Those who were in the prime of their youth in the mid to late '90s and early '00s, know all too well the impact music had on an entire generation.
It was an era where music shaped one's identity, politics and even set the standards for fashion and lifestyles. At the turn of the century, rock music especially ushered in a unique reinvention allowing musicians to be free sonically and let their artistry evolve organically.Two bands of the era who epitomise this and have gone on to have long and creatively uncompromising careers are +LIVE+ and Incubus. Together, both bands have sold a staggering 45 million records worldwide to date and have done so without losing their integrity and creative ingenuity.
The exciting prospect of both outfits coming down under for a joint co-headline tour in 2024 was a dream come true for those whose adolescence were scored by their riveting songs and illustrious albums.
Over the years, Incubus and +LIVE+ have graced our shores many times playing the country's prestigious music festivals and venues with Australian rock devotees seemingly not getting enough of them.
Even with disruptions caused by the pandemic and bushfires, they keep coming back to play to audiences who are incredibly dedicated to supporting outstanding rock concerts.
The evidence of this was abundantly clear as people came flooding into Sydney's Hordern Pavillion on a Wednesday night (10 April) and will do it all again on a second, sold-out show tonight at the same venue.
+LIVE+ - image © AH Imagery
+LIVE+ did the honours of opening the night with an enthusiastic bunch of revellers ready to jump and sing-along to some of their greatest hits and deep cuts.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of their watershed album 'Throwing Copper', an alternative rock masterpiece spawning various rock anthems and radio friendly singles. Upbeat tune 'All Over You' had the venue's faithful singing along to all the words following up with the feel-good rock anthem 'Selling The Drama'.
Frontman Ed Kowalczyk also acknowledged the 100-year anniversary of the Hordern Pavillion, a landmark venue for the city's culture and its international reputation for hosting some of the greatest popular and local musical acts.
While the band played their expansive catalogue, the screen behind them dazzled the audience with some stunning visuals and lighting including on songs such as 'The Dolphin's Cry' with a tsunami raging into to a major city very much invoking the song's protection of marine mammals from harmful human activities theme as well as resembling any end of the world/ apocalyptic movie.
+LIVE+ - image © AH Imagery
The visual backdrop aided +LIVE+'s compositions enhancing the spiritual depth of their songs, especially on the brooding psychedelic tune 'Lakini's Juice' with a gigantic sun bursting out of the screen and multi-coloured lights shining onstage, creating an atmosphere that was haunting and deeply mystical.
Ending their set with their career defining hits 'I Alone' and 'Lightning Crashes' was expected; as anyone who watched the Woodstock 99 concert DVD knows, the former song catapulted them into mainstream stardom in the '90s and the later surmounted their legacy as the whole audience echoed every word of their biblical anthem.
What +LIVE+ and Incubus have in common is their psychedelic rock inclinations, which gave them a distinct edge over their contemporaries.
While +LIVE+ was marketed more as a post-grunge outfit, Incubus were in and among a nu-metal revolution yet they were difficult to categorise and didn't need to promote a hyper-masculinity aesthetic. Rather their musical style and approach were aligned with the '60s attitude of The Beatles, The Doors and Jimi Hendrix but with a modern idiom.
Incubus - image © AH Imagery
Their enthralling composition 'Nice To Know You', off their seminal 'Morning View' album, captivated the audience right from the get-go; and even with a slight interruption when frontman Brandon Boyd called out a badly behaved fan at the front of the audience, that did not ruin the energetic mood Incubus raised in the early part of the show.
Much like +LIVE+'s performance, Incubus employed a phenomenal multimedia production onstage including hyper-sensory lighting as well as immersive, trippy visuals used to enhance the effect of frustration, alienation, and a longing for escape on their progressive rock opus 'Sick Sad Little World'.
This performance only solidified why they defy categorisation, showcasing the brilliant musicianship they all collectively execute. Bassist Nicole Row – the third bassist in the band's history and most recent member to join the quintet – really felt comfortable performing onstage, perfectly delivering the bassline grooves her predecessors wrote and performed so effortlessly.
Boyd's handsome looks and stage persona still hold up with aplomb after all these years and he knows how to balance a rockstar swagger punctuated with an androgynous and introspective stage presence, which many of the Incubus compositions demand.
The band are not ones to shy away from covers either, with classics such as 'Come Together' by The Beatles, 'Let's Dance' by David Bowie, and 'Riders On The Storm' by The Doors seamlessly fused into the song 'Are You In?'; 'Glory Box' by Portishead was also part of their set list of cover renditions that were unequivocally given the Incubus treatment.
Incubus - image © AH Imagery
This year the band made an exciting announcement that they would be reimagining their groundbreaking 2001 album 'Morning View', and the audience had the privilege of listening to the new alternate versions of some of the songs.
Of course, an Incubus show would not be complete if they did not play one of the most iconic anthems of the early '00s and fan favourite 'Drive' – a song which still to this day is adored and sung with passion by their devoted fans. Its existential lyrics, haunting vocals and instrumentation is why Incubus are music legends and create magical evenings to remember.
'Wish You Were Here' concluded proceedings and even though there was no encore, a big love heart was displayed on the stage screen showing the band's appreciation for everyone who showed up to see them perform a heartfelt and emotional night of excellent music and unforgettable showmanship.
More photos from the concert.
