Shinedown and the Joy of Musicians Who Love to Perform written by Emma Hall

“Woah, woah woah… Repeat that please!”

“You heard me. Shinedown is performing for free in Phoenix.”

I could barely hear my mother on the other end of the call in the bustling Student Union, but I was able to understand that last part. It was absurd: a free acoustic concert by one of my mom and I’s favorite bands at a fundraiser for Arizona dog rescue programs. Turns out, that’s exactly what it was. 

On Vertuccio Farm in Mesa, LovePup held their annual festival to raise money for dogs in need, with an entrance fee that only consisted of a donation of pet supplies. This year, as their headliner, they invited Shinedown, a rather famous band for such a small event. Curious, and loving both dogs and the rock band, my mom and I decided to go. 

I’ve been to many strange and intimate concerts, from Stephen Sanchez’s 1950s storytelling through his performance to seeing Tamino while crammed in a tiny bar in Scottsdale, but nothing compared to this. Shinedown’s entire set was acoustic and only included two members of the band: the lead singer, Brent Smith, and bassist, Eric Bass. The band hasn’t released an album in two years, so there was no new music to promote. There was no fancy venue; we were on a pumpkin and corn farm in the largest suburb in the country. One could tell that these two musicians were simply performing entirely for the fun of it. 

They played classics from across the years and albums, from “Symptom of Being Human” to “Cut the Cord,” interacted with the crowd, a group of eager and committed fans who you could tell were having just as much casual fun as the band. Brent and Eric autographed a poster from a young fan, told stories, and had the whole of the farm singing along. They even performed more than asked, committed to finish their setlist, even if 8:00 had already struck. Even with just half the band, an allotted hour, and one guitar, they were able to deliver a true rock concert. I am still amazed how they were able to play and deliver heavy rock songs with a mere percentage of the usual production. 

The band even decided to debut a new song that night, titled “365,” and announce their upcoming album, set to release next year. Of all the places for this big news, why chose Mesa? I could tell, as I sang along, that they were just having fun. They could have played at bigger venues for fans that are willing to pay more than a bag of dog food, in much larger, more glamorous cities. But they were performing that night simply because they could. Those, in my opinion, are the best concerts, because the band plays the music that the fans love, with the career-long traditions and jokes. They have nothing to prove, and they’re just there to let everyone have a good time.

The best performance that night was, by far, “A Symptom of Being Human,” one of the band’s most famous ballads. The swaying crowd each held aloft lighters and phone flashlights as the Arizona air finally began to chill, singing every single word in unison. When they performed “365,” the song yet to be released, everyone leaned in, as if they were witnessing a historical moment right before their eyes. By the time the second chorus rolled around, people already knew the lyrics. I’ve only been to a couple concerts where the fans felt like that much of a community. 

Even as a less experienced fan, I felt that the band was able to ensure that everyone was welcome, had fun, and was appreciated. I think that building that community of fans is why this show was so successful. They already had established themselves as a loved and talented band, and all they wanted now was to give back to the people who made it possible.