David Cook couldn't be a nicer guy. Friday night before a Mahaffey Theater crowd of about 1,300, Cook praised his fans, his band and his opening acts to the hilt and generally self-effaced all over the stage.
Nice seldom equals rock 'n' roll greatness, though, and if Cook's music succeeds on its own modest terms, it's only because he aims squarely for the middle.
Cook's band seemed willing to go for the throat, with occasional bursts of raw power in the middle of songs. Oddly, though, the toughest playing of the evening came on a pair of '80s pop covers. Cutting Crew's "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" and Johnny Hates Jazz's "Shattered Dreams" were roughed up but good, with Cook and Co. sounding similar to Foo Fighters.
But at least he comes across as likeable, even if his songs aren't particularly memorable. Like most performers with any level of success, he's lucky to be where he is. To his credit, Cook knows that and acknowledges it.
If nothing else, Cook's music was nowhere near as faceless as that of opening act Green River Ordinance. Everything from their look, their stage moves and their music suggest a band that's spent more time trying to find its way to the top than finding its sound.
Sandwiched between Cook and Green River Ordinance was The Script. The Irish quartet turned out to be the best thing about the evening, despite the singer's aggressively annoying manner - imagine Kyle McLachlan playing Justin Timberlake and you're not even close. The Script follows in Maroon 5's footsteps, alterna-rock boys faking R&B, but the band's enthusiasm and musicianship - the drummer was amazing - carried the day.
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