Incubus Rocks Our Socks – Wish You Were There

It’s a rare occasion that a multi-platinum band graces rural New Hampshire with their stellar sounds, but I was blessed with the opportunity to experience my favorite band, Incubus, a mere hour and a half away. The rock quintet from Calabasas, California has been on an international tour since January 2004, promoting their fifth album release, A Crow Left of the Murder. Known for its lyrical and technical sophistication, A Crow Left combined the energy from their earlier albums with their musical growth over the past decade. To put it lightly, the boys have been given a hefty serving of what they like to call “gig butt.” Although they have been touring incessantly, their show at UNH last Wednesday night was indeed no disappointment. Their musical and enthusiastic potency left me stunned in my seat until I was physically forced to leave Whittemore Center Arena. I was blessed not only to see them once again (I last saw them at Lollapalooza 2003), but also got a press pass to take photos for The Clock and my Incubus website, www.subucni.com. After a trip to McDonalds, a pit stop, and a desperate attempt to redirect our lost-selves onto route 4, we finally arrived in Durham at 5:30pm to find the lines already flooding past the doors. Fans with incubus shirts, pins, and patches were frantically bouncing with anticipation for the doors to open. Despite the Red Sox game that evening, there was a surprising turn out of loyal fans from all over New England. The opening act was impressive to say the least. The band The Music from the UK, who is a leading contender for the title of UK’s best new band. Their brilliant live performance kept heads bopping and warmed up the crowd. Their new album, Welcome to the North was produced by the producer of A Crow left, Brendan O’Brien (Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden). Their jam-like qualities, optimistic lyrics, and unstoppable energy were just what I needed before I was allowed to stand on the side with the crew and wait for Incubus to ignite Durham into a rocking frenzy. I stood front and center looking up to an empty stage that I knew would explode into a rainbow of light and sound at any moment, and finally the lights went out in the arena and deafening cheers filled the halls. My excitement exploded from my ears as the silhouette of singer Brandon Boyd stepped out on stage right above my head. They began with a mini-jam to the video game Halo, which the boys entertain themselves with between concerts. As the lights went on, my camera began snapping, and they started off with the energetic Pistola, from their latest album. They followed with Nice to Know You from the Morning View album before finally addressing the fired up crowd. “Hello New Hampshire! Are we having fun yet?” The set list was more balanced then previous shows such as the Morning View tour in 2002. This time around, Incubus has been changing their set lists almost every night, playing shows from all their albums, including songs from the ’97 album S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Although few fans actually knew all the words to songs such as Idiot Box and Vitamin (although I confess I was screaming them all), they were enthusiastically welcomed. Incubus even revamped their usual performance of Vitamin into a drum jam with Brandon Boyd and bassist Ben Kenney on African percussion. And who could forget Jose Pasillias unforgettable drum solo that exhausted me just to look at him. It must be tiring to keep their music and attitudes fresh on a nightly basis when you have been touring for a year, but Incubus was enthusiastic, and even played along to the crowds chants of, “Let’s go Red Sox!” Brandon Boyd was even kind enough to update the crowd on the score of 2-0. But as the concert progressed and became more intimate with inspiring songs such as The Warmth, Drive, and Warning, the chants changed from Red Sox to Incubus! The crowd was suspended through head-bopping songs from A Crow Left such as their two singles Megalomaniac and Talk Shows on Mute. Guitarist Mike Einziger shined through these songs. Lyrically, their political innuendos were appropriate and inspiring for the upcoming election, questioning our nations present state. “Come one, come all to 1984. Yea three, two, one, lights camera–transaction.” Naturally, Incubus returned for their classic three-song encore with an unreleased song, Pantomime, featuring Brandon Boyd on guitar. Although it was heartbreaking to see them leave the stage, I was happy to receive waves, winks, and smiles from the band members and a camera full of photos. I asked my roommate, Lisa Hammond, what she thought of her first Incubus concert. “Their pyrotechnical sound made up for the lack of visual pyrotechnics. I would absolutely see them again. Well… other than in my dreams.” That sounds about right to me.