Samuel Has Problems, Chevelle in Baltimore

September 22, 2009 by Sarah Skau
Filed under Concert Reviews

Chevelle
September 19, 2009
Bourbon Street Ballroom
Baltimore, MD

Samuel Has Problems

That’s what the shirt of drummer, Sam Loeffler, said on Saturday night at the Bourbon Street Ballroom. However it wasn’t Sam who had problems; it was the venue who had problems as they appeared to be rather unprepared for the many Chevelle fans rushing the rail as they took the stage. Fighting an uphill battle, security tried to brace themselves between the rail and the stage, sometimes pushing the crowd back almost 20 feet from the stage. Despite the unpreparedness of the venue, fans were not discouraged and still enjoyed an energetic performance from the trio.

Opening with “Sleep Apnea,” the lead song from their new CD, Sci Fi Crimes, Chevelle made it clear that they were there to rock and have a great time. Despite their growing number of hit singles, Chevelle was still able to include several crowd favorites including “Family System,” “Comfortable Liar,” and “Forfeit.” As a part of the encore, the crowd was treated to a special acoustic performance of “Highland’s Apparition” that featured Pete alone with a guitar.

After seeing Chevelle numerous times over the past several years, I am still hard pressed to find a single highlight in their shows. From the safety of the rail on the balcony, I literally had a birds-eye view of the stage and enjoyed watching the threesome interact with each other, often sharing a smirk or a laugh during the set. While I can only imagine what inspired those moments, it demonstrates how much fun they are having up on stage while they are playing for us. Several singles, trials, and shows after seeing Chevelle for the first time, their ability to deliver a seemingly flawless product from start to finish keeps me coming back for more.

Set List:

Sleep Apnea
Brainiac
Well Enough Alone
Family System
Vitamin R
Jars
Closure
Letters From A Thief
Comfortable Liar
The Red
Forfeit
Send The Pain Below
The Clincher
Higland’s Apparation
I Get It