Concert Reviews

[wrekinboy]

 

Alice in Chains @ Brixton Academy London 7 December

 

One of the best shows I've ever seen - they were monumental. Fantastic setlist:

 

Rain When I Die

Them Bones

Dam That River

Again

Lesson Learned

Check My Brain

Love, Hate, Love

It Ain't Like That

A Looking In View

Your Decision

No Excuses

Black Gives Way To Blue

Last of My Kind

We Die Young

Acid Bubble

Angry Chair

Man in the Box

 

Encore:

Nutshell

Would?

Rooster

 

Brixton is just about the best London venue anyway so that helps (sloping floor, usually not too crowded, space to walk around the side to the bar/toilet, good sound/acoustics).

[tangy]

QUOTE (wrekinboy @ Dec 9 2009, 12:42 PM)

Alice in Chains @ Brixton Academy London 7 December One of the best shows I've ever seen - they were monumental. Fantastic setlist: Rain When I Die Them Bones Dam That River Again Lesson Learned Check My Brain Love, Hate, Love It Ain't Like That A Looking In View Your Decision No Excuses Black Gives Way To Blue Last of My Kind We Die Young Acid Bubble Angry Chair Man in the Box Encore: Nutshell Would? Rooster Brixton is just about the best London venue anyway so that helps (sloping floor, usually not too crowded, space to walk around the side to the bar/toilet, good sound/acoustics).

nice! the one and only concert i have seen abroad was at Brixton back in the early 90's. It was the red hot chile peppers on the mothers milk tour. seemed like a fun venue.

[The Big Money]

Lynyrd Skynyrd God and Guns Tour 11/22/09

 

Workin' for Mca

I ain't the one

Whats your name?

That smell

Saturday night special

Medley:

Whiskey rock a roller

Down south Jukin

The needle and the spoon

Gimme back my bullets

 

Tuesday's gone

Call me the breeze

Gimme three steps

Sweet home Alabama

Freebird

[Xanadu93]

QUOTE (bigmoney2112 @ Dec 9 2009, 04:47 PM)

Lynyrd Skynyrd  God and Guns Tour 11/22/09       Workin' for Mca       I ain't the one       Whats your name?       That smell       Saturday night special       Medley:       Whiskey rock a roller       Down south Jukin       The needle and the spoon       Gimme back my bullets         Tuesday's gone         Call me the breeze         Gimme three steps         Sweet home Alabama         Freebird

Okay... it's the God and Guns tour, yet it's a greatest hits setlist with NOTHING post-original lineup?

[The Big Money]

QUOTE (Xanadu93 @ Dec 9 2009, 07:11 PM)

QUOTE (bigmoney2112 @ Dec 9 2009, 04:47 PM) Lynyrd Skynyrd  God and Guns Tour 11/22/09       Workin' for Mca       I ain't the one       Whats your name?       That smell       Saturday night special       Medley:       Whiskey rock a roller       Down south Jukin       The needle and the spoon       Gimme back my bullets         Tuesday's gone         Call me the breeze         Gimme three steps         Sweet home Alabama         Freebird Okay... it's the God and Guns tour, yet it's a greatest hits setlist with NOTHING post-original lineup? Yeah I thought for sure there would be at least two new songs since every other show they wre playing a couple new songs on the tour.

[Ultra]

Just saw Muse/AFI/30 Seconds to Mars/Vampire Weekend/Metric last night for a festival type show. I really only went for Metric and Muse, both of which were good but played way too short of sets. Metric only had 15 minutes of play time, whereas Vampire Weekend had half an hour, how does that make any sense? Muse also only had about an hour and twenty minutes and consequently had to skip a bunch of songs they normally play like Maps of the Problematique and Undisclosed Desires.

 

Otherwise it was a decent show. Cant wait till April when Muse/Silversun Pickups come go on tour.

[theworkingman]

Didn't 30STM f**k everything up by blowing out their amp? That must have been a disaster. Muse is incredible at their own show and SSPU to add to the bill will be amazing. Are you going to the SF show and Coachella?

[alphseeker]

Morrissey - Swords tour -

Copley Symphony Hall San Diego

 

2nd row awesome seats - i was really nervous going into this one not knowing which moz was going to show up. Was it going to be the one who only played for 45 minutes two nights before? Was it going to be the Moz that canceled the night before? Was it the Moz who last time he came to San Diego walked off during a song and never came back?

 

None of the above - He was gracious and actually apologized for his behavior the last two times he was here. He played 6 Smiths songs and the concert was about 85 minutes which is long compared to his recent tantrums. Of Course singing in a symphony hall with perfect acoustics just made him sound even more like the voice of God, if i knew what God's voice sounded like i would assume he would sing like morrissey -

 

 

 

[Ultra]

QUOTE (theworkingman @ Dec 12 2009, 04:09 PM)

Didn't 30STM f**k everything up by blowing out their amp? That must have been a disaster. Muse is incredible at their own show and SSPU to add to the bill will be amazing. Are you going to the SF show and Coachella?

