Filled with soaring vocals, dramatic hair flips, and intricate riffs, Coheed & Cambria elevated the energy inside the massive All-State Arena delivering an awesome set fueled by their equally catchy and addictive sound. You would have thought Coheed were the headliners as they walked on stage to a roaring crowd demonstrating their fans’ dedication to them and how universally loved they are. You don’t have to be a long-time fan to appreciate and enjoy Coheed. Even if it was one’s first time having seen them, they immediately rope you in with guitar solos reminiscent of classic rock/metal, melodies and choruses that hook you, and non-stop stage energy opting to cultivate a visually engaging show as well as a musically technical one. While it may have been odd at first to see Coheed opening for Incubus, when you realize that Incubus was the odd band out when they were the opening band for acts like Korn and 311 in the ‘90s it makes sense Incubus would have a band that is different genre-wise open up for them now decades later.

Nostalgia traps have become increasingly common over the years luring in fans and interested attendees into packed-out venues, arenas, and even stadiums and festivals with the promise of seeing (insert big radio song here) or (an old-school band that hasn’t played a show in years) or (iconic record of your youth) and perhaps even (record you remember your parents playing in the car). While I don’t have an issue with the premise, it has started to lose its charm some, BUT there are always exceptions to the rule and I’m not sure if a band embodies breaking the rules and the mold more than Incubus.

Performing their iconic record, Morning View, in its entirety, Incubus took everyone back to 2001 when the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies where the latest blockbusters, the iPod and iTunes were dominating the music market, a new website called Wikipedia just launched, and ‘90s alternative rock up-and-comers Incubus released their latest record, Morning View to critical and audience acclaim. Having already found success with S.C.I.E.N.C.E, Make Yourself, and Fungus Amongus, Incubus was the talk of the town with their unique hard rock, almost nu-metal sound laden with heavy guitar riffs, turntables, and angsty, gruff singing that made their songs hit hard, but not too hard like many of their counterparts at the time. Morning View would see them come into their own departing away from the grittier ‘90s alt-rock sound into more of a radio rock/radio alternative sound, but still keeping elements of their old sound creating the perfect blend digestible for mainstream listeners. This newfound sound featured the best parts of ‘90s alternative while throwing in newer aspects from the growing radio rock sound that would become popularized in the early to mid-2000s. It’s exactly this sound and a record like Morning View that would quickly become the new musical face and representation of the early to mid-2000s.

Incubus’s sound and style is made for an arena. From the guitar tones to the vocal stylings to the general aesthetic of their style and production, Incubus not only sounds large, they reflect that energy in their performances. Playing through Morning View from start to finish was perfect for long-time fans and fans who weren’t old enough to experience it when it first came out. Following up the album play-through with their additional smash hits, like “Drive” or “Pardon Me”, was extra icing on the cake. The crunchy guitars, the soaring vocals, the sick DJ moments, and the crowd singalongs were all on full display for this iconic night making it the perfect opportunity to experience Incubus for the first time or add it to the list of Incubus shows attended. A band whose greatest barrier became their biggest asset, Incubus is hard to put into a single box whereas, as described by guitarist Mike Einziger, they weren’t punk enough for Warped Tour, not metal enough for Ozzfest, and not Indie enough for Lollapalooza, Incubus had to carve their path and sound choosing instead to be the odd guys out fusing multiple sounds creating a brand new one that would go on to define an entire generation of music.

Incubus

Coheed & Cambria