Shinedown, Seether, Candlebox, and Ayron Jones Welcome Fans Back to Live Music

Words and Photos by Diane DiMemmo

September 15, 2021

“My wife’s favorite band is Candlebox, and mine is Seether. When I saw that Shinedown and Ayron were on the bill too, it was a no-brainer that we were going. This is the best night of my life!”

- Bob Mandel, Philadelphia, PA

It was a coming together of fans in love and celebration of rock and roll. As tours begin to schedule more show dates, these concerts are the first of many fans’ return to live music since the pandemic began. Some told me they were hesitant but willing to try. Others affirmed that they were more than ready to return. Whatever their reasoning, Prudential Center was packed on September 10th for WDHA's Family Reunion featuring rockers Shinedown, Seether, Candlebox, and Ayron Jones.

WDHA’s beloved radio personality, Terri Carr, enthusiastically welcomed us all back, and couldn’t hold in her excitement about the night that was going to ensue. Appropriately, the reunion began with an honor guard of military personnel to honor our country with a moment of silence in reflection of the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Following that was a gorgeous rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.”

The show began with a knockout set by rising Seattle rockstar Ayron Jones, whose debut album Child of the State is all the buzz as of late in the rock world. Terri Carr could not say enough about her belief in him and, to be honest, I remember exactly where I was when I heard his single “Take Me Away” for the first time on WDHA. The single blew me away (pun intended!) and I learned that every other song of his is more than worthy of some serious radio play.

Jones’ exquisite guitar chops are equally matched by his powerfully soulful vocals. His tunes are heavy hitters (a blend of grunge, rock, R&B, soul and other genres) that resonate deeply within you. Jones’ band supported him with unparalleled energy and unquestionable talent. It was truly a performance that turned the crowd into immediate fans. Check out Ayron’s debut album Child Of The State and keep your eyes and ears on this guy. He’s destined for great success!

Boys From The Puget Sound / Supercharged / Mercy / Take Me away

Next up was the heavyweight, multi-platinum Seattle rock band Candlebox, who wasted no time diving in with their incredible new grungy single “All Down Hill From Here” (one of my new faves). Since the band’s formation in 1990, the group has released six studio albums, and this Friday, September 17th will mark the release of their seventh, which is titled Wolves. Lead singer Kevin Martin recently commented on the project saying, “It comes from where we are as humans right now, and what we’ve become. Yes, there’s beauty in these wolves, but there’s pack mentality, and that lone wolf mentality on the other side.”

Candlebox also played “My Weakness” from the upcoming album, a pop-inspired up-tempo song about a severely dysfunctional relationship. The song sounds so inspirational that it seems to offer hope that things (no matter how dire) will eventually work out. As I watched the crowd and their reactions, I can wholeheartedly say they agreed! This one’s a must-listen!

The next gem they shared from their new album was “Riptide” of which Martin says is for “those who are trying to keep their heads above water.” The band played this one with such passion that it elicited a huge reaction from the audience and hooked us all into humming the chorus along with the band – even though we weren’t yet entirely familiar with the new tune. Another winner! I absolutely cannot wait for the album release this Friday!!

Candlebox ended their set with three of their most well-known, chart-topping songs to everyone’s delight ~ “Cover Me,” “You,” and “Far Behind.” At this point, the guys had the crowd in the palms of their hands ... an outstanding set that left us all wanting more, and me trying to figure out how I can see them on tour again as soon as possible. I don’t see any days back in the Northeast in 2021 but I’ll be there front and center the next time they come back to the tri-state area. Guys … can you make it sooner rather than later?!

SETLIST

All Down Hill From Here / My Weakness / Riptide / Cover Me / You / Far Behind

After all that, could the night get ANY better? Damn straight it did! South African hard rockers – Seether – commanded the stage as only they can do … with strength, mystique, and gut-punching rock and roll.

Having seen Seether many times over, I’m still in awe of their stage presence. First of all, you’re pulled into their music ... which digs deep, grabs you, and demands that you feel what they’re feeling. And then you get lost (mesmerized even) in the faint lighting that’s characteristic of their shows. It’s almost as if they’re masking what you can see in order to really focus on what they want to communicate through their music. Whatever their motive, their live show always feels gripping and mysterious.

Ahhhhhh … and the music! Seether sounded amazing as they worked their way through their 12-song set that included everyone’s favorites: “Fake It,” “Remedy,” “Fine Again,” “Broken,” and “Gasoline” to name just a few. The guys were so locked in and tight that even if you weren’t a regular listener of the band, you’d be thinking, “this is how good all live shows should be.” It’s rock and roll on their terms: passionate, honest, and raw.

