The 10 Songs We Need to Hear on Incubus's Summer Tour
Friday, 23 June 2023
Written by Jack Terry
Californian alt-rockers Incubus are back in the UK for a pair of special headline shows this month at London's Eventim Apollo and Cornwall's Eden Project, before heading out on a massive North American tour. With almost 30 years of material and a slew of anthems to pick from, their setlists are full of genre-bending classics and must be no easy feat to select. So we thought we'd lend a hand and put forward 10 songs we NEED to hear over the summer.
Drive
When you think of Incubus, there's a good chance that this is the first song that comes to mind, and for good reason. Practically ever-present at their live shows, it really is still the best single they've ever released. The huge chorus is irresistible and sounds phenomenal with the backing of a full venue, providing every live show with a clear highlight. We can't wait.
State Of The Art
During the latter stages of their career, Incubus have changed their sound considerably, sitting in the stadium/radio rock realm more so than the nu-metal and alt-funk sound that made them. State Of The Art is a mature and seemingly self-referential account of how time has a way of catching up with us all. "The years have teeth and sometimes they bite," Brandon Boyd wails over stadium-filling guitars, in a reminder to us all that our choices now have far-reaching effects, capping Incubus's journey from young and wild to old(er) and wiser.
Azwethinkweiz
From a live set mainstay to an absolute rarity. We think it’s high time Incubus dusted off Azwethinkweiz, taken from their madcap 'Enjoy Incubus' EP. Last played in 2001, this frenetic cut of proto-nu-metal madness truly laid the groundwork for everything Incubus does so well. Combining the funk of Red Hot Chili Peppers with the sonic oddness of Primus, the brass, whistles, scratches and tongue twister vocals revealed a band that was capable of very special things indeed.
Here In My Room
By their fifth album ‘A Crow Left Of The Murder…’, Incubus had conquered the alt-rock world. Possessing renewed confidence and bravado, Here In My Room heard the Californians expand their sound and start to really push the boundaries of what the band could be. Here In My Room, in particular, added a haunting piano into the fold and layered it with tremolo-picked atmospherics for one of Incubus's most engrossing songs to date. Boyd's dulcet tones seduce and enchant, completing an essential live cut that will arrest the entire room.
Adolescents
The brutal truth is that 'If Not Now, When?' is a real low point in the pantheon of Incubus' work. But even at their worst, they provided us with a real flash of classic Incubus with Adolescents. Tapping into their 'Make Yourself'-era sound and utilising Boyd's effortlessly superb vocals, this tribute to those hazy adolescent days is something we can all get behind and sing our hearts out while doing so.
A Certain Shade Of Green
Incubus were not a bunch of guys who’d just stand around, certainly not in those early days. In 1997 alone, they released their ‘Enjoy Incubus’ EP and their sophomore full length ‘S.C.I.E.N.C.E’. The latter contained the aggro-filled A Certain Shade Of Green, which is all about their disdain for procrastination. ‘Are you gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.? What are you waiting for?’ they ask incredulously, amid a hundred other poetic and creative ways to force us into action. And, frankly, it's impossible to stand still when you hear this.
Warning
Procrastination seems to be a key theme in Incubus songs, and Warning gave us a sumptuous cautionary tale of not letting life pass us by. Soaring vocals and major chords progressions inject some pep in your step and leave you feeling like you can do anything you set your mind to. If you're stuck in a rut or sick of the state of the world right now, this ‘Morning View’ classic will be the cathartic tonic you need in your life.
Oil and Water
'Light Grenades' completed the picture of Incubus being a group of humanitarians and Oil And Water was a standout cut about the differences between us all. Whether you want to read it as being about a relationship that didn't work as a result, or as a reminder that we are all individuals but we can find a way to live with that, there's no denying that it's a prime cut of Incubus greatness and one that you'll be hard pressed not to adore.
Are You In?
