In Defense of Nickelback [PICTURES]

I’m not a fan of Nickelback. But after meeting the band last night that might change.

Nickelback gets a bad rap. They spent a good portion of their pre-show meeting fans at a backstage barbecue prior to their show at Darien Lake. For people who have said lead singer Chad Kroeger has a huge ego, I didn’t see it. He joked with us, answered questions about the band and seemed genuinely engaged.

The strange thing about Nickelback is just how normal they are. I guarantee that bassist Mike Kroeger, Peake and drummer Daniel Adair could’ve gone shopping at the Walden Galleria, and nobody would have blinked. If it wasn’t for those super-cool rock star shirts (I’ve got to get me one of those), I would’ve never known they were in the band. Plus, they’re Canadian, so they naturally dress better than us anyway.

Nickelback gave their backstage guests a copy of the setlist, which was nice for planning out bathroom and beer breaks and knowing when to cover your ears for their massive pyrotechnics. But it was a high-energy show, and much different from what you’d expect from a band that is known for their ballads.