Shinedown w/ the Virginmarys
Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA
03.02.16
Anytime there is a show at the historic Paramount Theatre you know you are in for a treat. Tonight is no exception with Shinedown returning to Seattle for a headline show in support of their 2015 release Threat To Survival. Opening the show tonight are The Virginmarys, a punk rock three-piece rock band from Macclesfield, England. While they put on a high energy set, it is clearly the headliners that the rabid crowd is here for this evening.
Shinedown takes to the stripped down stage with a fierce energy, opening with “Heroes” to get the crowd up and singing along. Looking around the packed venue you can see how diverse the fan base is and why the Jacksonville, Florida band has achieved such worldwide success. As the night progresses, there is a great moment when the band pays tribute to the Seattle music scene that they have loved so much. While Zach Myers acoustically plays Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come As You Are,” front man Brent Smith addresses the adoring crowd with a heartfelt thanks for all the great music, and how much they love Seattle. Zach then breaks into “Nutshell” by Alice In Chains and takes to the mic to sing as the crowd goes wild. He finished the majority of the song with his bandmates looking on in awe.
The high-energy night is slightly marred by a crowd surfer who makes it all the way to the front, only to flip Brent off as he exits the pit. This throws the charismatic singer for a loop and sets him off. Wondering why would someone be there in the first place that would go to all that effort to do something so asinine. As the band continues, he spots the same individual and actually calls him out amongst the crowd, asking him to come back up and explain himself and whether he just was looking for a fight. This was a bit of a tense moment as Brent is visibly annoyed and upset. Security promptly escorts the guy out of the venue and a few songs later, the band is back in form.
Brent later comes off the stage and into the crowd to greet people and get things back on track. When they begin to perform their staple cover of the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic “Simple Man,” it is a chilling moment hearing everyone in the venue sing along at deafening volumes. Ending the show on a high note with “Sound Of Madness,” the enthusiastic energy that Shinedown exchanges with the crowd makes this a night to remember.
Shinedown Set List
Heroes
Bully
The Crow & the Butterfly
Jam / If You Only Knew
Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)
Unity
Amaryllis
I Dare You – Acoustic
Jam – Seattle Acoustic Tribute Nirvana, and Nutshell (AIC)
Enemies
State Of My Head
I’ll Follow You
Cut The Chord
Second Chance
Simple Man
Sound Of Madness
Review and photos by Neil Lim Sang
Shinedown
