Photo of Ed Roland of Collective Soul by Erica Vining
Collective sigh for Collective Soul because after thirty years they continue to shock fans with their spirited stage presence and contagious energy. Just shy of embarking on their 30th anniversary tour with Our Lady Peace, Collective Soul made a stop at Walker’s Bluff in Carterville, Illinois to a venue packed with fans old and new alike. The convention-style setup didn’t stop the band from taking us to their self-proclaimed church of rock, with the crowd on their feet singing along to hits from the years including “The World I Know,” “December,” and “Heavy.”
Midway through the set, vocalist Ed Roland took time to tell a story of thirty years ago sitting in his garage when the band received a call from Atlantic Records with an offer to sign. This pivotal moment was followed the same day by a call from none other than Steven Tyler offering Roland and his bandmates an opportunity to perform alongside rock legends Aerosmith. Paying homage to his longtime friend, the band used this moment to treat the audience to a mash up of their legendary track “Shine” and the Aerosmith track “Livin’ on the Edge.” Roland was flanked on stage by his brother, rhythm guitarist Dean Roland, bassist Will Turpin, Johnny Rabb on drums, and Jesse Triplett rounding them out on lead guitar. Triplett is the newest member of the band, joining up over a decade ago, and was given ample time to show off his skills with guitar solos that you just don’t see in modern rock.
The band took time to interact with fans through the set, with Ed Roland trading jackets at one point with someone in the crowd, and brother Dean making faces for excitable fans as well as the camera a time or two. The night wrapped up with a cover of “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” by none other than AC/DC, and “Where the River Flows” off their sophomore album, Collective Soul. Age has only perfected the art of rock and roll for Collective Soul, and whether you catch them on an arena tour or a playing a rural casino in Illinois the set is not one to miss. | Erica Vining
