When you spend as much time as I do going to concerts, interviewing artists and lurking in photo pits, it’s easy to lose sight of the spectacle going on around you. This could probably have been the case with Saturday night’s Three Days Grace / Breaking Benjamin show if it hadn’t been for the presence of my 12-year-old son, Ian. Although he’s been around music and concerts for many years, this was his first major arena show and his excitement was contagious. With two tickets in hand, I was also getting the opportunity to relax and enjoy a show for once.
As the lights dimmed and show opener Flyleaf took the stage, I felt strangely naked without a camera in my hand, tracking a target for my first shot. Lead singer Lacey emerged from the darkness, dressed in a white lace skirt, with black pants and top, looking like a modern day version of the Bride of Frankenstein. Joining Lacey were bassist Pat Seals and guitarist Sameer Bhattacharya, who stormed up and down the entire length of the stage, constantly thrashing about or leaping down from elevated platforms. I’m not quite sure how they managed to play properly, let alone keep from crashing into each other or the rest of the ensemble, which also included Flyleaf’s slightly less athletic guitarist Jared Harmann and the obviously stationary drummer James Culpepper. While the sound was a bit muddy, the band offered early concert goers an entertaining, high-energy set.
This article appears in Feb 24 – Mar 2, 2010.