When you've seen a band before they were famous, the nagging thought of "this is going to be so different" is probably in your head just as the band hits the stage amidst their newfound popularity.
While the crowd was different last Sunday at Darien Lakes Performing Arts Center, Incubus remained the same for the most part, and asserted itself as one of the best acts in rock today.
Lead singer Brandon Boyd looked as if he walked straight out of his latest video, sporting a black button down shirt, striped tie, below knee-length shorts and black ankle socks. A huge, multi-sectioned screen showed a rising and setting yellow sun on a vibrant red background, followed by a rising moon.
As the moon exploded, bassist Dirk Lance began the show with "Circles," from the band's latest release, "Morning View." Plenty of female screams were heard, which would become a reoccurring sound on that rain-soaked evening.
Boyd released an unexpectedly high-pitched scream at the beginning of the show, which sounded much higher than he does on the band's records, particularly in songs like "Nice to Know You," and "Glass". Boyd has one of the smoother voices in the business today, but his quiet demeanor oddly supercedes his showmanship. He rarely spoke to the crowd, and when he did it was short and to the point. But unlike most quiet singers, Boyd maintains a close relationship with his listeners, often physically gesturing them to guide him.
The appeal of Incubus' stage show has always been their energy and musicianship. The band, which includes Boyd, Lance, Jose Pasillas on drums, Chris Kilmore on turntables, and guitarist Mike Einzinger, are all superior in their crafts to most mainstream and underground artists.
Boyd's sex appeal is a huge factor as well. He's always been known to rock shirtless, but he seemed to take extra pleasure in teasing the crowd a few buttons at a time.
Though the band seemed visibly annoyed and bored to play hits like "Drive" and "Wish You Were Here," they also added new life to some of their singles. "Stellar," a song about a lover with whom Boyd has since split, seemed to be less of a love song and more a bitter, reminiscent ballad.
"Warning", their current single, was packed with meaning, especially to Einzinger, whose melodic backing vocals are almost eerie considering how well they fit with Boyd.
Halfway through the set, the band slowed it down for an acoustic session, complete with two couches and a lamp. The screen showed Boyd and Einzinger, and the crowd in the back screamed in delight for their first close-ups of their heroes.
The band seemingly closed the show with "Pardon Me," but returned to the stage 10 minutes later with an excellent rendition of Prince's "When Doves Cry," which was a perfect segue into "The Warmth." Ending the show was a sonically impressive version of their track "Aqueous Transmission," where Pasillas and Kilmore really showcased their talents.
Disappointingly, the band only strayed from their last two records twice. They played two songs off of their most critically acclaimed album, "S.C.I.E.N.C.E." ?Ae_ "A Certain Shade of Green" and "Glass." For fans wondering about the set list, other songs included "Just A Phase," "11am," "Nowhere Fast," "Mexico," "Clean", "Make Yourself," "I Miss You," "Are You In?" and "Magic Medicine."
Opening for the band was 30 Seconds To Mars, a band fronted by actor Jared Leto. While it's tempting to call them "My So-Called Band," (after Leto's mid-Nineties teen angst drama), they were a crowd pleaser and are good at what they do. Call them Staind or Orgy with a better singer. They had decent crowd reception, but the biggest response was from Leto's line, "Who's ready for Incubus?" Enough said.
