Aaron Lewis Joe’s Bar Review
Thursday, July 19, 2012
By Aaron Keker
JOE’S BAR, Chicago, Illinois – Aaron Lewis rolled into Joes’s Bar on Weed Street in Chicago with his rodeo quintet and twanged their way into a triumphant performance.
The quintet is Aaron Lewis, Ben Kitterman, Sol Philcox, Chris Jacobie and Fred Mandujano.
Aaron Lewis may not be considered a “cowboy,” rather he is the “country boy” definition from the Urban Dictionary that reads “a guy wearing a baseball cap, old jeans and a T-shirt.” Yeah, that is definitely Aaron Lewis!
If Aaron Lewis wanted to make a clear statement at Joe’s with his attire, he definitely achieved it! Aaron sported a “We The People Have Had Enough” T-shirt as the quintet entered and commenced the country filled evening with “The Story Never Ends.”
The story is just beginning for Aaron Lewis’s country career and it will continue to succeed like an endless summer.
individuals with something that was not advertised
Aaron Lewis is a man’s man and no one should be surprised that the men out-numbered the women by two-fold at Joe’s. Joe’s was packed like a sardine can as the civilized crowd cheered the entire evening for Aaron Lewis, even rising to the occasion and providing back-up vocals on songs like “What Hurts the Most” through and including “Country Boy.”
“75” and “The Road” made their presence early by succeeding “The Story Never Ends.” Aaron Lewis wanted to hit his fan base hard with their new tunes from The Road, which will be released on September 11th. The quintet performed almost the entire album.
Aaron Lewis managed to fire off another memorable quip. Aaron Lewis was touring on a country theme and it was even advertised at Joe’s, but apparently certain individuals were oblivious. Aaron quipped, “You obviously didn’t pay attention to the advertising.”
According to Aaron Lewis, the song that happened by accident was “Forever.” That accident could prove to be a blessing because that song was one of the best songs of the evening from The Road.
Aaron Lewis’s patriotism was rampant starting with his tee, the singing of “Red, White & Blue,” and the reading of the “Pledge of Allegiance” before “Country Boy.”
The last song before the encore, Aaron Lewis and the remainder of his quintet performed with a country twang one of Staind’s most popular songs in “It’s Been Awhile.” As the song neared it’s conclusion, Aaron Lewis walked off the stage like a hero as the band finished playing.
During the encore ovation, individuals shouted “Aaron, Aaron!” Aaron Lewis walked onto the stage and finally provided those clueless individuals with something that was not advertised. Aaron performed solo acoustically “Turn the Page” and “Outside” before he was re-united with Ben, Sol, Chris and Fred for the finale of “Country Boy.”
Aaron Lewis’s cover of Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page” topped the cake! For the immediate future, Alice in Chains’ “Nutshell” should be chained to the wall.
Besides “Turn the Page,” the evening included two additional cover songs in “Keepin’ Up with the Jonesin’” by Jamey Johnson, which is one of Aaron Lewis’s favorites, and “What Hurts the Most.”
Aaron Lewis outshined his previous performance in Chicago. Aaron is clearly on his way of reaching an even broader audience with his cross-over country appeal. When Aaron Lewis eventually hangs up the six string acoustic guitar, it may turn out that his country appeal is what defines his career. Aaron Lewis and Alexa Carter performed a duet of “Tangled Up in You” back on June 16th at Cotton Eyed Joe in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is a shame that they did not perform the duet in Chicago! To my knowledge, Aaron Lewis has never performed a duet in Chicago. Aaron Lewis’s sophomore album The Road will be released on September 11th, and after hearing a majority of the album, it should be another prosperous album for this country boy.
