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The Roseland Ballroom, NYC, NY 03.07.03 Thank God for (hed)... The Jagermeister Music Tour. Man, what a lineup. 40 Below Summer, Coal Chamber, Ill Nino, Drowning Pool. Just amazing. Oh wait, that was last year. We arrived a few minutes late, missing opener Systematic, and made it just in time for the start of Steremud’s set. I was instantly reminded of how solid their first album had been. As they banged through tunes from their debut release "Perfect Self," I found myself singing along to songs I didn't know that I knew; their hooks indelibly etched into my memory though I'd not listened to the album in a year. The songs I wasn't familiar with, we'll assume they're off forthcoming release "Every Given Moment," were solid works. Without a lot of stage to work with [the curse of the opening slot], they made the best of what was available to them, playing to the crowd as opposed to for it. Front man Erik Rogers is a charismatic performer and it's easy to lock onto him. Just don't do so at the expense of missing what the rest of the band is doing. These guys were tight with a big, solid sound. In between Stereomud and Breaking Benjamin we were treated to the escapades of the night's MC, um, Lizard Man? Entertainment consisted of pushing a screwdriver and the bit of a cordless drill into his nose. I'm sure he's available for your next party. Breaking Benjamin, though not my cup of tea, were more than competent. Talented musicians and a very good singer but just a bit middle-of-the-road for my taste. I like there to be more peaks and valleys in my music, it was just a touch too even. The crowd seemed to enjoy them, though, and that matters far more than what I think. In-between Breaking Benjamin and co-headliner (hed) PE we were treated to more Lizard Man excitement as he stuck a live snake in his nostril and pulled it out his mouth. Try the veal and don't forget to tip your waitress. As the lights dimmed, chants of "We want (hed)" began. They got it. Visually (hed) PE is just a pleasure to watch. Six definitively different men commanding your attention... Six different looks, six different styles, six different musicians melding together seamlessly to create a seventh entity [ed.'s note - since this show, guitarist Wes has left the band]. From the manic DJ Product to the minimalist movements of front man Jahred [who doesn't so much move to the music as have the music move through him], this band would keep your attention without even playing a note. The bonus is you get the music too. (hed) PE is beyond tight. Their sound is crisp and clean, their energy infectious, their melodies gripping and I defy you not to move to the music. Effortlessly blending multiple genres together, they are quite simply a band not to be missed. And had the night ended there I would have declared it a rousing success. Alas... it did not. Next, Lizard Man came out and did something inane with his nose again. And then, God help us, he did something truly awful and horrific. He introduced Saliva. Individual instruments garbled atop each other muddying the sound and trouncing any possibility of distinguishing between actual notes. Front man Josie's vocals had almost no range and he sang just this side of off key. He had virtually no stage presence, no charisma and exactly 3 "moves" (including "the walk," "the elbow" and the "upper torso full head bang"). The songs themselves followed a single template, each one sounding so similar that I found myself inserting [and fitting] "click, click, boom" into almost every song at the same place each time. The crowd had thinned dramatically after (hed) finished and continued to thin slowly but steadily during the course of Saliva's set. Die-hard fans [or very drunk ones] stuck around ‘til the very end... Would that the end had come one set sooner. show review by scott sisti |