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LIVE AT JONES BEACH THEATER WANTAGH, NY 06.09.04 review and photos by kevin purcell After taking a much publicized hiatus, No Doubt returned to the road for a brief, month-long summer tour that included several stops in the NY-area. Despite the group’s 18-month break from the stage, No Doubt was back in full-force within a week of beginning the tour. Being that the group was touring in support of their multi-platinum selling greatest hits release, it came as little surprise the set list focused entirely on the singles, which, depending on one’s familiarity with the group, could be for better or worse. The night began rather triumphantly with the single “Just A Girl,” which allowed singer Gwen Stefani the freedom to do laps around the stage at a pace that would put fellow sprinters like Bruce Dickinson and Axl Rose to shame. Although Stefani was the only band member who physically expressed enthusiasm, it was perfectly clear through the interaction between band members that they all took great pleasure in performing. For those incapable of distinguishing the pleasure of others, Adrian Young’s drum kit made it obvious with the message, “Good Fucking Times,” written across the toms. As one might anticipate, the set contained slight pop tingles here and there, as seen in the bathtub prop for “Bathwater” and the numerous costume changes as Stefani substituted one skimpy top for another. Unfortunately, the adjustments led to awkward breaks between songs that significantly cut back on the set’s building momentum. The concert experience was further hindered by the dominance of silent Blink 182 fans in attendance. Crowd singalongs were uncomfortably quiet and evoked several disappointed comments from Stefani in the vein of “Come on, New York, you’re usually better than this.” Despite the absence of crowd favoritism, No Doubt managed to get approximately 90 percent of the crowd jumping (parents included) during “Hella Good” and chorus-singing during “Don’t Speak.” Musically speaking, the set hit a high note when Stefani and guitarist Tom Dumont played a chopped down, acoustic rendition of “Simple Kind Of Life.” That song in particular took on a form superior to that of their studio version. In terms of No Doubt’s performance, the rawest energy seeped forth during “Underneath It All,” “New,” “Spiderwebs” and the closing song “Sunday Morning.” Though the set construction and audience composition could have been improved, No Doubt really came through in terms of their performance and lost little, if any, steam from their prior tour. And while the band has experienced tremendous commercial success from their studio recordings, one could rightfully contend that they’re better in concert than on their albums. That said, if you don’t mind standing among a sea of 14 year-olds and their parents, definitely make an effort to check out No Doubt while you still can. Setlist: Just A Girl Excuse Me Mr. Ex-Girlfriend Underneath It All Hey Baby Bathwater Running Simple Kind Of Life Hella Good New Don’t Speak It’s My Life Spiderwebs Sunday Morning |
