Lifehouse
tackles Downtown Disney
By Cynthia Tom
Summer On-line Forty-Niner
 Jason
Wade claims he can barely speak English.
Of course, anyone who has heard his voice
and lyrics as the front man for Lifehouse
will know he’s just joking. And anyone who
hasn’t heard music from Lifehouse’s double-platinum
debut album or its follow-up will have the
opportunity Monday when the band performs
at the House of Blues in Anaheim.
“Playing so close to L.A. is unique because
our friends and family will be able to come
out and see the show,” said Jason Wade,
who also plays the guitar for Lifehouse
and co-founded the band in Agoura Hills,
a Los Angeles suburb, with bassist Sergio
Andrade. “There’s definitely a distinct
L.A. vibe, and the House of Blues is a classic
venue for a rock band. They have one of
the best-sounding rooms.”
Wade and Andrade will share the House of
Blues’ stage with brothers Rick Woolstenhulme,
the band’s drummer, and Sean Woolstenhulme,
the band’s guitarist. Wade, also, plays
the guitar.
Since the band got their start in live performances,
they have realized the importance of it
today.
“Performing live is like re-experiencing
what the music is all about,” said Wade.
“Every concert makes our songs take on a
whole new meaning. It’s kind of spiritual,
and the songs feel alive.”
He also says half of Monday’s set will be
from the band’s debut album, “No Name Face,”
and the other half will be from its second
release, “Stanley Climbfall,” with a cover
of George Harrison’s song “Something.”
This nod to the past seems appropriate for
Wade, whose mother taught him to play the
guitar when he was 14. He must be a natural,
because in just eight years he co-founded
the band, signed a record deal, recorded
two albums, appeared on stations from CNN
to MTV and toured with bands such as The
Rolling Stones and Pearl Jam.
“It’s definitely happened quickly,” said
Wade. “We’ve been touring so much at such
an early stage, but we know it’s important
to slow down and take in everything. So
often we don’t realize that the most significant
moments of our lives are happening until
after they’ve passed.”
Wade considers the band’s roots to be the
highlight of his career, including early
performances, meeting their first fans and
the first couple of times, the band heard
its debut single, “Hanging By a Moment,”
on the radio.
And since the debut of “Moment,” there has
been a notable growth in Lifehouse’s fan
base. Whereas the guys were once pleased
to find they had fans outside of California,
they have since toured Europe, Australia
and Japan.
Despite all it has accomplished, the band
continues to look to the future.
Rick Woolstenhulme said that he hopes to
someday collaborate with Foo Fighters’ front
man Dave Grohl.
That is not to say that he is ungrateful
for the company he is in.
Of Lifehouse’s song writing process, Rick
said, “We just lock ourselves in a room
and get creative. We try to think less and
play more.”
It’s clear, also, that Wade, as his lyrics
to Lifehouse’s second single, “Spin,” suggests,
wouldn’t change a thing.
“If I weren’t in the music business, I’d
be working at a fast food place, just because
I don’t think I’d be good at anything else,”
he said. “I don’t think I could do anything
but play music.”
“Being in the band is a lot of pressure,
but I love what I do and I love the life
I have right now. I’ll be happy if I can
continue to grow musically, put out records
and stay in the music business,” he said.
Lifehouse will perform Monday at 8 p.m.
at the House of Blues in Anaheim’s Downtown
Disney District
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