ROCK 105.7'S 404 CHRISTMAS WITH BUSH

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ROCK 105.7:http://www.radio1057.com/main.html

MORE INFORMATION ON SMITH’S OLDE BAR: http://www.smithsoldebar.com/

By Liz and John Attaway

There is a lot that can be said about the holidays: a time for family, spreading holiday cheer, celebrating Christ, decking the halls, walking in a winter wonderland, looking for Rudolf’s red nose in the night sky, or sitting on Santa’s knee. If you could talk to Santa this year, what would you ask for? A good concert would be high on my list and one this intimate at the top. So, this year, on a mild December night, situated between Moreland and Piedmont at Smith’s Olde Bar, Rock 105.7 played Santa by treating its loyal listeners and friends to an intimate evening with Gavin Rossdale of Bush. It was a perfect Christmas present for any avid Bush fan. Thanks, Rock 105.7 and sponsor Heineken, you rock!

Onto the concert experience, opening Rock 105.7’s 404 Christmas was Twin Atlantic from Scotland. They just released their third album, Great Divide, and will be touring soon. Melodious with loud guitar riffs, this alternative rock band spent a few songs acoustically with us but was impressed with the American way of spending the holidays. They said people in Scotland should enjoy the holidays like us! Cheers! Once they made way for Bush, the ladies started swooning and out came the smartphones for frantic picture and video taking to forever remember the night.

Starting with “Everything Zen,” accompanied by “Comedown”, “Glycerine,” and a handful of other Bush greats, Rossdale strummed and crooned his way through the night with heart and soul. He was humble and grateful for the loud sing-a-long like atmosphere encouraging the audience to interact with him. Even though billed as Bush, it really became The Gavin Rossdale Show with all the focus on his voice and performance. Chris Traynor, Bush guitarist was also on hand to accompany Rossdale. I’d like to note there’s something to be said about a performer that can take grunge rock songs and turn them into guitar solos and perform them almost totally acoustic.

Beyond Bush classics, Rossdale treated the intimate gathering of Bush fanatics a special holiday treat: two covers that will probably never happen again, so it truly was a once in a lifetime performance. The first was “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd which got the audience singing. Again. After ending with Comedown and taking a bow, Rossdale came back out for his encore, Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” He stayed true to the Mac version of “Landslide” and it was mesmerizing and beautiful to behold.

And with that, to all a good night.

MORE INFORMATION ON BUSH: http://bushofficial.com/

MORE INFORMATION ON TWIN ATLANTIC: http://twinatlantic.com/home/