Students filed into Legends Friday night, ready to listen to the sounds of Chicago band, Hello Dave.
Hello Dave is comprised of lead vocalist, songwriter and rhythm-guitarist Mike Himebaugh, bassist Allen "Big Al" Wetzel, percussionist Bryan Resendiz and lead guitarist Mike "Magoo" McGohan, who together provided an entertaining compilation of Hello Dave favorites as well as some new songs.
Hello Dave began the show on a funky, upbeat note, allowing the crowd, both those familiar with the band and those who had not heard of them before, to engage into the music and ready themselves for an exciting show.
Magoo spent a few seconds during the opening song exhibiting his skills on the electric guitar. Hello Dave came off really relaxed on stage, just having a good time playing together again. Nothing but smiles remained on all their faces throughout the course of the show.
The second song, "Perfect Day," had a bit of a country sound, but could be more accurately described as real American rock n' roll. Himebaugh described this song by saying it "started when some punk stole our trailer." It is a catchy tune with much to offer melodically.
Between songs, the crowd has opportunities to interact with the band and just let them know they were having fun. Good energy could be felt from the band and the crowd, emanating through the room.
Himebaugh's voice is almost hypnotic, making the songs all that much better with his incredible vocal abilities.
The band arranged their set with a good balance of slow and fast songs, to keep the crowd's energy up and engaged into the show.
One of the best songs of the night is "Michigan," a song discussing what to do when visiting Michigan. It is a good song with a solid beat and harmony, highlighted with a catch refrain, only forcing you to sing along.
Since the band has been described as "The Eagles of the new millennium" and one of Chicago's best kept secrets, Hello Dave played an Eagle song. They began singing acapella, which sounded amazing. Himebaugh's strong voice led the song.
It is evident that Himebaugh, and the other musicians, have a passion for their music. Their songs tell great stories, obviously expressing events from their lives.
Himebaugh and Magoo switched guitar roles on many of their songs, having the acoustic be the lead for the melody or the electric dominating.
Hello Dave has much to offer both lyrically and musically. Their songs are independent of each other, providing different sounds. This aided in stepping up their show. Hello Dave is a feel-good rock n' roll band with so much talent in each of its members.
Some of their songs provided a great beat for dancing. Many people in the crowd took advantage of the vast space between the stage and the tables set up on the floor of Legends.
"I thought [the show] was actually very fun," Himebaugh said. "This is our first show in a little while. We don't do that many shows where it's like sit down and relaxed. It was the perfect way to come back from a break."
The end of the show was energetic, singable and loud. It was the ideal ending to a great concert. Hello Dave came out and performed well for a crowd of people who were excited to in attendance.
For more information about Hello Dave and their tour, check out the official Web site, www.hellodave.com.
Contact Sarah Vabulas at vabu4547@saintmarys.edu
