Alex Band dazzles with new music, old hits

Camaraderie and marvelous music abounded Wednesday night as an intimate group of friends, fans, and artists gathered together at the Hard Rock Café in Universal City.  With the joint goals of raising money for Musicians on Call and showcasing new music, the night was a huge success.  New York rock band The Sequel, husky singer-songwriter Ry Cummings, and headliner Alex Band played short but incredibly sweet sets, delighting listeners and industry folk alike.

If the name Alex Band doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps the band The Calling does.  Nine years ago, fronted by the young Band, they released a song that broke records and touched lives in ways that are still pertinent today.  “Wherever You Go” became the uplifting theme song of sports teams and couples everywhere.  The smash single was named  #1 Adult Pop Song of the decade by Billboard magazine and still holds the record for staying at #1on Adult Top 40 radio in the U.S. for the longest time in history.  Though the members of The Calling have since gone their separate ways, the music that eminates from Band lives on and his undeniable talent can't be stifled.  It's been a few years in the making, but Band has a solo album, We've All Been There, coming out in June.  He treated us to some of his new music at the event.

When the thin and handsome Band, clad neatly in jeans, a v-neck tee, and blazer, took the stage, I was shocked at how young he looked.  It seems as though age has no effect on him- he appeared as fresh-faced and youthful as when he first burst onto the music scene.  Band, along with three backing musicians, opened his set with an old song off The Calling’s album Camino Palmero called “Adrienne”.  From the first note sung, the café was captivated by Band’s deep, powerful, and commanding voice.  The second song in the set was the inspiring “Our Lives”, which was played during the closing ceremony of the 2004 Olympics.

After warming up with some older songs, Band played a new tune that will be on his upcoming solo record.  He told the crowd that he had "fought the man" to be able to release the album on his own label, and it had taken five years, but he was excited to finally be able to share it with the world.  “Never Let You Go” was a catchy song that showed off his lofty vocals and displayed his uncanny ability to write a hit song.  He followed that with another #1 single he created with Santana, the endearing “Why Don’t You And I”.  Next up was another new song, a heartfelt ballad called “Forever Yours.”  Then came the crowd favorite “Wherever You Will Go”, which Band revealed he had written when he was just sixteen years old.  After a cover of U2's “One Love”, Band closed out the performance with one more new song, the first single off the upcoming album which should be on the radio soon.  “Tonight” was a promising glimpse at what is sure to be a successful solo album and was a perfect way to generate excitement for the record's release.

The calm, stoic Band maintained a non-threatening stage presence that drew people in and made the audience feel welcome, as he shared short anecdotes and chuckled with his bandmates between songs.  His incredible voice left listeners in awe of his rare talent and his gracious attitude towards the fans, event organizer, and Musicians On Call was endearing.  The humble artist happily signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans after the show.  To be able to raise money and awareness for a noble cause and to share in the beauty of new music are two of life’s greatest joys; to combine them into one event is simply sublime.  With a lineup of great musical acts, and Alex Band at the forefront, the evening was bound for success.