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Copeland
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Bottom Lounge/ Chicago, IL

Review by Chad Comello, North Central College

Despite having recorded the phenomenal Eat, Sleep, Repeat, Copeland split with Columbia Records in September 2007 after being on the label for less than a year. The band has since spent the time reshaping its identity, signing with Tooth & Nail records, releasing the B-sides album Dressed Up & In Line and finally recording its fourth full-length You Are My Sunshine. Headlining a tour with Lights, Lydia, and Lovedrug, Copeland stopped by the Bottom Lounge in Chicago to show off its latest line-up and impressive new album.

After two quick sets by Lights and Lydia, Lovedrug took the stage in front of a pretty low-key crowd and a less than enthusiastic stage presence. The mood escalated right away when Copeland finally took the stage, silhouetted by six glowing fabric lights and lead singer Aaron Marsh solo-swooning to “Strange and Unprepared.” Soon after, the whole band kicked in with “To Be Happy Now,” immediately lifting the energy ten-fold.

From there it never died down with a set that spanned all four albums, moving from the hard rocking “No One Really Wins” to the anthemic “Careful Now,” the quasi-epic “When You Thought You’d Never Stand Out” and the tender sing-a-long “Brightest.” “Careful Now” became the highlight of the night with the fullness of the band’s sound becoming evident in that song’s glorious chorus. Copeland rounded out the evening with older tunes, rocking “Pin Your Wings” and “You Have My Attention” (two stand-out tracks from In Motion) before concluding with “California” (from Beneath Medicine Tree) as a welcomed encore.

Marsh has often said the band has no agenda for their music other than art and that certainly applied to this show. Copeland has great poise as performers as well as impressive precision as musicians. Despite negative reactions to past live shows, all of those notions dissipated this tour and one can only hope Copeland’s recent renaissance continues to bear fruit in the well-beyond.