Pix: Bayfest
Wednesday, July 9th, 2008
THESE ARE A LITTLE LATE COMING, but here are a few pictures from this year’s Bayfest concerts.
The quick and dirty on the concerts:
3 Doors Down has gone all ballad heavy. The concert, though it drew a sizable crowd, was low-key and boring (except for the fights that broke out, but that doesn’t count). But the band, which sounded great, was there to support the troops and it delivered. Every song began and ended with singer Brad Arnold thanking the troops and saying that there aren’t enough bands that are willing to show their support for the military.
Art Alexakis was there with his all new Everclear band. The band sounded good, with a much more full and complete sound than past incarnations of the group, but Alexakis was a little hard to take. He was the concert equivalent of a drunk frat boy. For the encore, he invited about 75 girls from the audience (using criteria like, “You! In the brown shirt with the big boobs!”) to be the “Everclear dancers,” and instructed them not to dance like strippers, or they would be “kicked the hell off his stage.” Sure they would have. He’s reportedly sober now, but it’s hard to tell.
Live played after Everclear and rocked the crowd. The band is so solid and tight, with impeccable harmonies and precise musicality, it just feels good to listen to them. And they know how to put on a show — they were entertaining and engaging. And if Alexakis was the evening’s resident frat boy, then Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk was the feminist, declaring, in a rare speaking moment (he doesn’t talk much between songs), that there once was a time when women were respected enough to rule the world. And right then, he got all the chicks on his side without having to make them dance.
Three Doors Down drew the biggest crowd of the weekend.
Brad Arnold can definitely sing.
Three Doors Down’s biggest fan: This kid, who looked like he was about 10 or 11 years old, was the best thing about the night. He was way into it.
The Everclear crowd cheers on the “Everclear dancers.”
Live came out rocking and played hard and strong for almost two hours.
Live guitarist Chad Taylor is unstoppable. The guy is super energetic and could probably carry the show on his own.
How many is too many? Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk and the band’s nine backup guitars.
