Shinedown return to Indy in dominant fashion

Shinedown are one of the few bands who- whenever they come to town- you go see them, no questions asked. When they have new music coming out and a tour, it’s a no-brainer. Add Otherwise to the mix- one of the hottest rising bands in all of rock and you have the recipe for one of the best nights of music of your life. Such was the case when the two bands made a stop at Indy’s Murat Theater and- with just two bands on the bill- Otherwise had enough time to play a longer set than they usually do and it was clearly one of their stronger sets- which is saying a lot. They opened the show with “Love & War” from their sophomore album- Peace At All Costs and launched right into “Lighthouse” from there. Otherwise have always been one of the most dominant bands on the live circuit and Indy was no exception. Frontman Adrian Patrick was all over the stage, getting up close with fans all across the first few rows, getting everyone involved with the show. New bassist- if you can call him new now- Tony Carboney- fills the role of bassist exceptionally well. His chemistry with the rest of the band shows beautifully and the fans have accepted him with open arms- you’d think he’s been in the band for years. Indy was the first show back in Indiana for Otherwise since being asked to leave their tour with Three Days Grace due to various reasons. Patrick spoke about how thankful the band was to Shinedown for taking them on the road for a few shows. He thanked them for giving them a second chance and explained that everyone makes mistakes but how you bounce back from them is what matters and marks your legacy. They played a very balanced setlist that ended with “Meet Me In The Dark” and “Soldiers,” the latter of which found Patrick leaving the stage and coming into the crowd, getting people from the front to the back involved with the show, letting them sing into the microphone and even saw him standing on the seats to give everyone an up-close show. By the time they ended their set, there was not one person sitting down. Everyone was yelling, screaming, cheering or singing along with the band. Not long after Otherwise finished up, they headed to the merch table as they do after every show- making sure everyone who wanted to talk to them, get an autograph or a picture got exactly what they wanted and it wasn’t long before Shinedown was ready to take the stage. Rather than an elaborate intro, Shinedown opted for a very casual, quiet walk to the stage, took their respective spots and blasted into “Asking For It”- a new song from their upcoming fifth album- Threat TO Survival that they’ve been playing on this tour, which was a very interesting way to kick off the show. With this being a short tour before they hit the road to support the new record, you almost expect to hear a few songs you wouldn’t normally hear and that’s exactly what you got in Indy with “Crying Out” and “In Memory” (this one was performed acoustically and was completely reworked and re-invented). They started off a bit rough sound-wise but rebounded perfectly. Their energy on stage was like that of a caged animal being released for the first time- their intensity was infectious and rubbed off on the crowd. At just under 2,000 seats, it sounded like a crowd 10-times that size. At just under three years since Shinedown played Indianapolis, it was clear the fans had been eagerly awaiting their return and they got more than their money’s worth. The band will be on the road nonstop for the remainder of 2015, with Threat To Survival hitting stores and digital outlets in early September. If you missed this show, make sure you get out to one of their Fall or Spring dates. -Reggie Edwards [lg_slideshow folder=\”2015/Shinedown in Indianapolis/Otherwise/\”] [lg_slideshow folder=\”2015/Shinedown in Indianapolis/Shinedown/\”]