Show Review: 3 Doors Down
On August 21, 2018, The Rock & Roll Express Tour with Collective Soul and 3 Doors Down came through the MECU Pavilion in Baltimore, MD. Even on a stormy summer evening, the bands made the outdoor show a night to remember.
The show started with an energetic set from Collective Soul. They mixed a variety of new and old tracks in a way that kept everyone focused on them and not the weather. Even when the rain started just minutes before the show began and lightning paused the show for about 20 minutes, fans were dancing and singing along all around the lawn area. Songs like "December" and "Shine" had fans of all ages locked into the music and when they ended their set with a sing along, it was a symphony of voices that I'm sure was heard throughout the harbor. I've been to shows where the opening band doesn't seem to have the attention of the crowd, but this was not the case. It was great to see an entire tour package getting the whole crowd's attention and it speaks to how great of a lineup this tour has.
Fighting the weather and the upcoming storm, 3 Doors Down came on a very short time after the end of Collective Soul's set. The band chose "Duck and Run" as their opening song, which comes in quietly and then bursts into the type of rock song that they have always been known for. They managed to mix a variety of new and old songs in a way that kept you on your toes. They also switched it up from time to time, throwing some of their slower songs into the mix such as "Be Like That" and "Away From the Sun". The graphics on the screens behind them perfectly fit with whatever track they were playing and really added to the feeling the show gave you as a fan.
The band also showed us that no matter how big/popular of a band you are, you're never too good to play a cover. They broke up the two halves of their set with an energetic version of "In America" by The Charlie Daniels Band which really came to round out the theme of the tour. Due to the impending weather, at the end of "Kryptonite", which was a crowd favorite and was changed up with a reggae twist at the bridge, front man Brad Arnold stated that normally this would be the time where they "went off stage and pretended to be done before they came back on for a few more songs". However, they stayed onstage to play two of their most popular songs, "Here Without You" and "When I'm Gone". Even over the thundering sound of the rain hitting the pavilion, you could hear the fans singing along with these songs so emotionally and passionately. There were fans of all ages singing along which just goes to show that music knows no ages limits.
3 Doors Down has been a band now for 22 years, and to see kids singing along to their old songs was a feeling like no other. To see the music being passed down to kids from parents who fell in love with the band all those years ago really shows the power that this band has behind them. The band came out and played like it was the best show they had ever played, and to see them still enjoying every part of what they do really keeps the fans engaged and in the moment. It was a night away from the rest of life, and a show that I will not soon forget.
Check out 3 Doors Down's newest album "Us and the Night" on Spotify, HERE.
Check out the gallery of all of the photos taken of Collective Soul and 3 Doors Down, HERE.