John Wesley, left, and Matt Scannell — of alternative rock band Vertical Horizon — jam during Sunday’s concert at Rose Music Center at the Heights in Huber Heights.
Jim Davis | AIM Media Midwest
Vertical Horizon bass player Mark Pacificar performs Sunday at Rose Music Center at the Heights in Huber Heights — part of a three-band concert that also featured Toad the Wet Sprocket and Gin Blossoms.
Jim Davis | AIM Media Midwest
Vertical Horizon founder and lead singer Matt Scannell enjoys a moment with the crowd during Sunday’s concert at Rose Music Center at the Heights in Huber Heights. Vertical Horizon opened the show for co-headliners Toad the Wet Sprocket and Gin Blossoms.
Jim Davis | AIM Media Midwest
Glen Phillips — lead singer and founding member of alternative rock band Toad the Wet Sprocket — smiles at the crowd as he makes his way onto the stage Sunday at Rose Music Center at the Heights in Huber Heights.
Jim Davis | AIM Media Midwest
Bassist Dean Dinning — a founding member of alternative rock band Toad the Wet Sprocket — is illuminated by stage lights during Sunday evening’s show at Rose Music Center at the Heights.
Jim Davis | AIM Media Midwest
Vocalist Robin Wilson — lead singer for the alternative rock band Gin Blossoms — entertains the audience Sunday at Rose Music Center at the Heights. Gin Blossoms capped three-plus hours of music during a concert that also included Toad the Wet Sprocket and opening band Vertical Horizon.
Jim Davis | AIM Media Midwest
Guitarist Jesse Valenzuela, left — a founding member of alternative rock band Gin Blossoms — takes the lead on guitar while bandmates Scott Hessel (drums) and lead singer Robin Wilson join in on the song.
Jim Davis | AIM Media Midwest
Robin Wilson — lead singer for alternative rock band Gin Blossoms — interacts with the crowd Sunday night during the band’s concert at Rose Music Center at the Heights.
Jim Davis | AIM Media Midwest
By Jim Davis
HUBER HEIGHTS — Rock music fans got a chance Sunday to prove Matt Scannell right.
Prior to visiting Huber Heights, the Vertical Horizon singer said he hoped the evening of music would help bring people together through a common bond: a love of music.
“I think that live music has an ability to bring us together and I feel like that communal experience is something we all deeply need right now,” Scannell said during an earlier interview with AIM Media Midwest. “As human beings we need that communal bond. I profoundly believe that we are stronger together and there’s a joy to everyone lifting their voices in unison.”
Sunday’s packed house at Rose Music Center illustrated Scannell’s point to a “T.”
Fans could be seen singing along throughout the Aug. 18 evening — not only to Vertical Horizon’s hits, but also those of co-headliners Toad the Wet Sprocket and Gin Blossoms.
Vertical Horizon helped get the three-plus hours of music rolling with an energetic 30-minute set, including the band’s 2000-hit “You’re a God,” as well as “Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)” — a song Scannell wrote that went on to be a hit for country artist Gary Allan.
Scannell and bandmates John Wesley, Mark Pacificar and Ron LaVella added a cover of The Cure’s “Love Song” before closing with one of Vertical Horizon’s biggest hits: “Everything You Want.”
Twenty minutes after Vertical Horizon’s set, Toad the Wet Sprocket lead singer came on stage to greet the full house grinning from ear to ear. He and his bandmates played for just over an hour and kept much of the crowd on its feet with familiar hits ranging from “Fall Down” and “Walk on the Ocean” to the massively popular “All I Want.”
Gin Blossoms closed out the evening with a parade of their hit songs, opening with “Follow You Down” before jumping into an hour-plus string of songs that included “Allison Road,” “Found Out About You” and “Hey Jealousy.”
For more information about the bands from Sunday evening’s show in Huber Heights, visit their official websites at: www.verticalhorizon.com , www.toadthewetsprocket.com and www.ginblossoms.net .
