In summer of 2011, celebrating their 20th year together, alt-rock giants Incubus turned a Los Angeles storefront space into a low-key, hi-tech residency........
That resulted in six nights of free performances and fan encounters now chronicled on INCUBUS HQ LIVE. The celebration takes place across three separate multi-disc packages released by Legacy Recordings, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
The August 13th release date for the first two configurations, INCUBUS HQ LIVE and INCUBUS HQ LIVE SPECIAL EDITION, coincides with the opening of the 2012 Honda Civic Tour Featuring Linkin Park and Incubus. The 4-week, 18-city tour of the U.S. and Canada starts at Comcast Center in Boston and concludes at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre in San Diego on September 10th.
Dedicated to fans and friends, Incubus HQ Live, as the gallery-sized storefront space on busy La Brea Avenue in West Hollywood was aptly named last year, was the answer to a question the band had been thinking about for a while. “After twenty years,” writes lead singer Brandon Boyd in his liner notes essay (the same for all three configurations), “7 albums, multiple live albums, EPs, DVDs, somewhere in the ballpark of 1,500 live shows, what could we do to introduce our newest album, If Not Now, When? in a manner that was both unique and memorable?”
Their first studio album in nearly five years at the time called for thinking outside the box. Playful options ranged from going door-to-door with the album to 3:00 a.m. infomercials. Or could they “invite fans into our living room and play the f***ing album live for them?…Wait,” Brandon mused. “That is actually not a terrible idea, minus the f***ing part.”
Utilizing social media enabled fans to contact Incubus, who then replied with an assigned date and time to show up for the HQ gigs. After building out the space to accommodate fans and crew, seven nights of performances were set. The resulting CDs and DVD catch the action on six nights that were broadcast live on the Internet. It was all a prelude to the July 12th release of If Not Now, When?
Along with the hit songs, deep album tracks and fan favorites performed in an intimate setting, INCUBUS HQ LIVE showcases the personalities of band members Brandon Boyd, Mike Einziger (lead guitar, piano, backing vocals), Chris Kilmore (keyboards, turntables), Ben Kenney (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Jose Pasillas II (drums). The fan interaction, instrument lessons with the band, and overall feel of the space give the DVD warmth and character.
Published on 20 June 2012 by Wayne Feltham