Their love and appreciation of their fans was very apparent that night as vocalist Shaun Morgan repeatedly looked at the audience in awe and said, “how fucking great it is to be here and see everybody!” As a matter of fact, Seether is so dedicated to their fans that they selected fan submitted artwork for the cover of their new album Vicennial – 2 Decades of Seether. It’s a 20-song compilation to coincide with the amount of years they've been in existence and a celebration of their 16 #1 chart positions (all are Top 5 multi-format radio hits). The album will be released on Oct 15th and can be pre-saved here. 

It’s also worth noting that the huge impact Seether has made on the rock/grunge/alt-metal genres in their twenty years as a band is currently being recognized. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is honoring them by including them in their ‘Right Here Right Now’ Exhibit which takes a look at the “evolution of rock and roll and its impact on the current generation of artists by taking visitors on an intimate journey into the stories of the chart-topping acts.” Make sure you catch Seether on tour this Fall! Tickets can be purchased right on their site. 

SETLIST

Gasoline / Fine Again / Broken / Country Song / Nobody Praying For Me / Rise Above This / Bruised and Bloodied / Wasteland / Let You Down / Dangerous / Fake It / Remedy

The final performance of the evening was owned, executed, and hammered home by Shinedown - the band recently named by Billboard as the “Greatest Of All Time Mainstream Rock Artists.” The strikingly spectacular pyrotechnics during their set were the perfect analogy to the brilliance of this band’s musicianship, character, and heart. Brent Smith (vocals), Zach Myers (guitar), Eric Bass (bass), and Barry Kerch (drums) always put on the perfect show; one that’s filled with many of their #1 hits, an abundance of high-energy rock moves, and meaningful, personal interaction with their fans. Smith made it a point that night to say how much the band loves “the beautiful State of New Jersey” and then went on to share their sincere sympathies regarding this 20th anniversary of 9/11. He acknowledged all who were lost by initiating a “moment of silence” and you could hear a pin drop in the crowd of 19,000+.

Shinedown’s 18-song setlist read as a “Who’s Who” of all-time fan favorites which included “Unity,” “45,” “Save Me,” “Get Up,” “Sound of Madness,” and many more. They move through their set with precision, yet it doesn’t feel rehearsed. They interact with the audience but in an extremely positive, personal way. It’s obvious that they absolutely adore what they do, and their intent is share that love with their fans. Shinedown fans are fans for life; they’re like family. And it’s all because of the humans that Smith, Myers, Bass, and Kerch are … not just their music. To further explain the types of feelings they evoke when they perform songs like “How Did You Love” (the most powerful, meaningful, and important lyrics ever in a song) … you’ll see fans holding their hands over the hearts while singing; and yes, there were tears brought to our eyes. If that sounds overdramatic to you, then go to a Shinedown show and you’ll see what I mean.

Shinedown has the most number one singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts out of any band with 16; and all of their released singles have reached the top 5 on the chart. They have 17 #1s on the Mediabase Active Rock Chart and have sold over 10 million records. Shinedown is currently finishing up their seventh full-length album scheduled to be released at the end of the year. Very recently, the multi-platinum band released the film Attention Attention which was inspired by their 2018 record-breaking album of the same name. The film takes you on a beautiful visual journey through the songs which address the social and mental challenges in life ... how to look the “Devil” in the eye, face our “Monsters,” demand of ourselves that we “Evolve” and persevere, force ourselves to just “Get Up” and become the “Brilliant” humans we were meant to be. This trailblazing film can be downloaded on Amazon and all other streaming platforms.

SETLIST

Cut The Cord / Unity / Fly From The Inside / State Of My Head / If You Only Knew / 45 / Save Me /  Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay-Boom) / I'll Follow You / Enemies / Devil / How Did You Love / Get Up / Bully / Monsters / Second Chance / Simple Man / Sound Of Madness

Diane DiMemmo is an avid concert fanatic and former musician who snuck cameras into venues for years before entering the pit as a professional photographer. After her first visit to Asbury Park, she immediately fell in love with its music community and recognized the need for a Jersey Shore publication to highlight the accomplishments of local and national musicians through photos and press. Asbury Park Vibes has been her labor of love ever since, along with her Golden Retriever – Cooper – who you’ll often see walking Diane through the streets of Asbury.