Bush 2.24.15 Best Buy Theater

Photos by Joe Papeo | Words by Audra Tracy

Most forty-nine year old dads don’t spend their nights sweating it out on stage, serenading a sea of of female rock fans who stand panting at their feet. But, you know, most forty-nine year old dads aren’t married to Gwen Stefani either. Yes, Gavin Rossdale is pretty much loving life lately, as his band Bush is back on the road celebrating both the release of a new album and the 20th anniversary of Sixteen Stone.

At Best Buy Theater in Times Square, Stars in Stereo and Theory of a Deadman opened the show before Rossdale took his rightful place behind the mic.

The headliner was eager to introduce songs from Man On The Run, which came out this past December. Tunes like the “Just Like My Other Sins”, “The Only Way Out”, and “Broken in Paradise” were deep and introspective, giving fans a snapshot of the alt-rockers as adults. The audience was supportive as Rossdale explained the sentiment behind the new tracks, but let’s be honest – that’s not what got them in the door tonight.

Sixteen Stone was definitely the star of the show, and all of the fan favorites from the 1994 record made the cut, from “Everything Zen” to “Little Things”, which closed out the set. It seemed like Bush planned to go out with a bang, saving all the smash hits for the very end.

A roaring “Machinehead” kicked off the encore, and from here on out the crowd was screaming along to every word of the performance. Soon the band exited the stage, leaving Rossdale to go it alone on a stirring take of the 90’s rock anthem, “Glycerine”. An unlikely Talking Heads cover, “Once In A Lifetime”, lightened the mood a bit before Bush brought it home with “Comedown”.

Bottom line? Twenty years later, Gavin Rossdale can still steal your girlfriend.

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