In its first South Florida performance in almost two years, California-based alt-rock group Incubus blasted through a 90 minute set of its biggest hits, fan-favorite album cuts, and a few rarities, despite less than stellar sound.
The first show at Bayfront Park Amphitheater in downtown Miami since a multi-million dollar makeover, the venue's sound was flat and low -- not ideal for a rock and roll show. The band's songs, which are known for transitioning from whisper-quiet to in-your-face loud, were overly equalized, lessening the impact of the the music's dynamic range and singer Brandon Boyd's soaring vocals.
That didn't stop fans from enjoying the show, though. Whether it was the spacey opening riffs of "Pardon Me," the fiery political growl of "Megalomaniac" or the mellow, guitar-only rendition of "Drive," the audience was glad to chant along with all of Boyd's words.
Incubus wasn't afraid of showing its musical chops either: Ben Kenney played a heavy bass-slapping solo and Boyd took up a didgeridoo on "Redefine," Guitarist Mike Einziger took up a pipa for the organic "Aqueous Transmission," and the entire band stripped-down and built up a fierce performance of "Dig" that included reggae guitar riffs and a rollicking percussion break.
After a short intermission, the band returned for a two song encore: A loose, jam-inspired rendition of the jazz-funk "Are You In?," and the set-closing cover of Prince's "Let's Go Crazy."
With the recent release of greatest hits compilation Monuments and Melodies, it's unsurprising that Incubus stuck to its best known songs: Six of the songs performed were from 2001's Morning View, the band's most successful album. But surprisingly, current single "Black Heart Inertia" wasn't played, and it's been ignored by Incubus for much of the current tour.
Incubus' setlist:
- Pardon Me
- Nice To Know You
- Anna Molly
- Stellar
- Megalomaniac
- Circles
- Love Hurts
- Just A Phase
- Drive (stripped down)
- Talk Shows On Mute (stripped down)
- Dig (stripped down)
- Redefine
- Look Alive
- Oil & Water
- Quicksand
- A Kiss To Send Us Off
- Wish You Were Here
- Aqueous Transmission
Encore:
- Are You In?
- Let's Go Crazy (Prince cover)
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