Rattaya Nimibutr
Staff Writer
Review
Concert reviews are usually about some big band with a hit single. The articles usually contain a small paragraph about the opening bands, which might as well be nothing at all. I'd like to change that, but it probably will not happen. Instead of writing about opening bands Save Ferris and Goldfinger, I'm stuck with Sugar Ray.
The hip-hop/rock group, who tried hard not to claim the title of "we proudly imitate Marky Mark," led fans into a mosh pit delusion Friday night in the Aerial Theater at Bayou Place.
The zip-blade atmosphere was led by singer Mark McGrath and his witty remarks and playful good-time attitude. Despite such chutzpah, Sugar Ray should have left the music on the radio.
From dedicating a song to their deceased dog to letting some crazed fans have a two-minute rap showcase, Sugar Ray created an earthquake among the fans but still didn't make the show worth the ticket price.
Despite such a mediocre performance, the five-man band had quite a jam session going onstage at times. Many cheers came from the females in the crowd, mostly due to McGrath's bad-boy looks.
"Fly" finally soared from the band's grunge-chic repertoire with extended verses and spinball tunes. The vibe didn't disappoint ... too much.
A more agreeable groove came from opening band Save Ferris, whose feisty female singer and roaring '20s vibe should have earned them a headlining slot with Sugar Ray opening the show.
Goldfinger was energetic but seemed to be too much of a ripoff from others. The group should remain where it's been since the first day of its creation. All in all, it was something to do on a Friday night.