Collective Soul at the Louisville Palace in Louisville, KY 07-JUN-26

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Collective Soul Preach Peace, Grit, and Pure ’90s Glory at the Louisville Palace

Collective Soul didn’t just play a show at the Louisville Palace — they held a revival. For more than 90 minutes, the Georgia rockers turned the ornate theater into a full‑throated congregation, delivering a set that felt equal parts celebration, reflection, and good old-fashioned rock‑and‑roll communion.

“We are a spiritual bunch — we preach about peace, rock and roll,” Ed Roland announced early in the night, and the crowd responded like they’d been waiting all year to hear it. Ed Roland, Dean Roland, Will Turpin, Jesse Triplett, and Johnny Rabb — celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2024 — played with the kind of energy that makes you forget the math. The sound was crisp but warm, guitars carrying that signature Collective Soul crunch: gritty enough to feel alive, polished enough to hit like memory. The rhythm section kept everything grounded without ever slipping into autopilot. It’s a delicate trick — playing songs the audience knows by heart without turning them into museum pieces — and they nailed it.

The band came out swinging, opening with the hard driving “Counting The Days” followed by “Heavy” which hit with its usual crowd‑pleasing force and of course “Shine” — the mega‑hit that refuses to age — turning the Palace into a choir.

One of the night’s emotional peaks came with “Keep It on Track”, introduced with the story of its recording at Elvis Presley’s Palm Springs home. The band followed with a classy, understated tribute to Tom Petty, “Not the Same”, a moment that landed with quiet weight rather than theatrics. Then came the time machine: a deep‑cut dive into “Sister Don’t Cry”, a reminder of just how deep their catalog runs and “She Said” arrived slow, emotional, and beautifully restrained — the kind of performance that makes a theater feel smaller, like everyone’s leaning in at once.

But the night’s most unforgettable moment came during “December.” Ed Roland usually pulls a random fan onstage. This time, he chose his son, Lindsay. The crowd erupted because it was real, honest and true moment. A father sharing his life’s work with his kid in front of a thousand witnesses. A memory carved in stone.

Collective Soul closed the evening as they started it, rocking! “Right as Rain” followed by “Gel” , the always popular “Where the River Flows” finally ending with “Run” with a great acoustic outro with the guys huddled stage left, dancing and clapping as the final chords of the evening were played.

Ed Roland delivered what might be the concert quote of the year: “Tonight is going to be great, tomorrow will be wonderful, and the rest of the year will be beautiful.” It was a fitting mantra for a show that felt like a gift — A night of nostalgia, musicianship, family, and pure rock and roll spirit. A reminder that music can still cut through the noise of the world’s BS and help us all learn to “Gel.”

And yes — it really might have been the best show of the year.

Southern Ohio’s The Summit opened the night with a swampy, blues driven sound and vibe that felt like a cross between The Black Crowes, Humble Pie, and a whole lot of soul. Touring behind their debut album Firebirds and Aviators — produced by Collective Soul bassist Will Turpin — they delivered a tight, energetic set which included “The Soldier I’ve Become” honored servicemen and women with sincerity.

Their all too short time on stage also included “Six Feet Under” showcased their gritty melodic instincts, A fiery cover of ZZ Top’s “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” which lit the room up before closing with a scorching “Set Me Off.” After the set, the band hit the merch table, signing autographs and talking with fans — the kind of grassroots connection that builds lifelong loyalty. The Summit is Chris Scott (Vocals), Mike Hennel (Drums and Vocals), Michael Walker (Bass), Matt Goetz (Guitar), Nathan Morgan (Guitar), James Wiley-Benes (Keys and Vocals).