Photos by Chris Besaw
Review by Kelly Besaw
‘90s rock favorites Collective Soul returned to Del Lago Casino on Saturday night for an evening filled with “peace, love, and good old rock and roll music.” With no opening act, the band took the stage to thunderous applause at approximately 8:20 p.m.
Frontman Ed Roland, sharply dressed in a suit with a flowing white scarf and signature bright orange glasses, wasted no time, launching straight into “Counting the Days” followed immediately by the hard-hitting “Heavy.” The opening numbers were enthusiastically received by the eager crowd. By the time Roland hit the opening notes of their 1994 breakthrough hit “Shine,” the entire audience was on its feet, singing along.
The current lineup—Ed Roland (lead vocals), Jesse Triplett (lead guitar and backing vocals), Will Turpin (bass and backing vocals), Johnny Rabb (drums and backing vocals), Dean Roland (rhythm guitar), and Trist Turpin (keyboards)—sounded incredibly tight and focused throughout the entire set.
A standout moment came when Roland shared how Tom Petty had influenced both him and the band’s music. In Petty’s honor, they performed “Not the Same,” delivering a heartfelt and touching tribute to the late legend. Roland also recounted the band’s experience recording at Elvis Presley’s former home in Palm Springs, a fun fact that clearly surprised many in the audience.
The show continued with the melancholy “Sister Don’t Cry” and the emotionally charged “She Said,” before rolling into two of the band’s biggest hits: “The World I Know” and “December.” During “December,” Roland had a very human moment when he accidentally sang the wrong verse. He laughed it off with a sheepish apology and seamlessly continued, earning even more affection from the crowd.
The evening wrapped up with two fan-favorite anthems: “Where the River Flows” and the powerful finale, “Run.” Fans were clearly thrilled from start to finish.
Collective Soul still sounds as strong as ever. If you get the chance to see them live, I highly recommend it.
Setlist:
- Counting the Days
- Heavy
- Mother’s Love
- Why, Pt. 2
- Shine
- Keep it on Track
- Not the Same
- Sister Don’t Cry
- She Said
- The World I Know
- December
- Compliment
- Gel
- Where the River Flows
- Run
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