On a freezing night in February, I drove an hour up the lake to see Bush, one of my favorite bands growing up.
When I was in middle school and high school, Gavin Rossdale was the epitome of a rock star. He embodied every part of it. It was the old cliché happening in real time: the girls wanted to be with him, and the boys wanted to be him.
As we all figure out at some point, most of our biggest heroes and influences in pop culture are found in adolescence, and they stick with us for life.
So to be completely transparent, and for the sake of this review, I have to admit that this show meant more to me than just going to see a band from the 90s.
As soon as we sat down, we realized the venue itself was incredible. The seats were comfortable and even reclined, more like the modern movie theater seats you see today than a typical concert hall. The aisles were extra wide too, so people could move around without everyone having to stand up. It was the first sign that this was going to be a great night.
The band took the stage a little after 8 PM with no opener. Sometimes that can backfire since the crowd has not been warmed up. But this was one of the biggest bands of the 90s, and they came out swinging.
They kicked things off with “Everything Zen,” one of their first singles. Out of the entire Bush catalog, it was never really one of my favorites, or so I thought. Something about those familiar guitar punches mixed with Gavin’s melodic vocals hit me just right. By halfway through the song, the crowd was already on its feet, singing along.
Throughout the show, the band looked and sounded like they had never missed a beat. They still carried that polished, guitar driven melodic sound with a hint of grunge underneath. It came through not only in the early hits but in the newer material as well.
The setlist was a perfect balance of old and new. One of the standout moments was an a cappella performance of “Swallowed,” accompanied by a haunting organ behind Gavin’s vocals. It completely caught me off guard in the best possible way.
He also performed “Glycerine” with just his voice and a stripped down Fender. Honestly, he could have stopped singing altogether and the result would have been the same. The crowd carried every word with phone lights blazing.
In one of the more surprising moments of the night, the band launched into “Come Together” by The Beatles. They arranged it in a way that sounded like Bush paying tribute while still sounding unmistakably like themselves. In my opinion, that is exactly how a cover should be done. Covering The Beatles is always risky. You either need to play it perfectly or make it your own. Bush managed to do both, and the crowd loved it.
About three quarters of the way through the show, Gavin made his way into the pit and then through nearly every aisle in the lower section, singing and interacting with fans. It did not feel like a forced or attention seeking moment. It felt genuine, like a sincere thank you to the people who have supported them for decades.
He stopped just short of our row, and honestly, that might have been for the best. I probably would have completely fanboyed.
The best moment of the night came during the encore. The band closed with “Come Down.” Right before the final chorus, the instruments dropped out and the entire venue sang every word. If you did not have goosebumps, you might have been dead inside.
Yes, they struck every nostalgic nerve in my body. Yes, I got to see one of my teenage idols live. But they proved to be much more than a memory. Bush are seasoned rock veterans with a deep catalog of great songs, and they still know exactly how to put on a powerful, meaningful show.
More importantly, for one night, we all came together again. That is the beauty of music.
– Mike Brindisi
Photography by Amanda Darlene
