AVRIL LAVIGNE
with GOB and SIMPLE PLAN
UIC Pavilion - Chicago, Illinois
April 19, 2003
Photos by Niva Bringas / Review by Ashley Winkiel

The current  Avril Lavigne "Try To Shut Me Up Tour" marched into the UIC Pavilion on April 19th. The crowd was primarily  young females. Some were very young.  The fashion influence of Avril definitely was proudly displayed.
 Some fans were accompanied by parents, aunts and uncles and other patient adults.


    The show opened promptly with GOB. The relatively unknown group failed to win over the audience with  their excessively loud booming beat and inaudible lyrics. The numerous references to Chicago being a f---ing awesome place were rude and unnecessary . Simple Plans bassist David joined the group for one number to the delight of some fans but most were happy when they finished.


    Simple Plan was a welcome change. They opened up and immediately encouraged the audience to “jump” along with their high energy music. The band members are vocalist Pierre, lead guitarist Jeff, David on bass, Seb on guitars and Chuck on drums.

    Pierre and David were wearing their trademarked "Role Model" shirts. The crowd was very pumped as they moved through songs -- "You Don't Mean Anything", "The Worst Day Ever", "Grow Up", their latest hit "Addicted".

    Next Pierre encouraged the crowd to light their lighters or neon sticks and wave them to "Perfect".  SP then surprised everyone with a couple of quick lines from Eminem's "Lose Yourself" , Fifty-Cent's "In the Club" and a trip to old school with Vanilla Ice's, "Ice, Ice Baby".  They turned back to partying Simple Plan style with a crowd roaring performance of "I'd Do Anything".


    The final song was "I'm Just a Kid", a reminder to stay young at heart. Plan's set was constant raw energy with endless jumping and spinning.  Upon leaving the stage fans were reminded that Avril was coming  up soon, as if they possible could have forgotten...!


    During the break, the crowd chanted "AVRIL, AVRIL".  Soon, an illuminated image of "Try To Shut Me Up" shown brightly on the curtain indicating the time had finally arrived.

    The curtain dropped abruptly and Avril made her grand entrance to screaming, excited fans and opened on a strong note with her first hit single, "Sk8er Boi".  Avril was wearing her typical wardrobe of a black cami and green fatigue pants. The stage was large with lots of room for Avril to move around and move around she did!   The girl was bounding all over the the stage throughout the night's performance.

    There were three huge video screens that kept up with the live action and a light show that seemed to emphasize the blue and purple spots...perhaps her fave colors???

    Avril kept the momentum going with enthusiastic deliveries of "Nobody's Fool", "Mobile", and "Anything but Ordinary".  At this point the crowd was pumping their fists to the music and hanging on every word and note.  The fans joined in singing as Avril offered up her current radio smash ,"Losing my Grip".

    She got us "Naked" next and followed it up with "Too Much To Ask," which was dedicated to all the ladies who have waited for a phone call when a guy says he's going to call and never does.   Avril really went wild with an in your face version of "I Don't Give a Damn".  

    Another highlight of the evening was the delivery of "My World", which was followed by the mega-hit "I'm With You".   Magic was in the air as the crowd echoed every word that their snarly little rock darling sang.  Even when Avril paused, the song continued flawlessly from the audience.

    Avril brought two fans on stage to help sing "Complicated".  After Avril sang "Unwanted," a cannon burst of purple confetti showered the audience as the lights dimmed and the video monitors went to static.  Avril and the band
walked off to thundering applause.

     Avril soon returned to show her softer side as she sat to sing "Tomorrow" with her guitarist Evan strumming at her side.  Avril left us the final time with "Things I'll Never Say". 

    There is a lot of pressure on Avril with her first ever tour being a full-on headline arena tour.   She did seem a tad bit tired from what must be a hectic and stressful road trip, but still managed to keep the audience in the palm of hand from start to finish.

    She gets high props for delivering a rock solid show that will mostly likely stop tongues from wagging about her just being a flash in the pan pop star.  She's the real deal to the kids who follow her and that's good enough for rock 'n' roll!