On a rather rainy and gross evening in Atlanta, I sought shelter at the historic Tabernacle. The venue alone is worth it. Dingy, stuffy, and chandelier- dazzling. “Standing Room Only” is the only way to do a concert if you ask me, and this one was no different. Ed Roland, lead singer of Collective Soul enters the stage strumming away at his acoustic as the rest of his equally talented crew joins him for a nostalgic yet vibrant performance.
The Atlanta based band played the classics such as “December“, “Shine” , “The World I Know“, and “Run” while also debuting insta-hits from their newest album that just dropped on the 2nd, “See What You Started by Continuing“. Some of my favorites were “Hurricane” and “AYTA (Are You The Answer)”. The band incorporates their classic rock instrumentals into their new tunes while also implementing a new flare. Where some bands attempting to make a come-back decide to completely alter their sound, Collective Soul remains true to who they are both in their sound and their roots.
Even years later, Roland, 52, is still owning the stage with his scissor kicks and microphone stand tricks. Brother and guitarist Dean supported lead guitarist Jesse Triplett’s flawless solos. Original bassist Will Turpin took the platform next to drummer Johnny Rabb as they all exchanged inside jokes with their eyes. The band had several instances that demonstrated their brotherly love, which will be needed for this long U.S. tour they have ahead of them. Collective Soul electrified and touched the audience with a not-so-subtle reminder of how rock and roll should be.
If you dig classic rock, I strongly recommend you check out their new album, “See What You Started by Continuing“, out NOW!
Rock on.
By Charlotte Norsworthy