By October 2000, Incubus were a year into the band's upward trajectory following the release of Make Yourself the year before. Their evolved sound now leaned hard into the more nuanced, romantic side of their songwriting as opposed to the group's earlier funk-metal approach, and newfound fans couldn't get enough of hit singles like "Drive," "Pardon Me" and "Stellar." The last of the bunch made for a gorgeous performance on David Letterman (one of many for the group) that really captures the California rockers on the precipice of superstardom. An usually fully-clothed Brandon Boyd remains mostly still, focused on his delivery with closed eyes and a firm grip on the microphone.
The Letterman rendition is faithful to the recorded version of "Stellar" and showcases the group's practiced talent and tight musicianship. It's easy for Boyd to become the focal point as a frontman with model good looks, but he and his bandmates onstage willfully evaded that pitfall and presented themselves instead as a unified front. It's a skill that Incubus still put to use today, as they play shows celebrating the 20th anniversary of Make Yourself. Watch above for a nostalgic flashback to early Aughts and the band on the cusp of their major breakthrough.
