Bobby Amaru, lead singer of Saliva, just went on an exclusive intimate acoustic tour with two stops in NC and VA. Friday, April 2, he was in Jacksonville playing at Hooligans. The night was stacked with a full bill of local musicians in an intimate acoustic show. Local metal and rock favorites played acoustic sets, offering fans a great surprise to their music.
Lauren Langley, solo singer, opened the night. She sang originals and covers from Harry Styles and Maroon 5. Her voice was incredible and paired with guitar, it was very soothing lending a great coffee shop vibe.
Rock duo, Solid Hallow, was next. The male/female set had some great harmonies and an Evanescence-esque sound.
Defile the Crown was the band that surprised everyone that night, as they’re a very heavy metal band. The full band lined up with their bass player, an acoustic guitar and a box drum. Their set was great acoustic and the hormones between the singer and guitar player were better appreciated in the intimate setting. They ended their set with a great cover of Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive.”
North Carolina favorite Faith and Scars was next. Their 5-man band was pared down to 3, but it was still a wonderful set. Faith and Scar has toured with Saliva previously, so this was the perfect fit to accompany Bobby’s show. The trio performed originals from their newest album, as well as classic Faith and Scars songs, and my favorite cover of Purple Rain.
Finally, Bobby came on stage to a warm welcome where fans traveled from as far as Florida to see him. The intimate setting allowed him to interact with fans like never before, lending a conversational back-and-forth among the audience. The most incredible part of his set was his casual discussion about being 3 years sober, he then performed a song from his new side project, Misery Down, called “Rebos” (Sober backwards) about his sobriety journey. This song was so powerful talking about what it’s like to long to be sober.
The rest of his set included Saliva classics like “Ladies and Gentleman,” “Always,” and of course “Click Click Boom.” He did covers of other rock classics from Guns n Roses, Alice in Chains and Led Zeppelin.
If he ever does another acoustic tour and you have the opportunity to see him, go get tickets and see this show!
Setlist
Ladies and Gentleman
Won’t Back Down
Rooster
Rebos
Patiences
Rest in Pieces
Cant You See
In the Air Tonight
Always
Click Click Boom
*Montage*
Skid Row
Baby I’m Going To Leave You
Hit Me Baby One More Time
Champagne SuperNova
Living on a Prayer
Man in the Box*
Dream On
