| Author | Message | ||
     C Gull Member Username: C_gull Post Number: 8 Registered: 05-2005 |
and we can't help it - Robert's quote of the night. Another great night. Much the same set as Brighton with a few welcome additions Make Her Day, Right Here, People Say, The Devil's Eye and King of Mirrors which was a stand out. Other highlights Draining the Pool(again), fabulous version of The Clock and a storming Here Comes a City. Grant seemed the most relaxed I've seen for a while and was really on form including a great The Statue - this time the marraccas were put away before he started singing and he left the guitar alone as well, he then strutted round the front of the stage almost like Tom Jones, did n't see any underwear being thrown though! Other points of note - Glenn playing guitar (can't remember what on though) and also sharing a mike as backing singer on Finding You (prefered it with drums) and a change of lyrics in Cattle and Cane 'Witing for a Chnace' substituted by 'Learning how to dance'. | ||
| Chris S Member Username: Chris_s Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2005 |
Is it me or has that Barbican show injected something extra into the band? The playing seemed to have moved up an order of magnitude tonight. If this is combined with the strength of the album does this mean that the band has a new sense of worth? One example: the full band version of Cattle and Cane. | ||
| Richard Lim Member Username: Re17 Post Number: 6 Registered: 05-2005 |
For me last night's gig was a mixed bag. I personally thought the last time they were at Shepherd's Bush (was this post-Rachel Worth - it was the occasion when they were supported by Cousteau, anyhow) was rather better. Last night there were quite a few noticably empty seats upstairs and some of the tunes that have worked better live than on record in the past - The Clock, German Farmhouse, Surfing Magazines - seemed flat to me. And as ever there was a tendency to play too fast (Bye Bye Pride should not be a fast rocker in my book) and not enough variation in rhythms and tempos. But there were obvious high spots as well; for me, Darlinghurst Nights and Just A King In Mirrors were standouts. Drums were way too loud in the mix; the vocals were too low compared to the last time at Shepherd's Bush, when I remember someone sitting next to me remark that you could hear all the words. It was on Mountains Near Delray that Glenn played a bit of (not very audible) guitar - specifically, that enormous semi/jazzer with around eight knobs that Robert is pictured playing during their BBC 6 Music session; I wonder what that guitar is. Richard | ||
| Ian Member Username: Fins Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2005 |
Richard, it may be because you were seated that you couldn't hear the vocals. I was up front and they were fine to me. Everytime I've been in the balcony at a gig the vocals have sounded too low in the mix - now I always get standing tickets. | ||
| Matt Ellis Member Username: Matt_ellis Post Number: 18 Registered: 11-2004 |
For me the Shepherds Bush gig was the best from also going to Brighton and Birmingham. Was it just me or did Robert and Grant seem to have a bit of a spat during the gig? I'm curious to know why Grant turned to face and pointed at Robert during the "You've lost your touch" line on The Statue. I must say that Grants front man stuff on that song was great: a nice variation. He really went for it compared to other shows. I was amused to see the marraccas go straight into the back pocket this time though - he totally gave up on them. Robert and Grant both pointed at the upper circle and Robert seemed to address someone saying something along the lines of "I haven't seen you for a long time" Does anyone have any theories or see anyone? | ||
| Peter Collins Member Username: Tyroneshoelaces Post Number: 2 Registered: 05-2005 |
If only people wouldn' t talk so much during gigs. I blame alcohol. If you can't hold it, don't drink it!! | ||
| Richard Lim Member Username: Re17 Post Number: 7 Registered: 05-2005 |
Robert pointed at a bunch of youngish looking women who were boogieing away, particularly during "Spring Rain". I reckon they were family or old friends. And when I was at Shepherd's Bush a few years ago I was seated in exactly the same place and Grant and Robert's vocals were so much clearer that time. It was not an ideal mix last Saturday. Do listen to tonight's early Go-Bs Peel session on BBC 6 Music! Richard | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2005 |
tom jones? i thought grant's demeanour resembled that of a pathologically shy man who had been instructed to go stage front as part of his therapy.he definitely looked more comfortable behind a guitar. great gig though..i liked the way that the momentum built as the evening progressed and the band/sound warmed up..as for the up tempo versions..perhaps if they played for long enough we would end up with ramones speed..1 2 3 4! | ||
