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Review: Collective Soul stays true to its '90s roots

REVIEW Collective Soul When: Wednesday Where: Royal Theatre Rating: 3.
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Collective Soul last played the Royal Theatre in 1995. The band's ninth album is due this summer.

REVIEW

Collective Soul

When: Wednesday
Where: Royal Theatre
Rating: 3.5 (out of five)
 
It seems inaccurate to label a successful band like Collective Soul — one that has sold upwards of 10 millions albums over its 20-year career and tallied plenty of No. 1 hits — as a band of underdogs. But that word precisely describes what it felt like watching the band succeed in Victoria on Wednesday night, something the group hadn't done since its previous Royal Theatre date in 1995.

Despite variations in sound, Collective Soul isn't dissimilar to groups like Matchbox Twenty, Counting Crows or Gin Blossoms — rock bands whose specialty is easily digestible, radio-friendly fare. That isn't a slight against those or any other groups who piggybacked the alternative music scene of the mid-'90s to widespread success. The way I see it, there is enough room at the table for all manner of rock acts, especially ones whose songs have endured.

The difference between Collective Soul and its '90s brethren, however, is clear cut. Collective Soul has never stopped being Collective Soul, not for one minute. And that explains why more than 1,100 fans were gathered at the Royal Theatre last night to watch one of the biggest rock acts of the mid-'90s play through its catalogue one more time.

The Atlanta-based band has been at it without pause since 1994, although only three of its current members (frontman and founder, Ed Roland; his brother, guitarist Dean Roland; and bassist Will Turpin) were there when the band's debut, Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, made them instant stars. New recruits Johnny Rabb (drums) and Jesse Triplett (guitarist) looked as if they belonged, which is a testament to how well the Rolands and Turpin have taken care of themselves. Not one member looked out of their element, out of sync, or even out of breath (Roland is nearing 51, so that wasn't out of the realm of possibilities).

This was a pro operation from stem to stern, which certainly wasn't the case when the Goo Goo Dolls, another '90s band touring a catalogue largely devoid of new hits, stopped at the Royal Theatres a few weeks back. Worth noting.

Collective Soul seemed happily in their element, with each hit of theirs — and there are plenty, make no mistake — drawing hoots and hollers from the reserved but receptive audience. There was very little standing (which sapped some energy early on) until The World I Know arrived well past the halfway mark, but the crowd was on its feet at the end of the 90-minute set. There is your ringing endorsement.

The fans missed out on some opportunities by sitting on their hands, especially during Precious Declaration, one of the night's highlights. But the moments when Ed Roland took to the stage by himself — he went at it acoustically on She Said and Reunion — the crowd's attentiveness fuelled the forward momentum.

The band closed with the one-two punch of Shine and Run, both of which featured keyboards prominently. It was strange to see Ed Roland behind a keyboard for Shine, but he sold it with a delivery that made great use of the crowd during the familiar "Yeah!" in the pre-chorus. He tinkered with his delivery on many occasions, including dropping his Eddie Vedder-isms December, but the most part he sounded in control.

Perhaps "underdog" is inappropriate when it is all said and done; "in control," though less muscular, is a perhaps a better way to describe the tone of what Collective Soul does — and has done — for 20 years. As for their concert, it wouldn't qualify as earth shattering. But it didn't skimp in the arena of entertainment.

Fans of the band likely had a blast, and though there are some nagging concerns, that doesn't mean the end result wasn't worthwhile. It simply means it was what it was. A fitting description for a band such as Collective Soul.

mdevlin@timescolonist.com