Incubus delivers a dynamic show

INCUBUS AND THE DUKE SPIRIT, USANA Amphitheatre, July 16

By the time Incubus got to the head-knocking tune "Meglomaniac," the band had the audience in the palm of its hand.

Lead singer Brandon Boyd, guitarist Mike Einzinger, drummer Jose Pasillas, DJ Kilmore and bassist Ben Kenny cranked it out like there was no tomorrow.

The band's no-nonsense musicality, highlighted by a moody and well choreographed light show, started from the opener "Privilege" and continued throughout the nearly two-hour set.

In between, Boyd, who became the audience's personal Dionysius led the band through some syncopated and percussive tunes that also included the brainy rockers "Pardon Me," "Nice to Know You" and the more mellow "Love Hurts."

While Boyd was definitely the point of focus, each band had its moments in the spotlight.

Einzinger knocked the audience flat with a few grinding solos. Pasillas' punchy percussion, highlighted by Kenny's crisp basslines were topped with Kilmore's scratching and sampling.

But all wasn't electric and loud. Incubus knew the effect of sonic dynamics and set aside some time for a lo-fi, semi-acoustic segment.

"Talk Shows on Mute" and "Dig" were among the songs performed with the "unplugged" theme.

Boyd brought out his didgeridoo for the opening chords of the funky, hip-hop flavored "Redefine," taken from the breakthrough album "S.C.I.E.N.C.E."

Other songs from that album included "A Certain Shade of Green" and "New Skin," which had Boyd slapping the skin on his strapped on djembe drum.

Throughout the night, the sound mix was clean. No instrument overshadowed the other and Boyd's vocals, sometimes backed by Kenny's, were full of emotion and flair.

Even when the band covered Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" toward the end of the evening, the energy level was as high as when the Calabasas, Calif.-based musicians stepped on stage.

The Incubus set was a far cry from opener the Duke Spirit.

The neo-shoegaze band hailing from London actually cut its set short. In fact, the band — singer/percussionist Liela Moss, guitarists Luke Ford and Marc Sallis, bassist Toby Butler, drummer Olly Bets — walked off stage as the guitar tech was attempting to hand Sallis a guitar.

Moss' vocals was a mix between the Yeah Yeah Yeah's Karen O and the late Velvet Underground ornament Nico.

While the applause was polite, it wasn't rabid like it was for Incubus.

e-mail: scott@desnews.com