Collective Soul and Gin Blossoms Team Up for a Great Show at MECU Pavilion

It has been 25 years since Collective Soul released their debut album Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid. However, they came to the MECU Pavilion with the energy of a band that is still in love with rock and roll. They delivered a high energy performance that made me remember all the hits that made them successful. The way lead vocalist and principal songwriter, Ed Roland, involved the crowd, made it obvious that the band performs for their fans. The energy in the crowd was a clear indication that they have quite a following. I talked to a few fans that night who have seen Collective Soul perform more than 10 times.

The show at MECU Pavilion consisted of a 16-song setlist full of new and classic songs. While the band is touring in support of their latest release, Blood (to be released this summer), they still included those hits that put them on the musical map. They included classics such as “December” and “Where the River Flows” from their self titled 1995 album along with, “Shine” from their debut album. They only performed three songs from their upcoming release, “Observation of Thoughts”, “Now’s the Time”, and “Over Me”.

Gin Blossoms opened the show and got the crowed primed early. They performed hits like, “Hey Jealousy”, “Found out About You”, and “Follow You Down”. The band pleasantly surprised the crowd with a cover of Tom Petty’s “Even the Losers”. Gin Blossom’s released the album Mixed Reality last year and they performed three songs from this new album; however, most of their 11-song set list were for long-time fans!

This is definitely a great show! The pairing of Collective Soul and Gin Blossoms makes the perfect concert for any 90’s music fan! The good news is… if you missed the show in Baltimore, the tour will hit additional towns nearby including New Jersey, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Check out their full tour dates here!

In the meantime, enjoy photos from both the Gin Blossoms and Collective Soul at the MECU Pavilion on May 31st. All photos copyright and courtesy of Brandon Amos.