Collective Soul’s Ed Roland shares stories ahead of their debut shows in Las Vegas
When we talked on December 16, he mentioned his brother was in town for the Raiders-Falcons game. I told him I’d be there too, and we ended up making a friendly bet on the game. He took the Falcons, and I went with the Raiders.
The reason we were chatting was that Collective Soul was about to perform at The Venetian Theatre for the first time. The band started back in 1992, and their hit “Shine” really took off in 1994. Their second album went triple-platinum, which is pretty impressive.
Ed also shared a funny story about a trip to Vegas years ago when he was in a band with Angie Bowie. They drove from Atlanta to L.A. and then to Vegas, but they had no hotel room booked. His dad was in town for a Southern Baptist convention, and they ended up getting a room for a much lower price after some negotiation.
Fast forward to now, and Ed’s recent trip to Vegas was much smoother. He took the whole band to see U2 at the Sphere, and he said it was an amazing experience. He described Collective Soul as a “strange rock ‘n’ roll band” because they genuinely enjoy each other’s company.
Oh, and about that bet? The Falcons won 15-9, so I owe Ed dinner. We’ll be dining at a restaurant named after a famous Vegas rock star, and I’m sure we’ll be the loudest table there.
If you’re looking for something to do, the Jazz Vegas Orchestra is performing at Vic’s Las Vegas on Wednesday night. It’s a great show with a cool theme, and all the proceeds go to a good cause.
Also, Clint Holmes is back at Myron’s at the Smith Center on Thursday night, and his show is always a hit. It’s going to be a fun week in Vegas!
