Review: It’s Aaron Lewis, not Pearl Jam, STP, Tool ...

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"How’s Everyone Been?" asked Aaron Lewis as he took the stage about 8:30 Friday night inside the Silver Legacy. Now, if you happened to miss the Reno Gazette-Journal’s story regarding Washoe County topping the nation in heavy drinking, the Aaron Lewis show supported the accuracy of the Centers for Disease Control study. In between dodging verbal assaults to play everything else “but” his songs, and a fight breaking out mid-tune, you could see the frustration and disappointment build throughout the show.

One thing Aaron Lewis brings with his songs is the emotional attachment he has with each one of them. Part of an Aaron Lewis show is bringing intimacy with the crowd back, and to really feel the music in its stripped down version. Unfortunately, the Reno audience overall was unable to give Lewis the respect and attention required to provide us with this type of setting.

Pearl Jam! Play Pearl Jam! 

Damn, and here I am thinking I and all my new friends were going to enjoy this show. I have come to the conclusion that many artists come to our beautiful city, never to want to come back again [(Dave Chapelle for example)]. The show took a turn for the worse right off the bat when, following the iTunes only release “The Truth,” requests (more like demands) came from the crowd in an annoying abundance, ranging from Pearl Jam to Tool.

Watching the frustration grow on Lewis’s face, I couldn’t help but compare his first solo trip to the Biggest Little City and tonight’s performance. The big difference was the lack of real interaction with the crowd, whether telling the story of the song or talking about getting stoned in the back 20 minutes before he came out. This show lacked all of that. Blazing through two-three songs without pausing showed how ready Lewis was to call it a night.

“What Happened? I missed it? Was it a fight? How the hell does that happen?” asked Lewis following “Anywhere but Here.” Security guards were called to the middle of the auditorium to remove what looked to be two women getting all UFC on each other. Just another small factor as to why Friday’s performance lacked in comparison to previous ones.

The crowd did have a few redeeming moments throughout the evening, though. Belting out the chorus of the 2000+ Reno crowd favorite “Zoe Jane” seemed to bring a calming effect back to the performance. For a minute …

Show nearly coverless

Lewis Launched into Kermit the Frog’s “Rainbow Connection” only to stop half way through and state “That’s the only cover I’m playing tonight.” Lewis, known for having an arsenal of others’ songs (from Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” to the Back Street Boys’ “Tell Me Why,” which he did begin to play) chose to keep them to himself.

After about the 500th request to play “Pearl Jam,” Lewis looked out with slight distain on his face and said, “Hmmm, let me think about it. Pearl Jam, nope, Tool, nope, STP, nope, Alice in Chains, nope. But, I have some songs I would like to play for you.” Although disappointing to some I’m sure, I had no problem enjoying the original songs.

Highlights

I wouldn’t say the entire show was a bust. A few things such as making light of his songwriting style by calling it “Happy” and “Uplifting” as well as performing “Bong Hits for Breakfast,” which he wrote with his previous band, J-Cat, were some highlights. In addition, Lewis, despite the hootin’ and hollerin’ from the crowd, sang beautifully. Lewis has mastered so much more control of his voice since the last time I had seen him and am sure anyone who has followed Staind over the years would agree.

Wrapping up the evening, Lewis did something I had never seen before. Grabbing one of the three guitars he bounced back and forth between, he pulled up a monitor at the edge of the stage, unplugged the guitar and sat down. Requiring the room to be completely silent, Lewis finished the evenings set with “Intro.” The feeling in the room went from a concert more or less to watching your friend sitting on the edge of the couch playing songs. A great finish to a performance only hindered by the lack of respect given by the crowd. Although there was no encore I don’t blame Lewis one bit. I probably would have said screw it, too.

Songs

• Everything Changes
• The Truth
• Excess Baggage
• Anywhere But Here
• Zoe Jane
• Pardon Me
• Bong Hits for Breakfast
• Believe
• Rainbow Connection
• Waste
• Schizophrenic conversations
• Tangled Up in You
• Epiphany
• So Far Away
• Outside
• It’s Been Awhile
• Intro

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