Alternative rock fans braved frigid cold temperatures in Salt Lake City this past Monday to welcome Collective Soul back to Utah.  The band has built up a loyal following in the Beehive State, and once again fans enthusiastically showed up ready to experience their signature sound live.

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Many fans arrived hours before doors and lined up in temperatures hovering around single digits waiting to secure their places.  Once the venue opened doors fans rushed inside eager to get warm and claim their spots along the barricade for an unforgettable night of music. 

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The night kicked off with opening band Rubikon whose energetic set got the fans ready for the night’s main attraction.  During the breakdown on stage fans took the chance to talk about all things Collective Soul and memories of past concert experiences. 

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When the lights dimmed, cheers erupted from the crowd as Collective Soul’s band members took the stage.  Guitarists Jesse Triplett (lead) and Dean Roland (rhythm), bassist Will Turpin and drummer Johnny Rabb launched into the opening song “Mothers Love,” the first track off their latest album ‘Here to Eternity.' Vocalist Ed Roland soon followed, dancing his way out onto the stage and jumping right into the song and then moving right into “Bluer Than So Blue” another song from the new album.

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About a quarter of the way into the set things jumped into high gear and stayed there as the unmistakable opening riff of “Shine” hit the speakers, sending the crowd into a revitalized frenzy singing along.  Before the song ended, Roland took some time to talk about the band’s early days sharing about a little band from Boston who helped them out by inviting them onto one of their first tours and then declared that band was Aerosmith.  After relating how much the band meant to them and how good of friends they were, he dedicated the next part of the song to them as the band moved into a mash-up of “Livin on the Edge” and “Shine” which was a highlight of the evening.  The rest of the evening was a balanced mix of newer music and classic hits from over the bands 30 plus years in music before concluding with a cover of “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” by AC/DC followed by closing the performance out with “Where The River Flows.”

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The performance highlighted Collective Soul’s staying power and deep connection that they have built with their fan base over three decades in the business.  For the fans who attended the show it was a night of great music, nostalgia and a shared love for a band that continues to inspire.