08/13/24
Stiefel Theatre, Salina, KS
I’ve always had this love for the 90’s and the music of that era. It’s probably because I grew up in the 90’s (technically the 80’s and 90’s, but that defeats the purpose of this thought), there’s just something about the sound of music from that decade that just speaks to me. The unprocessed and raw sound from grunge and alternative rock cries out with an honest truth in the music. I’ve always been looking for something, anything that satiates that feeling of turning on the radio and hearing the unfiltered cries of the decade. For that reason, I am always drawn to bands of the era, and Collective Soul will always be one of those that I will gladly tune in for.
Along with other Alt Rock icons of the 90’s, Collective Soul broke into the world with their 1994 debut album, Hints, Allegations & Things Left Unsaid, punching through with “Shine” as a breakout hit through college radio stations and growing to national acclaim. From there they released their self-titled sophomore album, 1995’s “Collective Soul” which produced more memorable and iconic hits, “December“, “Gel“, “Where the River Flows” and the life affirming “The World I Know“. Since then, Collective Soul have maintained a constant presence in music, releasing 10 more albums, including their recent release, Here to Eternity back in May.
Collective Soul opened the show with a new song from their most recent album “Mother’s Love“, with lead singer Ed Roland donning a bright pink suit through the evening. From there they moved to “Bluer Than So Blue” and into their heaviest song of the evening, to that point, aptly titled “Heavy“. These first three songs felt like they went through in the blink of an eye. Moving around the Stiefel to get the best shots I could of the evening, I couldn’t wait to just sit back and enjoy the rest of the show, sure to please the 90’s and Alt-Rock kid in everyone in attendance. They wasted no time in playing hits that touched everyone’s souls, following “Compliment” with their first hit “Shine”, which included a snippet of “Livin’ on the Edge” by Aerosmith, a dedication to the band who brought them along on their 1994 tour, who just announced their retirement. The theatre erupted with a sing-a-long of the chorus through the song, which could probably be heard a couple blocks away.
Roland took some time to tell a story or two, including talking about their new album, which he said jokingly, “If you’re needing a bathroom break, now’s the time.” before breaking into “Not The Same“, followed by an exploration of the wide range of the bands wealth of rock by dropping “Precious Declaration“, the Pop-Rock jam “Better Now“, followed by story time. Ed tole the story of how his brother and lead guitarist, Dean, , while listening to “Highway Companion“, dared him to write a song in the spirit of Tom Petty, and so “Letter from E” was created. Everything felt right and comfortable in the world as they brought out their big guns to top the night off, playing “She Said“, “The World I Know” which brought the house down, but not to be outdone by “December” and a cover of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap)” (Ed channeling his inner Bon Scott almost hauntingly).
Closing out the main part of the show was “Why Pt. 2“, “Gel” and “Where the River Flows” before heading off stage for a short moment. This show felt intimately special, being able to hear these icons of the era speak to us through their music, live and unfiltered, sharing moments with us that we grew up on, felt the world change, and experienced our youth, growing into the adults we would become. A somewhat spiritual experience of an evening, it felt, closed with a chant from the audience, led by the band that flowed into “Run“. Tugging on the heartstrings, you couldn’t leave the theatre that night without feeling a little more complete. The music of Collective Soul has held steadfast over the years and remains a solid testament to the power of songwriting and the era. The spirit of the 90’s stays alive through these artists that continue to create and share their life and experiences with us all.
