Scott Stapp / Breaking Point
The Rave Milwaukee, WI
Mar. 11, 2006
Story and Photos by Phil Bonyata
Scott Stapp has carried the watered down grunge sound and self-important Christian musings from his former band Creed and put them smack dab into the center of his solo career. Stapp, looking rock star cool with his tight fitting Western wear and signature long flowing brown locks, knows how to work the stage and all the women in attendance. Preening and posing, he made sure to look square at the audience for their adulation after every hip shake. The show was peppered heavily with Creed songs - "My Sacrafice," "Higher," "My Own Prison" and "What If." Stapp's band played all the songs with a heavier hand than Creed - while at first somewhat refreshing it wasn't long before the music's inherent failings were exposed. Cliche ridden lyrics built upon simple and anthemic melodies. The fans couldn't have cared less - they ate everything Stapp threw at them - from his directionless banter to his self indulgent stage antics. Actually, some of the songs played off of Stapp's solo album The Great Divide were better than most Creed tunes anyway. The music tears down the pretentiousness of his former band and is based on multiple layerings of heavy guitars with an astonishing hard bassline. Stapp sang of gut based declarations of angst and faith. The arrangements are heavy and somber. Not for everyone - but certainly a graduating process for Stapp from his days with Creed.
Openers Breaking Point like to fuse melody with a sledgehammer. The band sounded and looked very similar to My Chemical Romance (lead singer Brett Erickson looking almost identical to Gerard Way of MCR with his black pin-stripe pants, black jacket and shirt and red tie). They have not found a way to carve out an identity from the swarms of screamo bands begging to be downloaded to every 14 year old girls' iPod. Nonetheless,
Breaking Point definitely makes some catchy rock songs that are still memorable.
Breaking Point
Scott Stapp
Breaking Point
Here's Your Chance
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Preening and posing, he made sure to look square at the audience for their adulation after every hip shake. The show was peppered heavily with Creed songs - "My Sacrafice," "Higher," "My Own Prison" and "What If." Stapp's band played all the songs with a heavier hand than Creed - while at first somewhat refreshing it wasn't long before the music's inherent failings were exposed. Cliche ridden lyrics built upon simple and anthemic melodies. The fans couldn't have cared less - they ate everything Stapp threw at them - from his directionless banter to his self indulgent stage antics.
