Review

by Dale Grauman

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index
Previous Reviews | Send mail to The Voice

Copeland's Hawthorne Theatre Gig Shows Portland What's Up

Aaron Marsh leads.
--Kevin Rich, photo

Walking into the Hawthorne Theatre in Southeast Portland for Copeland's Nov. 18 show, I joined an unlikely crowdÐhigh schoolers, burly bearded men and even a few moms and dads. The $15.50 ticket price was money well-spent, in spite of some lousy openers.

Mike Kinsella, or Owen, opened first and had already started playing his set when I pushed through the door into a jam-packed crowd.

Owen was more interested in talking than singing, and he informed everyone that he had spent the day watching college football and drinking. He apparently drank too much, which, he also decided to tell the crowd. He didn't want to be there and gave off a negative vibe.

The second opener, Acute, sounded like a Californian garage band and wasted everyone's time with drivel that offered nothing worthwhile. These guys were almost as bad as Hawk Nelson.

The Appleseed Cast, however, played an excellent set. Finally, by this third opener, I was hearing talent. Tight drum rhythms and heavy guitar riffs proved more enjoyable than a drunken fool rambling about "truth or dare." The Appleseed Cast captivated the crowd. They made a fan out of me, and I will be picking up their CDs.

After the characteristic break for setting up instruments, performing sound checks and filling the stage with a thick light-show-assisting smoke, Copeland took the stage.

I immediately noticed a difference from the Copeland show I saw in Seattle two years ago. Front man Aaron Marsh has changed the way he holds his jaw, and the resulting vocals sounded distinctly different from his earlier music. I miss the old sound, but this new style has potential, and the overall show quality was more than I had expected.

Marsh has come a long way from his first performances, back when he stood on stage like a terrified little boy. He and the band now work well together, sounding in-sync, confident and professional. Copeland's stage presence was fluid and sharp.

The band mostly played songs from its newest album, "Eat, Sleep, Repeat," released Oct. 31, 2006. The band did play a few of its classics, such as "You Have My Attention" and "You Love to Sing."

Maybe the Florida quartet, Marsh (vocals/guitars/keyboards), Bryan Laurenson (guitars), James Likeness (bass) and Johnathan Bucklew (drums), focused on newer material because five days earlier they had signed with Columbia.

Now that they're playing new mellower songs, Marsh left the guitar on standby and spent a lot of his time playing the piano.

After cutting their sophomore record, "In Motion" (which hit No.1 on Billboard's New Alternative Artist Chart in 2004), the band had a much harder rock feel. Playing those old-school songs, Copeland reminded the audience they could still pierce eardrums and, as they say, held nothing back.

They encored with "Brightest" from their first album, "Beneath Medicine Tree." This heartfelt love song was the show's climax, and the crowd went silent. Everyone listened and probably thought of someone in his or her own life who fit the lyrics.

They should have quit then but instead played their number one cheesiest sap song, "California." In spite of this less-than-stellar ending, the show was outstanding.

Find a way to be packed in the crowd the next time Copeland comes to town.

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index
Previous Features | Send mail to The Voice