Whoops!
My Excuse
I originally submitted this as a sample to a freelance writing website application (now rejected.) Since then, I completely forgot that I could then publish this online. Enjoy, even if the format's slightly different from my normal concert review.
If a fan could describe this band of brothers from Lincoln, Nebraska in one word, she’d describe them as energetic. Like the light bulbs in their popular music video, Remedy Drive has energy that lights up the stage. From first note in the first song, David the lead singer wouldn’t stand (or sit) still. By the end of the concert he had jumped stood and jumped off of a base drum and his own keyboard. Every couple of songs he would assist the drummer by banging on cymbals. The microphone David used changed positions almost every minute. Remedy Drive’s energy spread throughout the sanctuary, and eventually nearly everyone clapped along to their songs.
The Sound:
Most bands vary a bit in the quality of sound from the recording booth to the stage. In comparison Remedy Drive sounds almost identical to their album recordings. The audience could hear every instrument distinctly and the members made their vocals clear over richly orchestrated music.
The Venue:
Perhaps the only venues more intimate than Calvary Chapel Salem’s upstairs sanctuary would be coffee shops, and a coffee shop wouldn’t allow the dynamic show that Remedy Drive put on. The sound team effectively worked with the band to produce a sound nearly identical to the sound on Remedy Drive’s albums. Usually rows of chairs at a concert disrupt a crowd’s energy, but since it was a mix of worship, communion, and original music (not to mention the older audience members), the chairs suited the setting quite well.
As Down to Earth as Ever: It was easy to wonder if Remedy Drive had changed from their days as an unsigned touring band. It only took a walk from the parking lot to the church to put fears to rest. While the crowds from the early service crowded around the merchandise booth, the members of Remedy Drive stood with them, mingling like regular church goers. After performing some worship songs, the band left the stage to greet the first few rows of people in the sanctuary when the pastor asked everyone to greet each other. During communion, when a girl came to receive Christ, one of the band members prayed with her and the pastor. A record deal and a Dove Award nomination later, Remedy Drive still hasn’t forgotten what matters most.
Kitty's Random Concert Hit List (2007):
1)Remedy Drive 5 cheezes & Saving Sparrow 5 cheezes (tie)
2) Five Star Streets 2 cheezes