Concert in your area for Rock, Metal, and Indie & Alt.
The group currently consists of lead vocalist Ed Roland, rhythm guitarist Dean Roland, bassist Will Turpin, drummer Johnny Rabb and lead guitarist Jesse Triplett. Lead singer, Roland, is responsible for the band’s formation in the early 90s. He has worked in the music scene since the mid 80s, performing and making demos in his home town of Stockbridge. He started recruiting musicians in order to put a band together and throughout the years, the line-up of Collective Soul changed radically, with members coming and going until Collective Soul was made of the line up we see today.
The band’s breakthrough came early in their career: in 1993 their first official single ‘Shine’ became a mainstream hit and led to them being signed by Atlantic Records, a leading record label company. Following this surprise hit, Atlantic records quickly released the band’s first demo, hoping to cash in on their sudden popularity. The album was a success and went on to achieve double platinum status.
Since this early success, Collective Soul have gone on to achieve enormous mainstream recognition. They have since recorded seven Number one rock hits. Some of their most famous singles include ‘Breathe’, ‘Wasting Time’, ‘Gel’ , ‘December’ and, of course, smash hit ‘Shine’. In 2004 the band created their own independent music label, El music Group, that allowed them greater control over their music and what they released. The band received an enormous honour in 2009 when they were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in September.
When people think of Collective Soul they think of one song. Shine. Not only do they have many other great hits, but the men of the band put on one of the best shows in rock and roll. As a long-time concert-goer, I have seen every band from The Rolling Stones to The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Out of the 60+ bands I have seen, none have put on a better show than Collective Soul.
Ed Roland is charismatic, engaging and supremely entertaining when he is on stage. He loves to move around and never stands still. He makes every audience member feel like he is singing just for them.
Every band member brings their own special piece of the puzzle to every show. My husband and I have seen them 9 times in the last 3 years and each concert has been a great experience. With a new album coming out this year and an upcoming tour, we couldn't be more excited to see them for a 10th time.
If you have the opportunity to see Collective Soul, please don't hesitate. You won't be disappointed!
As the blue wash came over the stage, and 54-40 walked out to meet the crowd, everyone was cheering in anticipation of their set before their launched right into Baby Ran. Of course starting with one of your most famous tracks is always going to be a hit, but I don’t think anyone could have anticipated how enthusiastic the audience were going to be. There wasn’t a single person in the crowd standing still, and everyone seemed to know the song so was singing along. Around half way through the track, Neil Osborne led the band into a rocky jam, and each member took a turn improvising a solo for the crowd. It was awesome to hear sections of music by the band that don’t appear on the recordings, and it’s a massive demonstration of their skills.
They played a great selection of tracks, and although their line up has changed some what over the years, it didn’t stop them playing any of their older tracks, and they absolutely nailed every one, you’d never know that not all of the band members hadn’t been there since the start. When they played Since When, they took a couple of minutes making sure that everyone knew the words to the chorus, which of course we did, and then got us to sing along, whist the jammed over the top with their instruments. It was awesome to be included in the show like that, and I’d absolutely love to see them perform live again.