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Gig review: Nickelback in Auckland

By NICHOLAS RUSSELL - Stuff.co.nz
Last updated 16:27 08/11/2009
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Nickelback brought their highly polished power rock stage show to Auckland's Vector Arena on Saturday night. Reviewer Nicholas Russell and photographer Ben Watson were there.

Nickelback
Where: Vector Arena, Auckland
When: Saturday, November 7

Nickelback, the Backstreet Boys of rock, hit Auckland on Saturday night in a blaze of pyrotechnics and a show so polished it found a fitting home within the antiseptic confines of Vector Arena.

From the Mexican wave before the show started - it was a one day cricket crowd cruelly shorn of yobbos - to the mid-concert T-shirt guns, beer soaking (quarter-filled plastic cups launched into the audience) and pyrotechnic blaze of the finale it was pure soft-rock schmaltz all the way.

In their first headlining show in New Zealand, Nickelback delivered for their fans with a set showcasing their phenomenally successful chart-topping career.

The high point of the evening came late in the show as the tempo picked up with drummer Daniel Adair's thunderous drum solo followed by Burn it to the Ground and hit songs How You Remind Me, Too Bad and Someday.

It was slick - too slick, really - and although the crowd interaction kept the show lively, it was also frequently inane.

Where many rock acts keep the chit-chat to a minimum, singer/guitarist Chad Kroeger suffered from volcanic verbal flatulence.

With all the charisma of a potty-mouthed Evangelist preacher, he strode to the stage holding forth on how much he'd like a bong, before delving into South Park parody to introduce touring guitarist Tim Dawson.

Not being 13-years-old I found the endless "Timmy" references pretty tiring, but Nickelback clearly know their audience, with repeated references to kids who were there with their parents.

It was a pretty low-brow affair, especially when they played Photograph and made use of their massive audio visual screen to cringe-worthy effect.

The selection of band photos flashing up on the screen was punctuated by an All Blacks insignia, photos of Mt Cook and the Tino Rangatiratanga flag. It was the rock equivalent of a stuffed crust pizza with extra cheese.

The song selection for the show had a good balance, with the explosive opening song Something in Your Mouth and raunchy Figured You Out making way for the Bryan Adams-esque Gotta Be Somebody and treacle laden If Everyone Cared midway through, before the impressive final stanza.

Nickleback have put together a cohesive, clinical and entertaining stage show rather than a rock concert.

With album sales worldwide on the decline this kind of stage show might be the new aesthetic, but I bloody hope not.

* What did you think of the show? Post your comments below.

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100 comments
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Aaron   #100   12:22 pm Nov 19 2009

"it was a one day cricket crowd cruelly shorn of yobbos" "Chad Kroeger suffered from volcanic verbal flatulence." "With all the charisma of a potty-mouthed Evangelist preacher" "It was the rock equivalent of a stuffed crust pizza with extra cheese."

Thats not a review thats an attack. Check yourself fool!!

hugs and kisses, Aaron

Shane   #99   08:48 am Nov 19 2009

As usual a bunch of people who seem to think that reviews are a personal attack. Thanks for the concise review, it told me all I wanted to hear about the show.

Glad I didn't go and while not a fan of this type of corporate product delivery will never tell someone else that they are tools, idiots, morons, or stupid for enjoying a Nickleback gig.

So why call people that when they don't like something and express their opinion.

Aaron   #98   04:42 pm Nov 18 2009

haha you're a tool mate, If you dont think nickelback put on a rock concert you'll be hard pushed to find many successful bands that do. The show in my opinion was absolutely unreal, and I was laughing when he spoke and the fact that he was talkin made the show feel way more personal. I reckon you don't know what your talking about and you reckon it's cool to jump on the "I Hate Nickelback" band wagon. They got balls, talent and are about as rockstar as bands get these days. I rate your review 1/10, and the 1 was for correct spelling, idiot!!

Suz   #97   09:30 pm Nov 15 2009

I thought this show was fantastic. Extremely talented musicians and Chad's voice is absolutely awesome. They sound exactly like they do on the CDs. A very professional and entertaining evening. Loved it!

Stacey   #96   10:35 am Nov 14 2009

All I can say is the reviewer and #95 must have been at a different concert to me...I was 3 rows from the front and we were rocking..found the band sounded amazing live (when so many these days do not) and they put on a good solid performance - interacting with the crowd and doing what they and we enjoyed most - their music. I have been to many many concerts and this rates among one of the best - if theyd played a 2nd night Id have gone back....and looking around me that night I wasnt the only one enjoying them

Dan   #95   01:55 pm Nov 13 2009

Honestly, alomost every single thought the authors review includes I totally felt like that while the show. Nickelback on CD to me always sounded promising a cool rock bands live performance but I personally realized standing second line at stage, there seems to be no passion (or coolness) at all in their performance (not to talk about any clever interaction or just any 'feeling' with the audience). To me it seemed more they're simply selling sort of a brand or product as 'Nickelback' rather than being passionate at all about what they are doing as artists. Might be the production company in the background that don't want to change a 'running system' what the 'product' Nickelback definitely is. I really do love the songs and the much 'stronger' and more passionate sound on CD and I will stay with that. For a live concert of a rock band performing what they love to do most - THEIR music - (even a 'backstreet boys' one ;) ) I just expected something very different.

Renee   #94   09:38 pm Nov 12 2009

Wow Nickelback ROCKED!!!!!!! i AM STILL BUZZING.....THEY WERE WONDERFUL...AND TRULEY HUMBLE......I WOULD SO GO AGAIN...WE HAD OUR PICTURES TAKEN,WAS A LITTLE RUSHED BUT STILL WOW...MET SOME AWESOME PEOPLE IN THE VIP CROUD..YAYA AMEN IM ALIVE...:-)

doug   #93   07:46 am Nov 12 2009

this critic should shut up and enjoy that a rock band of this caliber is visiting our country, cause its not what they give us, its what we give them, to make the come back and encourage other artists to visit.

Shifty   #92   01:13 pm Nov 11 2009

They're really not my cup of tea but my wife loves them, which is why I ended up going to see the show.

All the same, they put up a solid performance and were very entertaining.

I'll never be a huge fan, but have to admit that I did enjoy myself. Definitely got my money's worth.

Brad   #91   11:16 am Nov 11 2009

Not being a fan of any of the songs I've heard from the new album, I was impressed at how well they came across live. Where the album versions sound overproduced to a pretty extreme degree, the live performance was surprisingly 'real' - The band doesn't rely on backing tracks for that polished sound, they're just really, really good and tight. I'm only a moderate Nickelback fan, but this show was pretty good. I would agree with some of the reviewers comments about cheese levels, but really, it's Nickelback, what do you expect?


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