Heh, they screwed things up a bit, but it wasnt too long of a break and on their last song. I think their set was extended about 10 minutes past their time limit because of it. Still though, thats a good two songs that Muse could have played that they didn't get to. I'm just glad they are coming back in 4 months though, I hadn't seen any SF dates announced for either Muse or Silversun until I saw the flier after the show. Oh, and I'll just be going to be going to the SF show, not Coachella.

[edie]

Saw Magenta and Touchstone at the Peel in Kinston on Thames on Saturday night. Two excellent bands with female lead singers.

 

Missed half of Magenta's set as I had been at work until 3pm and had had to get the train to London after that, but what I saw was their usual solid melodic prog and a good time seemed to be being had by all.

 

Touchstone were a revelation. I've only previously caught the tail end of their set when they were supporting It Bites a year or so ago and had thought "mmm... interesting.... a bit Fish Marillion-y", but they are so much more than that. Much heavier than I expected, still with complicated arrangements and great harmonies. The band were having a great time too, which enhances a gig so much. Seek them out, and enjoy.

 

The Peel is tiny, which is great from the point of view of being very close to the front even when you're right at the back, but they could have filled a larger venue.

 

On Sunday we went to Reading to see It Bites at the South Street arts centre, supported by three of Magenta doing an acoustic set. Unfortunately we missed the first half of this as a consequence of spending too long in the pub with two members of Touchstone and then skating inelegantly (one step forward and two to the side...) on the ice towards the venue.... but they were delightful, as expected, with an unexpected rendition of Kate Bush's Hounds of Love alongside their usual material.

 

And it Bites topped off the evening nicely with a great set including their 1986 single "Calling all the Heroes" which they have re-recorded with several special guests in aid of the Cumbria flood appeal (to be released in January), and an encore of Fairytale of New York with Christina from Magenta. If you haven't listened to It Bites yet, you should. I recommend the Tall Ships, or even better, get yourself to one of the March gigs.

 

Yes I know most of you are from over the pond, but really, isn't it time you visited the UK?

 

 

 

 

[Hatchetaxe&saw]

Paul McCartney - O2 Dublin

 

A work canteen in Dublin, the day after the concert:

 

"So, what did you get up to last night?"

"Went to see Paul McCartney last night, got pissed out of my gourd, had a ball".

"You lucky so and so, what was Macca like?"

"Haven't a clue, can't remember a f*cking thing...."

 

We had great seats, enabling me to watch the soap opera of human flotsam and jetsam stagger to bar, to seat, to toilet, to seat, to bar, to toilet, repeat to fade...

Why these people go to gigs is beyond me. They've paid silly money for a ticket for a gig they'll hardly remember due to either being in the bar queue, toilet queue or too blitzed to remember.

 

The gig. Yes, the gig. This wasn't just a gig. This was Paul McCartney. He's 67 you know.

Sweet Lord, this was one of THOSE shows. 2 hours and 45 minutes full of "is this really happening, pinch me" moments.

From Magical Mystery Tour to The End, there was no let up, and so many surprises too, Macca soloing on a Les Paul to Foxy Lady, picking out Henry McCullough in the audience to thank him for his playing on My Love and playing some fantastic Fireman tunes(cue the barflys to re-start their ritualistic migration).

 

The band were out of this world, their vocal harmonies perfect.

 

The audience sang Hey Jude from start to finish, Pavlovian to a fault.

 

The explosions, pillars of fire and fireworks for Live & Let Die were over the top and fabulous. Come Helter Skelter I was out of mind and out of my seat, headbanging like a demented dervish.

 

Total sensory overload.

 

When I'm 67 I hope to be retired, a successful business handed over to my sons, might be a grandad, still listening to and loving music.

Will I be as cool as Paul McCartney? Not a frigging chance. You can't have it all.

[Ultra]

Just saw Editors last night with The Dig and The Antlers opening up. Editors were pretty great, playing every song off their new album plus a few cuts from their previous two albums. One of the better shows I have been to in the last couple years, but that's likely to it being at the Warfield and being right up against the railing. I even managed to snag a couple guitar picks by talking with the security guard for most of the show, who plucked them off the stage after the set was done. Edited February 9, 2010 by Ultra

[Steevo]

QUOTE (alphseeker @ Dec 13 2009, 01:26 PM)

Morrissey - Swords tour - Copley Symphony Hall San Diego 2nd row awesome seats - i was really nervous going into this one not knowing which moz was going to show up.  Was it going to be the one who only played for 45 minutes two nights before?  Was it going to be the Moz that canceled the night before? Was it the Moz who last time he came to San Diego walked off during a song and never came back?  None of the above - He was gracious and actually apologized for his behavior the last two times he was here.  He played 6 Smiths songs and the concert was about 85 minutes which is long compared to his recent tantrums.  Of Course singing in a symphony hall with perfect acoustics just made him sound even more like the voice of God, if i knew what God's voice sounded like i would assume he would sing like morrissey -

Sounds good. Nice to hear he's still capable of putting on a perfect show. I'm not too fond of his last few albums but would still go to a show if he ever plays Australia again (which is highly unlikely).

