Brandon lets his pipes do the talkin'.Review and Photo by Rob Grabowski
Making a stop for two-sold out nights at Chicago's Riviera Theatre in support of their latest album Morning View, the southern California-based quintet Incubus unleashed an arsenal of heavy guitar melodies along with an equally sensitive message in their lyrics.
Songs like the radio friendly, "Wish You Were Here" and "Drive" locked the crowd's emotions in a half-nelson, while still maintaining their hard-rocking potency. While lead vocalist, Brandon Boyd's lyrics are steeped in cynicism, it's not bitterness that rises to the surface but rather a positive outlook that exudes a much welcomed sense of enthusiasm and passion. Employing the help of his eager audience Boyd included them on this musical journey, where he used them to fill in parts of the chorus on the number "Favorite Things,” as well as "The Warmth," where the singer would howl the tempo of the chorus while his followers chimed in the lyrics. "Warning,” from their latest album, offered feeling and emotion, as the number gradually swelled into a thunderous musical onslaught. Riding this white-knuckled set, they offered up the jacked-up "New Skin" with its amphetamine-driven hip-hop beat, peppered with the endless industrial momentum of an all-night rave.
Whether playing softer numbers such as "Mexico" or the thought-provoking "No Where Fast," the chemistry between Boyd, with his intelligent and poetic prose, and fellow bandmates, guitarist Mike Einziger guitar, bassist Dirk Lance, drummer Jose Pasillas on drums and DJ Chris Kilmore, was magic.
Having paid their dues - they started as a band back in '91 - Incubus has matured from an opening act to bona fide headliners. Surely, with talent of this caliber, it won't be long that they go from playing smaller venues such as the Riviera to full-sized arenas. So with that in mind, catch these guys while you can.
