FAU’s spring concert returns this year on Friday, March 21. LIVE will be playing at The Quad, an outdoor stage on the main campus in Boca Raton. The Quad is directly behind the University Center and across from the Live Oak Pavilion. There is enough space to accommodate close to 3,000 screaming fans. In the past we have seen mega-stars such as Bush and Papa Roach play here, but to have a band that has close to 20 years of rock n’ roll success is an awesome treat.

Having these big name bands come to our institution is great, because it gives people who are not familiar with them a chance to get a taste of the different types of music that is out there. Concert events like this one also promote our school to our community. Being able to accommodate national recording artists at the Quad is great for the locals as well. Everyone should take the time to experience LIVE, live.

LIVE has had a tremendous career. They were one of the most successful alternative rock bands of the 90s. Their impressive songwriting piece Throwing Copper (1994) sold 27 platinum albums in six countries. This international attention gave them cover stories in both Spin and Rolling Stone magazines.

The band progressed in their music making by releasing other works, one of which was their 2001 album entitled V. A notable song, “Overcome,” was a tribute to the events of 9/11 and became yet another high point in the band’s career. LIVE have proven themselves time and again throughout the changing pace of rock music.

LIVE started out as Chad Taylor (guitar), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass), and Chad Gracey (drums) in 1985. Then, a teen by the name of Ed Kowalczyk invited himself to a local club the trio were playing at. The group was looking for a singer and so Kowalczyk sang Bryan Adams’ “Summer of 69” and was accepted into the band.

Originally, the rockers were known as First Aid or Action Front, and they played plenty of covers from The Cure to REM. After doing several gigs at local parties, the band changed their name again to Public Affection.

The band released their first song “Useless Moves” and Public Affection was being booked into clubs such as Chameleon in New York. From this point on they had a full cassette ready at all times for new booking agents. David Sestak heard the tape and convinced the band to record a ten-track demo. Later, the demo was picked up for distribution by Radioactive Records.

Yet again, the band felt it was time for a change, and they finally became LIVE. Their debut disc, Mental Jewelry, was released in December ’91. That record went gold, and LIVE was quickly establishing themselves as a respectable band known for their deep spiritual meaning.

According to Kowalczyk, at the age of 18 he started getting into Eastern thought and spiritual teachings. “What I’m most interested in as a lyricist is communicating fundamental emotion and humanity.”

Three years later, one of the most successful albums of the 90s was released. Throwing Copper produced four incredible singles including “Lightning Crashes” and “I Alone.” The album went platinum six times in the U.S. and the fan base was growing ever wider. The band made major national appearances on shows such as Saturday Night Live (in which they received a standing ovation) and MTV Unplugged. The success of Throwing Copper led to a long tour schedule and efforts to work on a new album, which was to be entitled Secret Samadhi (1997).

Many critics saw Samadhi as a disappointing follow up to 94’s Throwing Copper. Kowalczyk explained in an interview from ’99, “The record was never designed conceptually, or in any facet, to be a Throwing Copper part two, which is what people wanted. It was really a record we needed to do to grow as musicians and songwriters.” Clearly, Samadhi brought a different flavor of lyrics to the table.

LIVE’s fourth album, The Distance to Hear, was an honest effort by the band to “maintain a universal message of love and the quest for truth.” The band saw this piece as a real accomplishment. They added different approaches to the arrangement and style of the record. After a year of non-stop touring, the guys finally got back into the studio to create V.

V proves that LIVE is still as good as their debut album from over ten years ago. It presents some of the same inspired songwriting as Throwing Copper. The first single from the album, “Simple Creed,” features Tricky, who in turn enlisted Kowalczyk in a single on one of his tracks called “Evolution, Revolution, Love”.

LIVE has had a lasting effect on the world of rock music. This is a band that has worked hard to create great music and insightful lyrics that have been heard over the years. New LIVE fans are being born everyday and the band still strives to provide their fans with an enjoyable and energetic sound.

More information is available by calling 561-297-3735. Tickets are available for $7 for students and $15 for the general public.