Metal-turned-country artist Aaron Lewis brought his “Sinner” tour to The Orbit Room to warm up a sold-out crowd Saturday with songs from his country albums plus some familiar rock tunes. (Review, photos)
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His heavily tattooed arms gave away his metal roots, but singer-guitarist Aaron Lewis proved Saturday in Grand Rapids that his transition to country crooner has been more than successful.
Lewis, the Staind frontman and current country darling, showcased what endears him to area fans by weaving through a set that showcased his penchant for everything from a pro-American sentiment to tugging on the heartstrings with emotive ballads.
Opener Alex Williams brought the bluesy swagger, rife shuffle beats and jangly guitars that got the room moving, with a cover of Tesla’s “Signs” getting most in attendance to sing along to the nostalgic protest anthem.
Lewis came out to a raucous roar from the sold-out crowd on hand, launching into “The Pledge of Allegiance,” then jumping right into “Country Boy,” the lead single from 2011’s “Town Line.” That provided the catalyst for much of the night for Lewis and company, delivering lyrics bursting with patriotism as the crowd joined in.
It’s been intriguing to see the evolution of Lewis’ country career, from playing an intimate setting at Battle Creek’s FireKeepers Casino in 2011 — with former Staind tour bus driver and backing guitar player Ben Kitterman performing a handful of originals and a lot of covers — to being backed by a full band armed with two full-length albums’ worth of material.
TURNING THE ORBIT ROOM INTO AN INTIMATE SETTING
Lewis even looks the part of a country crooner dressed plainly in a black dress shirt jeans and cowboy boots, armed with his trusty Gibson acoustic and belting out impassioned songs about the heartland and tales of introspection.
Speaking to the success of his work in Staind, Lewis slipped into a few of the band’s bigger hits, most noticeably “It’s Been Awhile.” Some of these songs were given a country makeover, but as a whole, they sounded right at home juxtaposed with the rest of the set and showing off the versatility of Lewis’ songwriting.
At times, Lewis’ influences showed through — like his tattooed arms — covering a multitude of artists from the Foo Fighters to Leonard Cohen and Chris Stapleton, but that didn’t seem to bother the capacity crowd from eagerly singing along all evening.
As was the case five years ago at a bingo hall in Battle Creek, I was reminded of what makes Lewis so endearing to his fans: his every-man persona showcased in lyrics of longing for family and the simple life.
It transformed a room full of thousands into the most intimate of settings, and left fans walking away feeling like they were a part of something unique.
PHOTO GALLERY: Aaron Lewis, Alex Williams at The Orbit Room
Photos by Anthony Norkus