Hinder is a band that you have probably forgotten about. Their three hit singles still get radio air time on LAZER 103.3 now and again, but Hinder never really made it to the level of recognition that some other post-grunge/hard rock bands rose to. And you know what? That’s a good thing for all of us. 

Instead of paying $30-$50 to go see some of the more glorified “hard rock” acts like Three Days Grace or Shinedown at a giant arena or outdoor festival, you can go see Hinder at a small club like the Val Air Ballroom for around $20. Don’t be lured by the fact that you can actually name current singles from Three Days Grace or Shinedown; that fame isn’t worth the price. I’ve seen all three of these groups, and although they all are good performers and have roughly the same amount of musical ability, guess who put on the best show… 

Yep. Hinder did. I paid the least amount of money and didn’t have to push and shove my way to the front of the crowd to see the band that put on the best show. Everything they played was loud, clean, and tight: What else do you need from a good rock concert? 

Perhaps the most impressive part was the level of energy these guys maintained throughout their set. It’s not like this was a particularly important show, they could have just gone through the motions and split. Instead, they played like they meant it. The vocalist belted melodies out at the top of his range. The guitarist played his solos with that lead guitarist flair, stepping up to the stage and holding the neck of the guitar out as he played, somehow getting the crowd to watch his fingers move from fret to fret. The drummer was lifting his sticks off the drum heads about 80x higher than necessary, and even the bass player was playing complex grooves that I’m willing to bet weren’t on the studio albums. 

Hinder saved their two biggest hits, “How Long” and “Get Stoned,” for their encore. Why? Because they didn’t need the singles to hold up their set. They were able to get the audience engaged without playing anything familiar. Their showmanship and musical talent is enough for any true rock fan to enjoy.