[Xanadu93]

Muse/Silversun Pickups - Gwinnett Arena - Feb. 27, 2010

 

I'm no concert expert, due to living in a smaller town that doesn't get many big acts, so I can't accurately tell you what the perfect show is. But I can tell you that Muse were damn close Saturday night, rocking Atlanta for about two hours with a set full of their hits like "Time Is Running Out", "Supermassive Black Hole", "Plug In Baby", as well as newer tunes like "Uprising", "Undisclosed Desires", the Queen-influenced "United States of Eurasia", and the first movement of their "Exogenesis" symphony. Playing on a stage featuring three rising platforms - one for each member of the band - that rose periodically, including once for a bass/drum jam - with bassist Chris Wolstenholme on the same platform as drummer Dominic Howard. Guitarist/vocalist Matt Bellamy was no slouch, going back and forth between guitar and piano.

 

Opening act Silversun Pickups received good reception for being a lesser-known band, though most of their set failed to get the crowd energized. I had the misfortune of picking up their most recent effort and only listening to it once, so I was mostly unfamiliar with their material, though a few tunes sounded vaguely familiar.

 

I couldn't find Silversun Pickups' setlist, so here's Muse's setlist.

 

1. Uprising

2. Resistance

3. New Born

4. Map of the Problematique

5. Supermassive Black Hole

6. MK Ultra (dropped 1/2 step, I believe)

7. Interlude

8. Hysteria

9. Nishe

10. United States Of Eurasia

11. Feeling Good

12. Guiding Light

13. Helsinki Jam

14. Undisclosed Desires

15. Starlight (also dropped 1/2 step, I believe)

16. Plug In Baby

17. Time is Running Out

18. Unnatural Selection

 

Encore:

19. Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 1: Overture

20. Stockholm Syndrome

21. Knights of Cydonia ("Man With a Harmonica" intro)

[Xanadu93]

And now, a very special message from Xannydew (ok, not really special)... I'm going to go a little more in-depth. The songs from The Resistance got pretty good reception. Their bigger hits ("Supermassive Black Hole", "Starlight", Time is Running Out", "Plug In Baby") got excellent crowd response. "Starlight" just might have been the pinnacle of perfection tonight, with the entire crowd singing along. That was absolutely magical.

 

The crowd did not seem as into it as they were when I saw Green Day here back in August (to me, at least, they weren't jumping around up in the stands like they were at that show) but the floor had probably twice as many people as last time, and they more than made up for it. The crowd knew the lesser-known tunes about as well as they knew the hits, which is always nice.

 

"Plug in Baby", which had been showing up in the encore recently, was used towards the end of the set - a bit of an odd chose IMO, as it screams "ENCORE" almost as much as "Knights of Cydonia" - which, by the way, was probably the best song to use to close the show.

[Blenderhead]

QUOTE (Xanadu93 @ Feb 28 2010, 01:06 AM)

And now, a very special message from Xannydew (ok, not really special)... I'm going to go a little more in-depth. The songs from The Resistance got pretty good reception. Their bigger hits ("Supermassive Black Hole", "Starlight", Time is Running Out", "Plug In Baby") got excellent crowd response. "Starlight" just might have been the pinnacle of perfection tonight, with the entire crowd singing along. That was absolutely magical. The crowd did not seem as into it as they were when I saw Green Day here back in August (to me, at least, they weren't jumping around up in the stands like they were at that show) but the floor had probably twice as many people as last time, and they more than made up for it. The crowd knew the lesser-known tunes about as well as they knew the hits, which is always nice. "Plug in Baby", which had been showing up in the encore recently, was used towards the end of the set - a bit of an odd chose IMO, as it screams "ENCORE" almost as much as "Knights of Cydonia" - which, by the way, was probably the best song to use to close the show.

Looking at the setlist, I don't see any "lesser-known" songs on there. Muse has so many hits it's not surprising the crowd knew all the songs.

 

I have a the HAARP DVD and it is spectacular. I had to miss the Muse show around my area due to school and hope they come back around soon. Everyone I've talked to said they are the best live act the had seen in a long time.

[Ultra]

Saw Metric last night. They were good, but they played far too short of a setlist and I dont know how well the material from the new album translates to a live setting. They only played 13 songs, and only 4 of which were from previous albums. It was nice to hear so much new material, but hopefully they will extend their setlists later on.

