Sad I Left Early… Sadder That I Wanted To
by Live Music Junkie on 8/26/25Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center: CMAC - CanandaiguaRating: 1 out of 5I finally got the chance to see Sublime live, one of the legendary bands of the ’90s. I was too young to see the original lineup, but I’ve seen Sublime with Rome and they were amazing. This time around, as I understand it, Bradley Nowell’s son is fronting the band. Naturally, I had high hopes.
For context, I’m 40 years old and I’ve been going to concerts since I was 14. Live music has always been one of my passions, I’ve seen legends, I’ve seen up-and-coming artists, and I know what a powerful performance feels like. Going to shows has always been a way to connect with other people who love music and the live entertainment experience as much as I do.
With that said, this show was really disappointing. There was no chemistry between the members, and Jakob Nowell had almost no stage presence. The passion just wasn’t there, no soul behind the lyrics, no real crowd engagement. It honestly felt like watching someone do karaoke rather than seeing a band carry on the Sublime legacy. The whole set was flat, soft, and the energy in the crowd reflected that, bored and disconnected. It was really sad to see so many people leaving early, including us.
For comparison, take a band like Journey. Their singer may not be the original, but he embodies the music and sings with real heart. Sublime did not deliver that at all. It was more of a snooze fest than a celebration of the music.
On the other hand, the openers stole the show. Bouncing Souls were awesome, and The Interrupters absolutely crushed it, they brought real energy, got the crowd moving, and left us hyped. Honestly, we had a better time blasting Sublime recordings in the car ride home than we did watching them live.
Overall, Jakob Nowell’s performance was underwhelming, and the band seemed like they were just going through the motions. It felt less like a concert and more like they were just there to collect a paycheck.