Back then, I’d run over to the Hi-Fi and try record the song in full on physical cassette tape, but the over-enthusiastic DJs would invariably talk over the end of Run or I’d miss the all-important opening chords. Cue #teenangst as you could only do in 1999!
Given this backstory, when I heard Collective Soul would be performing live in SA I jumped at the chance, as I missed lead vocalist Ed Roland's first time in the country when he toured with rock supergroup Kings of Chaos in 2013.
Ruth Cooper 11 Jun 2013
This time, the full band of ‘honest rockers’, including Roland’s brother Dean on guitar, Will Turpin on bass and the fantastic new additions of Jesse Triplett (also guitar) and Johnny Rabb on drums, performed at the GrandWest Arena with SA first-timers Lifehouse, after sold-out shows at the Johannesburg TicketPro Dome on Friday and Saturday night.
This kicked off their 2018 tour overall and I was there like a bear with a hint about a hidden honey pot.
It was a big night with Big Concerts, as it was also my first time in the GrandWest Arena space (shh, yes really. Fomo and Yolo ticked off my bucket list in one fell swoop!) It proved the ideal venue, with the standing room space lit just enough to let you bounce below the performers and as close as you liked to fellow excited attendees, while trying to decide whether the 'grandstanders' in the back of the arena were at a disadvantage as they were just so far away from the live action, or at an advantage as they could sit on plush red seats when their nearing middle-age knees gave up the go from too much jumping...
Not a hipster in sight, cue the mid-30s jean-and-black-tee brigade, alternately throwing ‘devil horn’ rock star hand symbols and air-guitaring like true pros. I’m sure we all burned quite a few calories just from the intense sweaty jump-dance we all did. Pity the poor souls up in the seats, imagine sitting throughout such a rousing performance?
I know it’s a bad idea to go to a concert with your hopes set on a single song being played, even more so when I saw lots of sad-faced comments after the Joburg concerts as Collective Soul had mysteriously left sing-along favourite She said, 1997 from the closing credits of slasher film Scream 2 off the playlist. Shock, horror!
So yes, disappointments, I had a few (ahem fellow concertgoers, spilling so much beer that the floor was slippery – luckily drinks are served in plastic cups, as rolling glass on the floor would be a nightmare. Beer-splashed toes beat glass-cut toes!) The bands themselves were far from the 'disappointment list', though. The rockers exceeded all expectations…
First up, at the exact moment 8pm struck, special guests Lifehouse kicked things off on stage. Dubbed ‘special guests’ for the tour, this is no small fry opening act. In some circles – like the golden circle, where popularity is shown by volume of singing along – they were met with even more fan power than Collective themselves.
Little wonder, as their seven albums have cumulatively sold more than 15 million copies around the world, and that’s just the legal purchases. Downloads send those figures stratospheric.
They were fizzing with energy and filled with love for South Africa, with founder Jason Wade thanking the “beautiful, amazing, hospitable people” for making them feel so welcome on our shores. We’d been waiting, you know? You get so used to seeing these acts announce “Good evening LA!” and ask “What’s up, New York?” that it’s quite a thrill to be mere metres from them in person as they say “Hey, Cape Town!” Be still my rock beat-bobbing heart!
Lifehouse whizzed through a whopping 14 songs in an hour, including the ultimate foot-tapper, All in, and ‘shout-it-if-you-know-it’ Halfway Gone, as well as a tribute to their inspiration U2, with In The Name of Love.
The “turn your phones’ flashlights on,” crowd-swaying version of You and Me and anthemic set-ender Hanging By a Moment gave me goosebumps and a sore throat but man, are they worth it. They could easily be top contenders for the best moments of the show – and that’s before we’d even heard a single Collective Soul guitar riff.
Following a half-hour intermission when snacks were purchased, beers downed and toilets queued for, it was finally 9:30pm and time for the Georgia, Atlanta-based American alt-rock/post-grunge multi-platinum rockers to take the stage.
Roland appeared in typical slightly-eccentric fashion, including white top-hat and white round-framed sunnies to read along some of the lyrics.
They kept the crowd high-clapping, bouncing all over the general standing area and singing along from the moment they started with Shine (Let your light shine down), through to December (Spit me out) and just for us Capetonians, She Said! Sorry Joburgers! Thought this did make me worry we got one song extra so they may have taken one away (especially as She Said and Run are both from the band’s fourth studio album, Dosage).
But the show wasn’t over yet. They spiced things up a bit by playing two brand new songs off their upcoming tenth studio album recording. Come on, 2019! There was so much noise and excitement and happiness as all around me, people were shouting along to all the lyrics. Yes, every. Single. Word. Cue star- and heart-eyed emojis everywhere.
Roland frequently held the mic out to the audience to do the honours, chanting not just ‘Yeah’, exactly where it fits into most of the songs but entire verses out loud. We did this so well with Why that they played the song again!
And then. The best thing happened. While thanking his fellow band mates, and special guest Lifehouse, and the excellent crowd, my soul went ‘Yeah’ as I heard the opening strains of Run. I promptly switched my phone to record mode – (Ed said it was OK to do so) and captured every blissful minute – there was encore after encore and our voices were hoarse. They still are. I can’t share my video with anyone, unfortunately, as all you hear is me shouting along to all the lyrics. But consider that the ultimate bucket list item ticked!
I can still feel all that bass thudding through my veins, a mix of lyrics is constantly on play in my head and there’s a silly smile on my face. Thanks to Big Concerts, Jacaranda FM, Bok Radio and Channel 24 for bringing both to our shores!
