Seether Performs “Vicennial: 2 Decades of Seether” For A One Night Only Livestream Recording
Founding Seether members Shaun Morgan and Dale Stewart celebrate the anniversary of their formation as they hit the pinnacle mark of twenty years since the band Saron Gas became Seether. With this celebration Seether will be releasing ‘Vicennial: 2 Decades of Seether’ on all media platforms as well as recording a special one night only Livestream.
Seether did not get to this point of their career without personnel changes and are solidified with guitarist Corey Lowery and drummer John Humphrey. This story is about Seether’s “Vicennial” livestream show that is being recorded at Ace of Spades in Sacramento, Ca. for a broadcast on November 11th at momenthouse.com/seether
With the band performing at day two of Danny Wimmer’s Aftershock Festival, they felt this was the perfect time to record a one night only livestream the night before their Aftershock performance playing tracks spanning their career that will be on the upcoming album release ‘Vincennial: 2 Decades of Seether’.
The Sacramento venue Ace of Spades which holds about a thousand people was outfitted with multiple stationary mounted cameras as well as several mobile units and a camera crane for this event. Special light riggings were also brought in to make this a very visual show. The best part was that I was going to be part photographing this special evening.
The band’s soundcheck was nearly two hours long to get the sound dialed in for tonight’s performance. After soundcheck I was able to spend some time with the band as we spoke casually about what they did during the pandemic lockdown, being back on the road, and their future plans.
I do have to say that the times I’ve photographed at this particular venue previously did not have the greatest lighting system. I was ecstatic to see that tonight would be no issue with both front and back lighting rigs were brought in.
As most venues in California, proof of Covid-19 vaccinations or proof of a negative Covid test within a 72 hour had to be shown as part of admission. There was also rapid test administration section set up for onsite testing prior to entry if needed. This was not a decision by the band but part of the restrictions set by the state for the venue to be open. It’s unfortunately becoming part of the norm and now moving on.
Inside Ace of Spades Seether had their merch booth with shirts, hoodies, vinyl, cds, and limited edition signed posters. All priced very well. After tossing back a drink or two, I was ready for tonight’s performance. There was no opening act so the quickly filled venue had fans prepped and ready for Seether.
Seether hit the stage by playing “Gasoline” from their 2002 debut album Disclaimer (or the band’s second album “Disclaimer II” remixed versions – however you want to look at it). They also played “Fine Again”, Driven Under”, and “Broken” from the same album in the setlist.
The sound in Ace of Spades was loud and clean. No distortion in the vocals unless added by Morgan. The lighting was so good for the evening that Shaun Morgan stated “When we play our shows we don’t have these fucking lights in front of us so it feels kind of like I’m in an interrogation room. But you got to keep the cameras happy…Right!!” All I can say is I’m glad they did.
Seether continued with the tracks “Truth” and “The Gift” mixed throughout their set from the 2005 “Karma and Effect” album. The band was being well received and as I looked out to the crowd I could see the majority of the crowd singing along with the band on every song.
One of my favorite albums of the band is their 2007 release “Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces”. I say this as they played “Breakdown” & “Rise Above This”. I do wish they would have “No Jesus Christ” or “FMLYHM” but either way I was glad to be listening to this career spanning night of music. They also included the Georg Michael classic “Careless Whisper” which was a bonus track on the release of this album.
Seether mixed into the set “Country Song” and “Tonight” from 211’s “Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray”. The show so far had shown how versatile the band’s music really is how many great songs were being performed. We continued the night of music with one of Seether’s most popular songs “Words as Weapons”. They also performed “Nobody Praying For Me” and “Same Damn Life” which were all from the band’s sixth album the 2014 release “Isolate and Medicate”.
All these songs and that only makes up two thirds of tonight’s set. Added to the set were songs from the 2017 release “Poison the Parish”. Those tracks were “Betray and Degrade” and “Let You Down”.
Seether also played the non studio album track “Weak” which was only released on the “Seether:2002-2013” compilation. I was surprised that the only track included off their most recent album the 2020 release “Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum” was the hit track “Dangerous”. It would have been great to hear “Bruised and Bloodied” live. As the night was coming to a close, Seether finished up the evening with “Fake It” and “Remedy”.
The “Vicennial: One Night Only” recording was a tribute to the band itself and all the incredible music they have written, recorded, performed, and given to so many over the band’s twenty year span. The night truly showed how a band originally from South Africa has contributed to the rock genre world.
Thank you to Seether for an unbelievable night and for allowing me to be part of this event.
To View The Full Seether Photo Gallery Click HERE