| William Member Username: Weesam Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2005 |
I was stood right in front of the sound-desk, were the sound is supposed to be the best. The sound was awful that night:- huge gaps between the instruments, soggy drums. (the Rachel Worth Shepherd's Bush show was fantastic) | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 2 Registered: 05-2005 |
I was on the level 1 balcony and the sound quality was fine..the mix was not perfect but it so rarely is at live shows | ||
| B. Rider Member Username: Boundary_rider Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2005 |
I was on the bottom level in the middle and it sounded fucking fantastic. Best I've ever seen them play since reformation, and that includes the Barbican gig. This line-up is just beginning to blossom. They just got better and better as the night wore on and I've never heard a London crowd singalong so vociferously. Self-consciousness and any concept of 'cool' went right out of the window. Cattle and Cane has never, ever sounded better too. | ||
| William Member Username: Weesam Post Number: 3 Registered: 05-2005 |
Seems that there are wildly differing opinions on this! Has anyone come across any recordings of the show yet? | ||
| Enrico Bongiovanni Member Username: Boil Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2005 |
It was my first go-b's gig. And I had to make a week-end trip from Italy to go for it! The concert simply amazed and thrilled me, but yes, the audio wasn't perfect. I was standing in the second row a bit on the right side of the stage. I found hard to get many of Grant's licks and little solos. But, most of all, I found the drums sound very weak, without dynamics... But I must say that probably I just don't like how the drummer played, it lacked to me of the right energy (especially in songs like 'born to a family' or 'surfing magazine'). He sounds good on cd but not live, at least to my ears (I wonder if anyone agrees with my opinion) But, anyway, a great concert... GREAT. I couldn't get enough of it even after the three encores. My personal highlight: Draining the pool for you. uh, sorry for my poor english. | ||
| Paul Johnson Member Username: Paul Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2005 |
Sounded pretty good to me on the upper level, in the middle. I tried a couple of different places during the support and traded off view/proximity against quality of sound. Some wonderful moments and not always with the songs you expect. Draining the Pool and Cattle and Cane of course, but Make Her Day and Just a King in Mirrors, and great too to hear To Reach Me, which is a particular favourite. Only managed to see the Shepherds Bush show here so have decided I must catch them again before they leave for the US. Will be going to Cologne so if any other like-minded souls out there, will gladly meet up for a beer beforehand. One drawback I have found is that the theatre have passed all the ticketing services to agencies and whilst the ticket price is fine at 20 Euro, to send it to the UK the agencies want another 35 Euro on top! About the same as the cheap return flight I managed to find in fact. I have mailed the theater to see if they can sort something out but if anyone knows another method of getting the tickets would like to hear. The theatre will be selling tickets on the night and I doubt it will be a sell out, but would still prefer to have ticket secured before leaving. They must be quite popular in Germany though, as there are twice as many shows there as in the UK this time around. Anyway seem to have digressed from this thread – thoroughly enjoyed the terrific performance on Saturday. Oh and Enrico, your English seems pretty much perfect to me. | ||
| B. Rider Member Username: Boundary_rider Post Number: 2 Registered: 05-2005 |
Take your point about Born to a Family, Enrico. It didn't have much zip and was a bit flat. I put that down to it being second song up and the band having not yet got into their stride, but the fact the homepage shows they haven't played it in the two concerts since London indicates they aren't happy with it. They now open with Magic in Here and Baby Stones, leaving Finding You for later, which makes sense to me. Didn't bother me because I reckon 'Born' is the weakest song on the album. Paul, like you I really enjoyed hearing To Reach Me; from that point on the set really took of and the band were flying. Other highlights for me were an urgent, rampant Here Comes a City, Bye Bye Pride (as always), Magic in Here, which I thought Grant sung beautifully, and Robert's guitar solo on Streets, after which Grant said something though I didn't hear what. Oh and Boundary Rider sounded magic too. I was hoping for Apology Accepted among the encores, but Right Here was ample compensation. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 25 Registered: 03-2005 |
You folks are really making me look forward to their shows in the U.S.. I hope they play "King in Mirrors" at the Troub. |