There are two versions of what to believe this song is about. The first comes from the band themselves. Following an argument in the studio, they started jamming and wound up with Boyd circling the room with the tongue in cheek line, "It's so much better with everyone in, are you in?". The second meaning comes from the video, which appeared to show the band performing the song at a swingers club. Now whichever story you choose to believe is up to you, just keep your eyes peeled for pampas grass should you attend…
Consequence
From the jaunty, jangling guitars through to the full bodied wall of noise, Consequence is an angry and impassioned cut from their seminal album 'Make Yourself'. Once again full of trippy and vivid similes and metaphors ("Consequence you'll see will be stranger than a gang of drunken mimes") there's a fantastic sense of fun injected into the track and would provide an Incubus show with a massive burst of energy and enthusiasm.
Incubus Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Fri June 23 2023 - LONDON Eventim Apollo
Sat June 24 2023 - ST AUSTELL Eden Project
Fri July 21 2023 - EUGENE Oregon - Cuthbert Amphitheatre (USA)
Sat July 22 2023 - SPOKANE Washington - Spokane Pavilion (USA)
Sun July 23 2023 - BONNER Montana - KettleHouse Amphitheater (USA)
Tue July 25 2023 - SIOUX FALLS South Dakota - Denny Sanford Premier Center (USA)
Wed July 26 2023 - WAITE PARK - Ledge Waite Park Amphitheater (USA)
Fri July 28 2023 - INDIANAPOLIS Indiana - TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park (USA)
Sat July 29 2023 - CEDAR RAPIDS Iowa - McGrath Amphitheatre (USA)
Sun July 30 2023 - CHICAGO Illinois - Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (USA)
Tue August 01 2023 - CINCINNATI Ohio - Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center (USA)
Wed August 02 2023 - GRAND RAPIDS Michigan - Van Andel Arena (USA)
Sat August 05 2023 - WINDSOR - Colosseum at Caesars Windsor (USA)
Sun August 06 2023 - NIAGARA FALLS Ontario - OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino (Canada)
Tue August 08 2023 - ASBURY PARK New Jersey - Stone Pony (USA)
Wed August 09 2023 - GILFORD New Hampshire - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (USA)
Fri August 11 2023 - ATLANTIC CITY New Jersey - Mark G Etess Arena at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City - Complex (USA)
Sat August 12 2023 - GRANTVILLE Pennsylvania - Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course (USA)
Sun August 13 2023 - UNCASVILLE Connecticut - Mohegan Sun Arena at Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort (USA)
Tue August 15 2023 - MOON TOWNSHIP Pennsylvania - Robert Morris University - UPMC Events Center (USA)
Wed August 16 2023 - FRANKLIN Tennessee - FirstBank Amphitheater (USA)
Fri August 18 2023 - CAMDENTON Missouri - Ozarks Amphitheater (USA)
Sat August 19 2023 - BONNER SPRINGS Kansas - Azura Amphitheater (USA)
Sun August 20 2023 - OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma - Oklahoma City Zoo Amphitheatre (USA)
Tue August 22 2023 - EL PASO Texas - El Paso County Coliseum (USA)
Wed August 23 2023 - TUCSON Arizona - Tucson Convention Center/Tucson Arena (USA)
Fri August 25 2023 - RIO RANCHO New Mexico - Rio Rancho Events Center (USA)
Sat August 26 2023 - LUBBOCK Texas - Lonestar Amphitheater (USA)
Sun August 27 2023 - COLORADO SPRINGS - Weidner Field (USA)
Mon August 28 2023 - COLORADO SPRINGS - Weidner Field (USA)
Tue August 29 2023 - GRAND JUNCTION Colorado - Las Colonias Park Amphitheater (USA)
Fri September 01 2023 - BLACKFOOT Idaho - Eastern Idaho State Fair (USA)
Fri October 06 2023 - LOS ANGELES California - Hollywood Bowl (USA)
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