Staind Live in Tucson
AVA Amphitheatre
September 20, 2022
By Mary Andrews
To say it is hot and humid in Tucson in late September is not far-fetched. Staind fans eagerly filled AVA Amphitheatre from the front seats all the way to the lawn area.
Aaron Lewis has been taking a break from his country solo career while the multi-platinum rockers are back touring, breaking the hiatus started in 2014, and they opened the night in a full aggressive fashion with the hypnotic and chaotic melodic “Eyes Wide Open” and “Open Your Eyes.” They are one of rock music’s most stimulating bands pairing their assertive hard-rock energy with the raw heartfelt lyricism of their iconic songs.
Lewis sang with the same passion he did in the 90s and walked around the stage when he wasn’t behind the mic. He was flanked by lead guitarist Mike Mushok and bassist Johnny April who added a kinetic element to the show, while drummer Sal Giancarelli held the tight drumming section together from the elevated drum throne, driving forward the band’s energy.
More rock hymns in the form of “Fade,” “Raw,” “Right Here,” and “It’s Been Awhile” were fan favorites intermingled with unfamiliar tracks like “Not Again,” “Crawl,” “Paper Wings,” and “Mudshovel.” The set created the sensation of traveling through time, with Lewis grinning and strumming his guitar or holding the mic stand while belting out the familiar lyrics, flanked by the unwavering melodies. There was electricity in the crowd and Staind found themselves swaggering and standing tall making the case that live music played by talented musicians is a magical experience.
No matter how many times they have performed many of the songs in the set, the execution was spotless and certainly reflected in a crowd that cheered with almost every note. It was a remarkable night of live music.
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