Live Rocks Live!
by BB70 on 7/20/09House of Blues Cleveland - ClevelandRating: 5 out of 5I've been to many Live concerts over the years, and this one was one of the best. Live, like most bands, always performs better when the crowd is into it. And this crowd was definitely into it.
For loyal Live fans, this show took on some added meaning, as the band members previously announced they'd be taking a two-year hiatus. As it turned out, this was their next-to-last show before that break began.
The group started off their set with "Top" -- a song from "Throwing Copper" that they've seldom performed in recent years. It's an intense tune that really amped up an already charged crowd.
During the anthemic "I Alone," lead singer Ed Kowalcyzk typically belts out lyrics to another song about halfway through. In this case, it was a tribute to Michael Jackson. Kowalcyzk tested his vocal range and implored the crowd to sing along to his impression of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." It was a fun moment.
Another surprise was the band's performance of "Supernatural," a cover of a song written by Vic Chesnutt. For those who remember "MTV Unplugged," Live performed this tune when they appeared on the show during the height of their popularity in the mid-'90s. It's a favorite of this reviewer.
If you saw the movie "Zak and Miri Make A Porno," you heard the never-released Live song, "Hold Me Up," during the pivotal moment of the film. Well, Live rewarded Cleveland concert-goers with a rare live performance of the song. And, they rocked it.
The band performed three songs from the dark and obscure Secret Samadhi album -- "Lakini's Juice" (perhaps Live's heaviest rock song), "Turn My Head" (probably their most romantic) and "Gas Hed Goes West" (another great track that they've rarely performed in concert).
Of course, they kept casual Live fans happy by performing the aforementioned "I Alone, as well as radio favorites "Lightning Crashes" and "All Over You."
They ended the night with this reviewer's all-time favorite -- "White, Discussion." It's an all-out rocker that is meant to be seen and heard live and in person.