Staind Rock San Diego
Photos and words by Alex Matthews
Hard rock band Staind, the 90’s and early 2000’s nu metal giants, played an intimate but exciting show at Pala Casino’s Events Center on Friday March 31st. The band which has recently announced a huge summer 2023 tour with Godsmack has been playing much more frequently in recent years after enduring an on again off again hiatus which began in 2013. Staind includes lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Sal Giancarelli.
The band played essentially a greatest hits set of some of their classic songs from albums ranging from 1999’s Dysfunction to their seventh self-titled album Staind from 2011. Puffing away on cigarettes for most of the set, front man Aaron Lewis’s voice somehow sounded just as powerful as ever, hitting the high notes and delivering the soaring choruses and growling verses that Staind’s music is defined by. Guitarist Mike Mushok and bassist Johnny April were clearly the most active members of the group, stalking their respective sides of the small stage, banging heads, whipping hair, and challenging the audience to get up and out of their seats. Drummer Sal Giancarelli was on point and added a great groove to some of the band's songs, bashing away on a huge custom drum kit on a tall riser at the back of the stage. The only real bummer of the set was the lack of new material, especially since the band has been teasing a new album since 2021.
Pala’s Events Center is definitely an enjoyable venue and a great place to see some big name acts in a relatively small room. The production level of this show was top notch with an impressive sound system, video screens, and great lighting. The staff and security did a commendable job of keeping a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone attending.
Seeing Staind again after many years was an enjoyable nostalgia trip, and it’s amazing to remember how many hits they have in their catalog. If you’ve ever listened to a hard rock radio station in the last thirty years you can easily hum along to most of their set. If it’s been awhile since you’ve seen them check them out this summer at an amphitheater near you.
