Rock • HIM put on a melodic laden rock
show at the House of Blues Sunset Strip.
Matthew Wilkinson-Summer Forty-Niner
30
Seconds to Mars kicks off summer touring
By
Matthew Wilkinson
Summer Forty-Niner
Assistant Diversions Editor
Unmotivated, uninspired and just plain awful celebrity bands are a dime a dozen
in Hollywood, but Jared Leto will fight to the death to defend his rock quartet.
Best known for his roles in “Requiem for a Dream,” “Fight
Club” and “Alexander,” the 34-year-old actor has made great
sacrifices on his acting career to pursue his rock ‘n’ roll dream.
When he and his brother Shannon moved out to Los Angeles, Jared started going
to acting auditions — even though he had no experience — and he
and Shannon kept playing music together and later formed 30 Seconds to Mars.
The group signed to Virgin Records in 1998 and began writing its debut CD.
The ambitious self-titled release came out in 2002. Shannon played the drums
and Jared wrote everything else himself.
The disc was a remarkable blend of the Cure, Nine Inch Nails and U2. It was
dark, melodic rock with a bite. But when it came time for Jared to start writing
the follow-up, he wanted to do something different.
“On the first record I created a world, then hid behind it,” Jared
said. “With ‘A Beautiful Lie,’ it was time to take a more personal
and less cerebral approach. Although this record is still full of conceptual
elements and thematic ideas, it is ultimately much more wrapped around the heart
than the head.”
It was hard to find time to write the CD, while constantly traveling and filming.
When it was done he had written the album in five different countries on four
different continents.
The follow-up also marked the first time the Leto brothers let anybody in the
studio to help the group write. Guitarist Tomo Milicevic and bassist Matt Wachter,
who both toured for the band’s first album, both helped Jared shape his
song visions. They helped write and produce the record, but it was Jared who
had the final say.
The biggest challenge 30 Seconds to Mars had to face was earning credibility.
30 Seconds to Mars is the dream he and his brother have always had. Jared knows
he could be making millions playing leading roles in movies, but this album
and tour have taken precedent over that. He was even offered a starring role
in a Clint Eastwood movie, and had to say no to “one of his heroes” so
he could support the album.
When Jared takes the stage and looks over the sold out crowd at the Avalon
in Hollywood, you can see the excitement in his face. Decked out in suits and
covered in blood, the band kicked off with title track “A Beautiful Lie” before
transitioning into old favorite “Capricorn.”
Although the Leto brothers are very much the face of the band, Milicevic and
Wachter come alive on stage. You can tell they both really love the music they
are playing and have fun competing with Jared’s vocals to see who can
be louder.
The band powered through “Buddha for Mary,” “The Story,” “The
Battle of One” and “Attack” before it took a 10-minute break
offstage.
The band returned with a string quartet and played fan favorites “A Modern
Myth,” “Hunter” and “From Yesterday.” They finished
by playing “The Fantasy” and a bunch of black and white balloons
fell from the ceiling to commemorate the evening.
30 Seconds to Mars will continue touring through the summer and will play select
Warped Tour dates and Lollapalooza.
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