To some music lovers, the music of a certain artist can become almost like the soundtrack to their life. A specific song can act as a time portal whisking a person back in time to a specific moment. In terms of bands whose music causes spontaneous bouts of nostalgia, few bands can hold a candle to the band Staind. The reactions of fans as they watched the live stream of Staind’s 20th Anniversary Performance of Break the Cycle alone are a testament to this. One week after streaming the reunion show of their greatest hits, Aaron Lewis along with guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April and drummer Sal Giancarelli delivered a live stream that far exceeded any expectations, playing the band’s 2001 mind-blowing, unparalleled album, Break The Cycle (Flip Records) live in its entirety.  

The pro-shot livestream from a warehouse in their home state of Massachusetts had a fantastic vibe for these songs. In between the songs all the members chatted one by one documentary style, detailing the history of the band, how they met and formed the group, their memories of writing and recording, and some hints towards the future.

Frontman Aaron Lewis’s performance during the live stream was, in a word, flawless. With every song, it became more and more apparent that Lewis and his bandmates missed performing these songs live just as much as fans missed seeing Staind in concert. In addition to the big hits, the deep cuts, some of which the band never or rarely played live sounded great, owing to how deep the album truly is, why it was such a smash hit, and why it continues to resonate with fans. 

The renewed synergy between the four bandmates was glaringly apparent, affirming that dreams do come true because Staind is back doing live shows touring with Korn, and performing at festivals. The band is also promising new music in 2022.

Buy and stream Staind music here: https://www.staindofficial.com/

SKULLGIRL METALCHICK