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Review:
by Don Sill
Unified Theory gave a decent performance although It wasn't the most
impressive set one would expect from a band which consists of members from
'Pearl Jam' and 'Blind Melon,' but 'Unified Theory' came through none the
less with a voice all their own. Singer, Chris Shinn, sported long,
flowing dread locks, bare feet and a skirt that went down to his ankles.
His high, gentle pitched melancholy voice soothed over the music and his
feminine harmonies were very beautiful indeed, it is no surprise that most
of his musical influences are females. Shinn seems passionate about his
music and sings from the soul. His stage presence is decent, but he lacks
the command over the audience that he should have. The good thing
about this band is that they definitely deliver more substance than flash.
They are artists trying to capture their musical independence, trying to
break free of their past experiences and move ahead to a new level. Music
is first and the performing takes a back seat. Most of the songs were very
powerful but were so spiritual and artistic that they left the crowd waiting
for some action to happen. Unified Theory's music breaks away from
any 'Blind Melon' or 'Pearl Jam' stereotypes and is more irrepressible
and filled with eerie grooves and chilling melodies. Songs like 'Cessna,'
'Passive,' 'Full Flavor,' and 'California,' could easily become cross-over
hit's. They had tight
grooves, heavy beats and fantastic lyrics. These would be awesome songs
to listen to on your CD players at home but on stage they tend to fall
flat because there is very little personality flowing from the band.
Bassist, Brad Smith and Guitarist, Christopher Thorn, formerly of 'Blind
Melon' along with drummer, Dave Krusen, formerly of 'Pearl Jam' show their
professional rock status as they bring to life a band that gives them a
new identity and a completely new sound. True veterans to the rock scene
that displayed remarkable musical ability but little showmanship.