Page 40 - ION Indie Magazine JanFeb 2022

Aaron Lewis is not only a mega talent but a
heck of a nice guy! I had the opportunity to
chat him up a bit backstage. I was leaving the
dressing room and there he was…leaning
against a wall having a smoke. As I greeted
him and extended my hand, he said,
“Kiki…right?” which sort of floored me that he
remembered my name from soundcheck. I
mentioned to him that he’s apparently
“everywhere” these days – in fact, ION Indie
Magazine just had the opportunity to
photograph him and his band Staind and he
was featured in our recent issue…and now,
here we are again…who’d have thunk? He
chuckled at that.

There’s no pretense to Aaron…he’s as real as
it gets. He is also quite passionate about his
love of America and his concerns with the
direction of our country. I complimented him
on his song “Am I The Only One.” If you
haven’t heard this song yet, seek it out and
give it a listen. I get emotional each time I hear
it…another Lewis musical masterpiece!

I went out in the audience to fully enjoy
Aaron’s set with Marty. We sat in the front row
and took it all in. Aaron has a laid-back style
and his banter with the audience is casual and
feels quite intimate…like you are sitting at the
neighborhood bar throwing back a beer and
shootin’ the shat. His vocals are an event of
their own…seriously magnificent! He held the
rapt attention of the audience, capping his
performance off with “Am I The Only One.”
Spellbinding!

All in all, I thought it was both a memorable
and meaningful evening…and I’m definitely
not the only one!