+LIVE+ /COLLECTIVE SOUL /OUR LADY PEACE /GREYLIN JAMES RUE
By Joe Perusse
+Live+, Collective Soul, Our Lady Peace & Greylin James Rue — Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater, Bridgeport CT
The Summer Unity Tour rolled into Bridgeport, and it was exactly what a rock show should be—loud, energetic, and full of throwback anthems that had the whole place singing.
+Live+ kicked things off and didn’t waste a second. They opened with “Pain Lies on the Riverside,” and drummer Johnny Radelat immediately stood out—playing with one hand on the drums and a maraca in the other like it was no big deal. From there, “Selling the Drama” and “All Over You” had the crowd fired up, with Ed Kowalczyk( Vocals, Rhythm Guitar) pumping his fists in the air, clearly feeding off the energy.
After a quick thank-you to the crowd, “Iris” came blasting over the speakers as the band transitioned into a mix of old and new tracks. “Lady Bhang (She Got Me Rollin’)” brought a killer solo from Zak Loy, while Chris Heerlein laid down a smooth bass line leading into “T.B.D.”. At one point, Ed was tuning his guitar and laughed it off saying, “Close enough for ‘Shit Towne,’” getting a few laughs—maybe a few confused glances from anyone thinking he was talking about Bridgeport. He cleared it up, explaining the track was about growing up in York, PA, which, as he joked, only really had peppermint patties going for it.
“The Dolphin’s Cry” was a highlight, with a powerful intro and outro by Loy and the crowd fully locked in. They threw in an unreleased track, “Leave the Radio On,” which they clearly enjoy playing live, and wrapped the main set with the explosive one-two punch of “Rattlesnake” and “Lakini’s Juice.” The encore opened with the emotional “Turn My Head,” rolled into “I Alone” with some band intros and mini solos, and ended with the always-moving “Lightning Crashes,” phones in the air, everyone singing. Classic moment. Nick Jay was outstanding on keys and backing vocals.
Collective Soul played right before +Live+ and delivered a tight, high-energy set that showed off their decades of experience. They walked out to Ozzy’s “Crazy Train” and opened with “Mother’s Love,” Johnny Rabb absolutely killing it on drums. “Heavy” and “Right as Rain” had everyone singing along, and frontman Ed Roland strapped on an acoustic to join Jesse Triplett and his brother Dean Roland on guitar.
“Shine” was a crowd favorite—the whole place lit up during the chorus—and “Precious Declaration” came with a little speech from Ed about peace, love, and rock and roll (very on brand). He told a story about crashing at Elvis’s old Palm Springs house before dropping “Keep It on Track,” and he and Triplett shared a moment center stage on “She Said,” which built up nicely with the band joining in.
People had their phones out for “The World I Know,” and “December” turned the pit into a jumping, sweaty mess. “Tremble for My Beloved” (yes, the one from Twilight) came next, and Ed joked, “We’re still waiting for more soundtrack offers—hello, Hollywood?” The set wrapped up with “Gel,” “Where the River Flows,” and “Run,” where Will Turpin (Bass) led a chant and Ed busted out a 12-string acoustic for a solid closer.
Our Lady Peace might’ve had the shortest set of the three, but they made it count. “Sound the Alarm” kicked things off with serious punch, followed by their massive ‘90s hit “Superman’s Dead”—Jason Pierce crushed it on drums. Raine Maida (Vocals, Rhythm Guitar) thanked the crowd and dropped “Whatever,” a throwback WWE theme that got a few knowing cheers. “Clumsy” brought the nostalgia full force, and the band welcomed a member of the Sandy Hook Foundation onstage to play guitar joining Duncan Coutts (bass) and Steve Mazur (Lead Guitar) for “Somewhere Out There.” They closed with “Starseed,” and by the end, the whole place was on their feet.
Greylin James Rue opened the night and made a solid impression, especially considering it’s her first tour ever. She squeezed five songs into a 17-minute set, including “Both of You,” which drops Friday. Her voice is great—clear and emotional—but the mix needs a bit of tweaking. The drums overpowered the rest of the band, which made it hard to catch everything. Still, the potential is definitely there.
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