Springfield rock group Staind kicked off their North American tour at Mohegan Sun on Friday night.
UNCASVILLE _ Springfield rock group Staind kicked off their North American tour at Mohegan Sun on Friday night, performing a 90 minute set in support of their recent self-titled release. The band has dates booked through December and then starts 2012 with an Australian tour.
The new album and tour come on the heels of the only real public controversy the group has endured over their 12-year run as one of rock's most popular and relevant acts. The recording of "Staind"" their seventh major label recording was so full of stress and strain it resulted in a new drummer. Sal G (Giancarelli) has taken over the spot held down by Jon Wysocki, an original and founding member of the band.
There were no fewer than five mounted cameras and at least one handheld set up to capture all of this newness for posterity as the band hit the stage with "Eyes Wide Open" their latest single. The show sold well, but did not sell out as there were a few empty seats visible on the floor, the flanks, and in the farthest reaches from the stage.
Much has been made about Staind returning to its metal roots with the latest record and "Eyes Wide Open," lent credence to the notion as the band kicked in with a bludgeoning fury and Lewis unleashed a devilish growl.
What truly made the show was the band's ability to balance the brutality with the best of its more melodic fare like the follow up "Right Here" a song which saw guitarist Mike Mushok switching from acoustic to electric and back again.
The band found middle ground on "Fade" a song that always seems to capture the true essence of the music with heavy rhythms, great melodies (with harmonies provided by bassist Johnny April), and an urgency that can't be crafted. Like much of Staind's best material it is a song that means something to the guy singing it and says something to those listening.
Lewis introduced "Its Been Awhile" noting that the song has been with him from the very beginning.
"I've been playing this song a long time," he said. "I've been playing it so long that when I used to play it nobody cared."
The rock continued to ebb and flow from the ballad / crowd sing-along "So Far Away" to the blistering "Crawl." Lewis then offered up the solo of version of his surprising country hit "Country Boy."
Even through all the Top 40 hits it is the pummeling anthem "Mudshovel," a song that goes back to the band's independent "Tormented" release that gets the Staind faithful roiling. The band closed with the song and Mushok and Lewis returned to encore with the poignant goodbye of "Something to Remind You."