ‘The Sound Of Madness’ is one of (if not) the best rock albums of the year, and tonight was the chance for Shinedown to really cement that album with a killer live show…

Before we get to them however we have ‘Soil’, a band who two years ago could do no wrong, an amazing debut album that included modern rock radio and alternative club classic ‘Halo.’ Then it all went wrong - singer problems! So tonight the band get back in the saddle, after an impressive first show the previous night back on UK ’soil’ at Wrexham’s Central Station it was time to raise their game, and raise it, they do. In fact Tony (Shake co-ed) tells me they ‘do exactly what it says on the tin’ and he’s not wrong, The band are here to promote new album ‘PICTURE PERFECT.’ They play a few tracks from it and I’m so impressed I head over to the merch stall to buy it (it does not dissapoint when i get it home). Soil run through a great mixture of old and new tracks and end with ‘Halo’ the reaction suggests they have been missed, they will be back and they now have a clear right future…

So it’s then lights, camera, action… SHINEDOWN… They open with ‘The Sound Of Madness’ and by f**k they rock, firing on all cylinders it’s an impressive start, then we get the ‘hell, it’s great to be here in Manchester sermon’ and boom off we go again into ‘Save Me’, then another sermon and boom, boom with a killer ‘45′ then yes you guessed it, another sermon…I came to rock out, listen to music, not to be preached at.

I did not expect ‘Creed’ I expected ‘Metallica’ you know, song after song of sheer emotive, heavy, melodic class, cause’ that’s what you get on record… Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind the odd preach ‘fuck/save the world’ ‘bush sucks / obama doesn’t’ whatever your soapbox get on it and give to em’… BUT not after every f****n’ song!

It got to the point six songs in (If You Only Knew) and I left. I’d had enough, I’m a f****n’ grown up who never liked being told what, where, who, why by anyone; hated teachers, preachers, prophets and poets; and also the whole point of an alternative lifestyle (rock/women/wrestling/tattoos’/bikers) etc. is that you do what you want, when you want, with who you want, you love and hate whatever the f**k pleases you (within’ reason) but, you know the score.

Before you say ‘it’s cause’ you are a grown up’ F**k Off! I felt the same at 14 watching Queen, Kiss. Zeppelin etc, it was certainly a case of ’I wanna rock n’ roll all nite and party every day’ I listened less then than now, and as the majority of tonights audience is under 20, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! When i get the feeling that a band is pushing it’s emotions on me to much, I switch off, and i saw many faces in the crowd do the same… I’m sure Chad from Nickleback and Dave from Disturbed etc. feel much the same way as Brent, singer with Shinedown, but they don’t ram it down our throats - after every song…

Barry, Eric and Zach play their hearts out and musically are spot on. Brent’s lead vocals are a joy to witness, the sheer power and emotion is perfect, they are even better sounding live than on record, they can deliver the songs, their is no doubt about that. But someone needs to have a word about the excessive use of words… For me, it’s a shame as they were in contention for rock record of the year, but they blew it live…