Fan Encounters

Sydney
Sept. 2004

Manchester
June 2002

Amsterdam
May 2002

Stockholm
April 2002

Melbourne
January 2001

Los Angeles
May 2000

Sydney
Jan. 2001

DriveSHAFT Concert Review
May 14, 2001
Wiltern LG, Los Angeles, CA
by Graysen D'Vinia
for
daRiff Magazine

It's funny to think that barely a year ago, DriveSHAFT members could walk down the street without being mobbed. Since the release of their first album DriveSHAFT, they've caught the eye of the mainstream music lovers and their rise to fame has been frightening. The poor blokes have even had to deal with some harsh backlash. No sooner were they gracing the covers of most of the music magazines in Europe and Asia, when allegations of playing just a little too perfectly started to flood in. Hadn't realized that perfection could be a crime.

DriveSHAFT's sold out show at the Wiltern LG, showed just how big they've become because this was an add on show only announced five days before the concert. Due to the Wiltern LG's strict security, cameras were not allowed.

The band tore through much of their debut album, leaping all over the stage and wielding their guitars like light sabers. Singer and guitarist, Liam Pace, seemed very comfortable with a crowd this size, and when the bassist, Charlie Pace, landed on his bottom, he jumped back up grinning like a Cheshire cat. Pretty soon it became clear that everyone in the crowd knew every song on the album, because each chorus was accompanied by a mass singalong and each riff by frenzied moshing. The crowd's favorite song seemed to be "(You All) Everybody". A couple of myths are also dispelled: as tight and professional as DriveSHAFT was that night, they were not flawless, "Friction" was played with power and feeling, but it is by no means a carbon copy of the album version.

After finishing the main set with "Going to Ground", Charlie reemerged with an acoustic guitar and sat down on a stool under the spotlight. Just as we're all wondering what in the world he's doing, he started berating the more overzealous elements of the moshing pit: "I don't want to see any more girls coming over this barrier looking like they've had the shit kicked out of them! Chivalry isn't dead! You see a girl fall down, you help them up!"

After offering us the choice between hearing his solo acoustic rendition of Jane's Addiction's "Jane Says" or one of his own compositions, the crowd picked the latter. And we were treated to an as yet unrecorded song at this point, tentatively, called "Listen". The rest of the band reemerged to play an encore song, "Century", also a crowd favorite.

Even though, the sound system was acting up, the show was outstanding. The crowd agreed with me because DriveSHAFT left the stage to roaring applause worthy of a headline act.