No Doubt may have been absent from touring, and Gwen Stefani may have ventured off on her own with great success, but the fans wanted to see the full monte so to speak, and they got it.
From the moment the band hit the stage the crowd of fans at the White River Amphitheater were in a frenzy trying to get a glimpse of Stefani, Kanal, Young, and Dumont do what they love, and that’s put on a show. There was no stopping Stefani as she moved from one end of the the stage to the other.
In what reminded me of a Willy Wonka moment the band dressed in white on a bright white stage worked well for me as a “wow” factor. There was no need for any special effects here, it was special just being there.
I honestly can’t tell you if it sounded good or not, because I was amazed at the whole package of movement and sound. Hmm, I guess that must mean it sounded good, right? Make that great!
I certainly didn’t give it much thought before arriving at the show but once I was there I have to admit, that I was once again pleasantly surprised and genuinely wanted to stick-around for the show.
It’s also hard to believe that it’s been about 12 years since these friends from Anaheim, CA burst onto the pop music scene, and then produced Grammy winning singles like “Hey Baby” and “Underneath It All” as well as chart toppers like “Don’t Speak”.
Like they did in the early 90’s, they almost single handily brought Ska music back to mainstream, and it looks like they could do it again with their current tour. I wouldn’t be surprised if their music finds its way back on regular air-play at radio stations across America. (not that it was ever gone)
It’s time to dust off your No Doubt CD’s, and hit repeat because there’s no doubt that this foursome has a fan base that’s ready to follow them anywhere.