Live & Collective Soul Review with Photos 8-15-25

Electric Echoes:
A Night with Live, Collective Soul,
Our Lady Peace, and Greylin James Rue
at 713 Music Hall

An Immersive Journey through Alt-Rock’s Golden Era and New Horizons in Houston

From the neon-lit streets of downtown Houston, the pulse of anticipation was unmistakable as fans, young and seasoned, threaded their way into the architectural haven that is the 713 Music Hall. On this particular night, the hall’s industrial grandeur played host to a rare convergence of alt-rock legends and rising talents: Live, Collective Soul, Our Lady Peace, and the evocative Greylin James Rue. The promise of nostalgia, the thrill of discovery, and the communal electricity that only a live show can conjure lingered in the air as the house lights dimmed and an epic sonic tapestry began to unfurl.

Greylin James Rue:
Opening with Heart and Hope

    The evening’s inaugural moments belonged to Greylin James Rue, whose set was a heartfelt prelude to the night’s weightier anthems. The early start time of 6 pm found early fans filing their way to the barricade for the opening set slot. From Los Angeles and on her first tour, Greylin James Rue took the stage for her first time performing in Houston. The singer-songwriter blended rock, folk, and indie with poetic introspection. After making her big stage debut in 2024 opening for The Smashing Pumpkins, she has joined the Summer Unity Tour, her first major national run, coinciding with new music. Overall she was a nice kick-off for the evening to come.

Our Lady Peace:
Fiery Nostalgia with Modern Resonance

    With Rue’s set still echoing, the lights shifted to a cooler palette and unmistakable chords signaled the arrival of Canadian alt-rock titans, Our Lady Peace. Raine Maida’s singular voice, with its ragged sincerity, launched into “Sound The Alarm” (2024). Maida, ever the enigmatic frontperson, moved with a magnetic restraint, his vocals both a balm and a provocation, reminding the audience of the band’s ability to straddle angst and euphoria. Next was “Superman’s Dead” followed by “Whatever” the redux version, which was just released this summer. This was a song which they had written 23 years ago for WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and was used by him as his theme song.” Our Lady Peace had only performed the song live for a few short years after its release in 2001 and after Benoit’s death Our Lady Peace had stated in 2012 that they would never play the song live again due to the circumstances of Benoit's death. Just this year, the band has resumed playing the song as part of this tour. The band’s tight, dynamic interplay, classics such as “Clumsy,” “Innocent” and “Somewhere Out There” felt as raw and urgent as ever. The crowd, many of whom had grown up on these refrains sang along, a living testament to the enduring power of the band’s catalogue. Their set was finished up with the 1994 release “Starseed.”

Collective Soul:
Southern Charm Meets Stadium Rock

    After an extended intermission, the mood shifted yet again. Suddenly, the room was bathed in golden light as Collective Soul took the stage to a roar that seemed to shake the urban bones of the venue. Ed Roland, charismatic as ever, dressed in all white along with matching hat and cane led the charge with a burst of energy that immediately set the crowd in motion. From the opener “Mother’s Love” (2024) to the riff heavy hits of “Heavy” and “Shine” (which featured a total audience sing-along) to the infectious hooks of “December,” the setlist was a greatest-hits parade that left little time to breath. Roland’s banter was wry and warm and bridged the songs, inviting the audience into the band’s southern-rooted camaraderie. The guitar work was razor-sharp, the rhythms relentless, and the harmonies soared with the crowd’s eager participation.

    Before the song “Tremble for My Beloved” Roland lamented on how he had written this song when he was about to be a dad. The last part of the set was built up to a peak of energy with the hits “Gel” and “Where the River Flows” which were followed by the song “Run” (1999) which ended with the band taking their bows as the crowd and Roland sang the chorus led by Roland on his acoustic guitar. Collective Soul’s blend of grunge-tinged rock and melodic optimism reminded Houston why the band remains a festival mainstay and a staple of alt-rock playlists everywhere.

Live:
Catharsis in Every Chord

    Finally, it was time for Live, the band whose name is a declaration and a promise. After another extended intermission the house lights receded. As the sound of drums and maracas filled the room, Ed Kowalczyk and band took center stage with the aura of a preacher at a rock-and-roll revival. The opening notes of “Pain Lies on the Riverside” triggered an immediate response. The set navigated peaks and valleys from “Selling The Drama” and “Shit Towne” to “Lakini’s Juice” which brought the energy. Kowalczyk’s vocal power and fervor, undiminished by time, found perfect synergy with the band’s cinematic instrumentation. The band’s interplay was dynamic, and the audience was swept along in the emotional current.

    Live’s music was cathartic, steeped in emotional honesty and existential yearning, and nowhere was that more evident than in the haunting rendition of “Lightning Crashes” during the encore. Here, the crowd’s participation became an essential instrument, their chorus swelling and ebbing in tandem with the band.

The Venue:
713 Music Hall’s Sonic Canvas

    713 Music Hall, with its modern acoustics, up to the task air conditioning and sprawling floor, proved itself a worthy vessel for such a multi-faceted bill. The sound was crisp, every lyric and riff articulated with clarity, yet the intensity never became overwhelming. The venue’s aesthetic, a blend of historic industrial chic and contemporary cool enhanced the experience, making each act feel both intimate and grand. Bar lines moved briskly, staff were attentive, and sightlines offered every fan a chance to bask in the spectacle.

Crowd, Atmosphere, and Standout Moments

    What elevated the evening from a series of performances to a true event was the crowd itself. Concertgoers spanned generations, from longtime devotees to newcomers discovering these bands for the first time. Standout moments included an impromptu singalong during “Run” by Collective Soul, and the emotional hush that fell during Live’s “Turn My Head.” Between sets, the energy never waned, each act stoking the flames of anticipation.

Final Thoughts:
A Legacy Rekindled and a Future Illuminated

    The Live, Collective Soul, Our Lady Peace, and Greylin James Rue show at 713 Music Hall was more than just a night of music, it was a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the enduring bonds of rock and roll. Each performance carried echoes of the past, but also pointed toward new artistic possibilities. In a world that often feels fragmented, nights like these remind us of music’s unique power to unite, heal, and inspire.

    As the last chords faded and the crowd spilled into the humid Houston night, the sense lingered that everyone present had been part of something rare, a gathering not just of artists and fans, but of a living music community. For those who were there, the memories will echo long after the amplifiers have cooled.

Live Setlist:
Pain Lies on the Riverside (1991)
Selling the Drama (1994)
All Over You (1994)
Iris (1994)
Lady Bhang (She Got Me Rollin') (2024)
The Distance (1999)
Shit Towne (1994)
The Dolphin's Cry (1999)
Leave the Radio On (2025)
Rattlesnake (1997)
Lakini's Juice (1997)
Encore:
Turn My Head (1997)
I Alone (1994)
Lightning Crashes (1994)

Collective Soul Setlist:
Mother's Love (2024)
Heavy (1999)
Right as Rain (2019)
Shine (1993)
Precious Declaration (1997)
Keep It on Track (2024)
She Said (1998)
The World I Know (1995)
December (1995)
Tremble for My Beloved (1999)
Gel (1995)
Where the River Flows (1995)
Run (1999)

Our Lady Peace Setlist:
Sound the Alarm (2024)
Superman's Dead (2024)
Whatever ("Redux" version) (2025) (2003 -WWE Album)
Innocent (2002)
Clumsy (1997)
Somewhere Out There (2002)
Starseed (1994)

Greylin James Rue Setlist:
Howl of the Wolf
It Gets Bad
Steve's House
Calm Before the Storm
Birth of Venus