Nickelback Allstate Arena Review
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
By Aaron Keker
ALLSTATE ARENA, Rosemont – The evening can be summed up in five phases. Each phase rose in succession and ended with ear excruciating booms as Nickelback’s performance ended.
The first two phases were the performances by My Darkest Days and Seether. The third phase intensified with Bush’s performance. Gavin Rossdale walked around in the lower seated sections of the Allstate Arena while belting out the lyrics to The Beatles cover “Come Together.” Several women on the floor ran towards Gavin and he was quickly escorted back to the stage by security.
The fourth and final phase was Nickelback. They killed it on stage! Nickelback entered the stage and performed “This Means War.” Throughout Nickelback’s evening, they continued with their predictable and traditional flame spurts. Chad Kroeger remarked right before “Photograph,” “It’s gonna be a hot one. It doesn’t help [that] forty-foot flames are going [right] off behind you.”
Nickelback performed and followed to a “T” the exact same set list as previous shows on their Here and Now tour. It is ironic because you would have thought that Nickelback would have promoted a few additional songs from their latest album Here and Now, instead of just four. They included “This Means War,” “Bottoms Up,” “Lullaby,” and “When We Stand Together.”
Although having the same set list for the entire tour makes perfect sense, Nickelback should have switched the order or added several songs so there is an element of surprise in the set list.
The element of surprise they did pull off and fifth and final phase was an amazing levitating circular stage that hovered near the center of the arena and close to the soundboard. When the stage transcended from the ceiling to the floor with green lights flashing, it was like a U.F.O. just landed and Nickelback boarded the spaceship and started a jam session. The spaceship rose forty to fifty feet while Nickelback performed “Bottoms Up.” It was truly spectacular! Whether you are a Nickelback fan or hater, you have to at least respect the creativity of a levitated stage.
The levitated stage was lowered and Nickelback performed “Animals,” “Rockstar” and “Someday.” Chad Kroeger fired a few quips before and during “Rockstar,” when he remarked, “Smells like pot smoke and perfume” and “Anyone else want to be a rock star?”
During “Rockstar,” Sal Costa from My Darkest Days stood on the VIP riser and watched Nickelback’s performance. Could Sal be taking pointers on what it takes to become mega rock stars like Nickelback? Perhaps? The other scenario is that he was just enjoying the show like everyone else.
The six string acoustic guitars visited Nickelback’s fingers on “Photograph,” “Far Away,” “Rockstar” and “When We Stand Together.”
“When We Stand Together” concluded, Chad Kroeger turned over the spotlight to Daniel Adair who infuriated the hell out of his drum kit by smashing it like a madman during his drum solo.
Chad’s generosity continued as Ryan Peake kicked off the vocals on “Figured You Out.” When the song concluded, Chad Kroeger closed with “Thank you! We are Nickelback!” Then there was three loud excruciating booms and the show concluded.
Nickelback proved why they are mega rock stars. They performed a killer show that was not only entertaining, but included a levitating circular stage! If an individual cannot be amused by a levitating circular stage while their favorite band performs, then they must be vapid. Now if Nickelback can figure out an element of surprise with their Here and Now set list, it might become a phenomenal show. Who knows, maybe it will become the best tour in 2012?
