Shinedown And Wilson at the Myth Nightclub

Shinedown and Wilson made a stop in Maplewood MN on November 3^rd for a night of rock at the Myth Nightclub. Hey, you got something better to do on a Tuesday?

I for one do not. Oddly sandwiched between a Best Buy and a Toys R’ Us in the north Saint Paul suburb, what the Myth lacks in character or locale it makes up for with state of the art production in a building that was designed for live music. You need a place to squeeze 3500 people for a rock show you won’t get much better.

Starting off the evening was Detroit Michigan’s Wilson. And if you follow any of my writing for Decibel Geek you know I have a pretty raging music boner for this band. It was less than two months ago I saw them open for Trivium and Tremonti at Mill City Nights. Going on at 8:00 and wrapping up about 8:23 my only complaint is.  Why did you stop?  I know it’s a school night but 20 minutes more please.  Wilson may be the best thing rock has to offer right now and it seems no one knows it. I got a feeling that’s about to change. I didn’t get a chance to find out for sure but I believe this was a fill in date for Wilson as support for this tour up to this point had been provided by Breaking Benjamin and according to the internet they will be resuming that role soon. Not for nothing, but I’ll take 20 minutes of Wilson over 45 of Breaking Benjamin any day. Wilson is playing everywhere meaning they will more than likely be heading your way soon. GO SEE THEM!

After the all too brief set from Detroit’s finest, A DJ from the local hard rock radio station came out to introduce Shinedown. He told a story of how some listener called him a pussy for liking the Jacksonville, FL natives. Which, of course, resulted in the intended reaction of ‘boos’ hammering out of the crowd. Despite the fact I doubt that conversation happened, aren’t we past this kind of thing?  Food for thought.

Touring in support of their latest release Threat To Survival (released September 18, 2015 on Atlantic Records) Shinedown opened the show with two songs from it, “Cut The Cord” and “Asking For It”, before going all the way back to their debut record for the crowd favorite “Fly From The Inside”. Singer Brent Smith is quite possibly the gold standard of current rock singers but I was hoping for a little more in the stage presence category. But I suppose it’s paramount that he actually deliver the songs live. And man did he deliver. What Brent may lack (my opinion anyway) in stage prowess is more than made up for by guitarist Zach Myers and bassist Eric Bass.

Shinedown has reached that point where even a casual fan will know most of the songs. But I didn’t see many ‘casual’ fans at the sold out show. And don’t tell the fire marshal but something tells me it was oversold. But unless you needed to squeeze past someone, nobody seemed to miss being able to breathe during the show as the band ripped through songs like “Diamond Eyes”, “If You Only Knew”, “Bully”, “Save Me” and “Second Chance”. Tossing in their version of Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” before closing the night with “Sound Of Madness”.  At which point I removed myself from the sardine can called the Myth.

The title of Shinedown‘s latest release, Threat To Survival, could describe the attitude many of us have about rock music’s reported demise. But based on the 3500 fans who packed, and I mean packed, into the Myth Nightclub on a Tuesday night in Maplewood. There’s plenty of demand.  Maybe just need a better supply.

Shinedown will be on tour going into 2016.  Check their website to find out when they’re coming to you.

Shinedown Official / Shinedown Facebook / Shinedown Twitter / Shinedown Instagram

Wilson Official / Wilson Facebook / Wilson Twitter / Wilson Instagram

bakko@decibelgeek.com