Collective Soul got a bad rap right out of the box in the mid nineties when their debut single became a radio staple that no one could escape.
Anyone who paid attention to the band afterward were rewarded with an absolutely brilliant record called Dosage. Produced by Anthony J. Resta, known for using vintage gear to create sonic atmospheres for such artists as Duran Duran, Perry Farrell, and now Collective Soul, the band was at their creative peak and singer Ed Roland’s songwriting was pure pop rock genius.
Dosage is the type of record that a band can only make once in its career. If you didn’t appreciate the brilliance behind this record, it’s simply because you wrote the band off long ago and failed to give them another chance. Meanwhile, the rest of us got it and we celebrated the band’s 2012 sold out return to The Fillmore in San Francisco last week where they performed the album in its entirety to a sold out crowd.
The band took the stage with a “Thanks for coming out,” from singer Ed Rolland to the capacity crowd. “We’re going to play Dosage in its entirety then come back for a second set of other favorites.” Nice way to connect with the fans.
Next up, the opening song of the night and lead track from Dosage, “Tremble for My Beloved.” The signature rock riff of “Heavy” followed as track number two which opened up to the heart of the record. I was allowed to shoot only the first two songs, and it was pretty incredible to be up in front of 1,200 fans with full reign of the photo pit.
“No More, No Less,” “Needs,” and “Compliment” are the songs on the record that shine through the most. This is pop rock at its finest, folks. The production, the ability to recreate it perfectly live, and the shear sense of brilliant songwriting was alive and well and the crowd embraced it.
Say what you will about Collective Soul, and that’s OK. There are plenty of fans out here that are fueling the band’s success enough to tour and release new music whenever the band feels like it. And that’s a lot more than I can say for half of the bands that came out of that era and even 90% of the new ones today.
Fantastic rock ‘n roll show indeed.
