Nickelback @ M.E.N. Arena
UNIVERSALLY derided by critics yet phenomenally popular with the public and sofa manufacturers alike, few bands divide opinion like Nickelback.The success of the ghastly Rock Star has given them a new lease of life, three years after the original release of latest album All the Right Reasons they are still selling out an arena whose sense of anticipation is palpable.
Staind must be endured first. Succeeding in only making their amps sound like particularly loud cement mixers, Staind are a whiny, clichéd bore.
New songs plod along in such a testing manner it is hard to imagine how they are still going, and even their most famous song Outside, made a hit due to their timely alliance with Fred Durst (remember him?), sounded laborious and uninspired.
Painfully aware they are in an arena, Nickelback pull out every possible rock manoeuvre in the book.
Cue fireworks, perfectly choreographed rock poses, devil horns, more fireworks, the seemingly everlasting drum solo, even more fireworks and a line in inter-song banter that is as juvenile as it is banal.
In fact singer Chad Kroeger's (pictured) goofy missives are tiresome. Introducing extra guitar player Timmy with an impression of the South Park character of the same name was mildly amusing first time, rather less so an hour and a half later.
Gesture
At one point there was even a video, completely out of context, highlighting the problem of AIDS in Africa, which would have been a commendable enough gesture had it not been followed by a shout out for the website 'YouPorn'.
It is difficult to imagine Bono approving.
But for all the problems with the show, Nickelback could be trusted to deliver exactly what you imagined musically, and true to form never deviate from the tried and tested dad-rock formula.
It either rocked or it swooned. Sometimes it did both. Either way, it sounded exactly like the CD, except a bit louder.
And to be fair, their ability to craft earnest radio-friendly rock-pop tunes with mass appeal is undeniable; Nickelback have far more hits than you remember. The problem is that being reminded of them makes you realise why you wanted to forget them in the first place.
Essentially, they were exactly how you would expect them to be; workman-like, efficient and utterly professional, yet totally devoid of any inspiration, invention or originality.
Ultimately, the feeling that you are watching a band that could have easily ended up with a part-time career playing Bon Jovi covers in a Canadian bar is inescapable.
Nickelback may be rock stars, but certainly not ones to believe in.
What do you think? Have your say.
Reviewed: Tue, 16 September, 2008
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