June 8, 2010

Nickelback: Their Critics are Mixed but Their Tribe Loves ‘em

On June 3rd my wife and I attended a Nickelback concert at GM Place in Vancouver. It was the last gig of the band’s recent tour and it was (as usual) a sold-out event. We had a great time. These guys are incredibly dynamic and are brilliant musicians. The last concert I attended was Santana a few years ago and Nickelback was head and shoulders above that event.

I have always been confused why the media (in particular the Canadian media) gives the band mixed reviews while they continue to attract a loyal Tribe of raving fans and earn more music awards than most other musicians.

Nickelback is a Rock band that presents itself as you would expect - loud music with lyrics that can be heard and understood by only their Tribe with edgy language and occasional profanity. Nothing new here.
However, I see aspects of Nickelback that make them special and truly distinctive:
> They respect and engage with their Tribe both on and off-stage. Nurturing the Tribe is a priority for these guys and they do it well.
> They work on creating an enjoyable experience above and beyond their music. Chad and Ryan banter back and forth; the audience is allowed in to see more of the personal aspects of the band members.
> Their performances are consistent, delivering exactly what is expected of them at every event. No surprises for the Tribe. They always know what to expect.
> They don’t pander to the media. Why should they? I think it is a brlliant strategy:  ignore them and they will ALWAYS be interested and they will ALWAYS talk. 
> Behind ‘The Show’ is a group of nice guys with the humility persona becoming of their Canadian roots.

A bit of a surprise to most I suspect, however, is that they have chosen to contribute to a higher purpose; a greater good than entertaining; they are MORE than Rock Stars.

Treana Peake, wife of guitarist Ryan, has established The Obakki Foundation; a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting - from their website - “humanitarian causes by finding and nourishing creativity in all pockets of the world. It offers people hope, empowerment and the chance to learn and grow. It’s about giving people the opportunity to be creative; to use thoughts, ideas, art, and fashion to stand up and participate in improving their own lives—and the lives of their family, friends and neighbors.”

Nickelback is an avid supporter of Obakki. Helping the underprivileged is something that each one of them cares about and they collectively show it by contributing some of their hard earned bucks.

Nice.

Check out Obakki, Treana’s blog (a great read by the way) and the things she and her organization are doing to try to make a difference. And join her Tribe if it resonates with what YOU care about.

Thanks, Roy

 

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Posted 6.8.10 at 05:59 am by Roy Osing | Read Comments (0) | Leave a Comment