When you go to an Incubus concert there is one rule you must follow...expect the unexpected. The audience is always unaware of what the SoCal rockers will pull out of their never ending bag of tricks. Last nights show at Jones Beach was a milestone for me, it was the seventh time I have seen the band and each time I see them they just keep getting better and better and each performance always stands on its own, last night was no exception. Opening with the somber and mysterious "Quicksand," off last years Light Grenades release, then exploding into "A Kiss to Send Us Off," the crowd ignited like a rocket being blasted into outer space. Yet by the time "Wish You Were Here," was played the crowd touched down back onto planet earth and lavished in the beauty of the Jones Beach Amphitheater, a theater floating in the heart of Long Islands South Shore. The perfect place to see a great summer time band even when Mother Nature decided to pour for a little while on the open air venue. Much like The Police the other night, Incubus reworked and rearranged many of their songs and jammed out to create 7-9 minute opuses. The jamming Incubus created displayed how eclectic they are. Fusing Funk/Punk/Rock/and Prog and flexing their musical muscles, its one of the reasons why they fans keep going back for more after all these years. Bassist Ben Kenny plays his axe with nothing but soul and the vibes he gives off singer Brandon Boyd feeds on and they become a dynamic duo on stage. The highlight of the show came when Incubus invited opening act Simon Dawes onto the stage to cover "Stand By Me," a pleasant surprise and had Boyd addressing the crowd at the end of the song by saying "another, of the songs we wished we had written." After 90 minutes, the band covered most of their career spanning tracks off each record and even had time to premiere a new song during the encore. A rocking song called "Look Alive!," had the crowd partially confused and totally entertained.
Aside from Simon Dawes, New York City natives The Bravery also opened. The Bravery had something going for them not many bands I have seen this past year have had and that was sound. They sounded absolutely perfect, each song amplified off the instruments and off the waves of the beach and into the ears of the audience and had many saying "why aren't these guys playing in stadiums." Bravery singer Sam Endicott did an impromptu storytellers and dictating the stories behind some of the new songs off The Sun and The Moon. All in all a good night, Incubus will continue their trek into September and The Bravery will be linking with The Smashing Pumpkins for their fall tour. Wherever both bands are playing, go see them.
Incubus Setlist 8/9/07 Jones Beach
Quicksand
Kiss To Send Us Off
Wish You Were Here
Anna Molly
Pistola
Careless Whisper (Wham Cover)
Vitamin
Love Hurts
Drive
Megalomanic
Sick Sad Little World
Stand By Me (King Cover)
Oil and Water
Dig
Encore
Are You In
LOOK ALIVE!
Aqueous Transmission
