With extra speakers and a professional laser light show, Incubus came to rock the Santa Barbara Bowl in expert style.
Numbers appeared on the stage backdrop amidst a constellation of lights as darkness finally fell on the Santa Barbara Bowl. A five-minute countdown to the main event began. The final 10 seconds flashed. The anticipation mounted as the crowd shouted the last of the numbers…. three, two, one! Percussion instrumentsstarted, creating a tribal communion among the audience. Then with a blaze of lights and a powerful roar, Incubus broke into Wish You Were Here, causing the crowd to erupt with excitement.
One of Santa Barbara’s favorite bands, Incubus, proved to be as great a force today as they were in the ‘90’s when they played shows in Isla Vista. Lead singer Brandon Boyd owned the stage as his pitch-perfect voice rang over the crowd. Backed by the intense talent of the original members, guitarist Mike Einziger, bassist Ben Kenney, drummer Jose Pasillas, and DJ Chris Kilmore, Incubus proved that their music only gets better with age.
“What a beautiful night – thanks for arranging this!” A grateful Brandon Boyd shouted before launching into their greatest hits. Twenty-five years as a successful rock band showed, as the band craftily blended their hits that spanned across seven albums, including their newest “If Not Now, When?”. Incubus’ catalog of material included Anna Molly, Nice To Know You, Pardon Me, Drive, and Love Hurts. A highlight of the show was Megalomaniac with a nice twist of Nirvana’s Come As You Are thrown in for those who were listening, which was just about 4,500 attendees.
With no opener for the show, it was all Incubus, all night, and that was all right. Santa Barbara was in!