Review: Shinedown offers sounds of madness in spectacle at Spokane Arena

Hard rock radio kings Shinedown launched their national tour and kicked off the spring show season at the Spokane Arena on April 1. With support from the Taylor Momsen-led the Pretty Reckless and Diamante, an up-and-coming hard-rock starlet, the evening was a delight for hard rock fans in Spokane.

Diamante, who appeared onstage in a bedazzled, glamorous catsuit, opened the show. With big diva energy, the relatively nascent artist gracefully won over the crowd with her stage theatrics and powerful vocals. By the end of her set, she had warmed up the crowd with her hard-rocking tracks like “American Dream” and “Haunted.”

The Pretty Reckless, led by former actress Momsen (“Gossip Girl,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”), took the stage after a roaring crowd. Since 2009, the band has used a Billy Idol-esque formula to bring their brand of no-holds-barred hard rock.

Momsen’s gritty, catchy hooks and guitarist Ben Phillips’ scorching leads worked the hard-rocking crowd into an uproar (maybe not as much as Momsen briefly flashing her behind). The band performed many of their hits from their past decade of material, including “Make Me Wanna Die,” “Follow Me Down” and “Death by Rock and Roll.”

Headliners Shinedown appeared onstage in front of a giant pair of LED screens to a brief video referencing the COVID-19 pandemic. The band launched their career in 2003 with their gut-wrenching post-grunge suicide note “45” and their famous cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man.”

Throughout the evening, Shinedown performed explosive (literally) performances of their radio hits, most of which focus on themes of individualism and overcoming adversity. They did so on a massive stage complete with moving lights, pyrotechnics and a piano riser that appeared and disappeared onstage throughout the night.

With a high-end production, the band’s two-hour performance was highly engaging and rife with fan engagement. During nearly every song, the crowd was singing along with enthusiasm. This was especially so during performances of their biggest singles like “Second Chance,” “45,” “Fly From the Inside” and set-closer “The Sound of Madness.”

The band did an impressive job balancing their hard-rocking songs with moments of tenderness. Throughout the night, the band played several acoustic and piano numbers, including a cover of the Foo Fighters “Wheels” and their famous cover of “Simple Man.” Singer Brent Smith did have some “creative approaches” to his performance of “Simple Man.” We’ll chalk it up to opening night nerves.

Shinedown is due to release their next record, “Planet Zero,” on April 22. Fans were treated to three tracks off the new record, including the live premiere of “The Saints of Violence and Innuendo” and the world premiere of “Daylight.”

While catchy, these new songs seem to be a bit of a departure from the band’s traditional, uplifting lyrics for the laymen as the band (and hard rock in general) seems to be shifting toward slight-right pandering and post-Trump nationalism. But, what’s a rock show in 2022 without creating a safe space to chant “freedom” and bemoan cancel culture?