 

Openers were Codeine Velvet Club, a scottish swingy type band with a male/female singer duo and a sax & trumpet player in addition to guitars/bass/drums. They were ok, had an "interesting" version of The Stone's 'Gimme Shelter'. Nico Vega was the first opener and wasn't very impressive, took the music way too seriously on almost a Spinal Tap level.

[tripdad]

Saw TSO tonight in Akron. Decent show, but not nearly as good as their winter tour. Set much smaller since they are doing smaller venues. Light show was decent though - no pyro. Set list was good although they didn't play as much from Night Castle that we thought they would. They sound was decent, but the volume seemed low. We were up close though so maybe since the PAs were positioned pretty high up we didn't catch them that well. Biggest thing we all agreed we did not care for was the story reading was way overboard - too long and too much.

 

This was the second show of this new tour. Overall we enjoyed it, but prefer the winter set. I would recommend going

[Jaye]

Ah! I thought the forum would be down by the time I got back, and that I wouldn't be able to make this post!

 

I really enjoyed the Tull gig tonight! Unfortunately, our drummer Paul didn't... I can't understand why. I thought it was great!

Opened with Dun Ringil with just Ian and Martin on the stage. The other guys came on after that. And we had one of Ian's solo songs, Eurology, and one of Martin's, I think Ian said it was called Bug. I'd never heard Bug before, I liked it.

They rocked out on Aqualung! Encore was Locomotive Breath.

Oh, and I have to mention this - At one point, someone in the audience shouted out something which I didn't catch, even though he was rather loud.. But Ian just sat there calmly and said "Tourette's Syndrome, I believe it's called. Quite unfortunate..." And we all laughed and clapped. You da man, Ian!

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull5.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull9.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull10.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull14.jpg

This was the only leg lift I manage to get, and someone's head was partly in the way! Every time he did it, I wasn't holding my camera, and as soon as I picked it up he stopped!

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull19.jpg

Bug

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull22.jpg

Nice drum solo too! Quite short though, but I've been spoiled, of course.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull24.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull25.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull29.jpg

Some of them came out a bit blurred, but I still quite like this one.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/Jett_Moonwing/1Subalbum/JoTull33.jpg

Ian moved just as I tried to get the goodbye group shot!

[Kid_Gloves]

I saw Stone Temple Pilots in Louisville, KY on March 30th.

 

A little background...

STP is my 2nd favorite band. I got into them when I was in middle school. I really wanted to see them in concert but my parents said I was too young, and I could see them next tour...Well, they broke up soon after that. THERE WAS NO NEXT TOUR

 

So, I FINALLY got to see STP...and it was incredible. They played 4 new songs that will be on their next album (to be released May 25th) and they were fantastic.

 

Here are a few pictures I took at the show.

 

http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp359/RushForSutherland/stp1.jpg

 

http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp359/RushForSutherland/stp6.jpg

 

http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp359/RushForSutherland/stp11.jpg

 

Yay

 

 

 

[progrush2112]

Just got home from MUSE. Probably one of the better concerts I've seen. Didn't know many of the songs played, because I really only know their hit songs (Starlight, Knights of Cydonia, etc.). But damn do they put on one hell of a show, and that stage setup is UNBELIEVABLE!

[Ultra]

Saw Spoon last night on the last stop of their Transferance Tour. They played 24 songs all together, and had a few guest players from Deerhunter for a few songs. Very cool show all around.

[Ultra]

WOW!

 

Went to see Thom Yorke's solo band tonight, and shit was f***ing crazy. Not only did we get an extra song inserted into Thom's solo set, (he usually does 3, but we were given 4), but we got a second encore. Never before have I been to a show where after the band leaves the stage, after the lights go on, after the house music comes on, not a single person has left the theatre and everone is still screaming and stomping. We stood there nearly 10 minutes raising hell. At one point a stagehand tried to come on stage to dismantle the gear and we booed him off. Then the band finally came back on to play a Joy Division cover and everyone went nuts.

 

This was one of the best shows I have seen in a LONG time.

 

Setlist:

The Eraser

Analyse

The Clock

Black Swan

Skip Divided

Atoms For Peace

And It Rained All Night

Harrowdown Hill

Cymbal Rush

 

Encore 1:

Open The Floodgates (Thom Yorke solo, Skirting on the Surface false start before)

Skirting On the Surface (Thom Yorke solo)

Airbag (Thom Yorke solo on acoustic guitar)

The Daily Mail

Paperbag Writer (Radiohead cover)

Judge, Jury and Executioner

The Hollow Earth

Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses

 

Encore 2:

Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division cover)

[Steevo]

QUOTE (Ultra @ Apr 16 2010, 08:43 PM)

Airbag (Thom Yorke solo on acoustic guitar) Encore 2: Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division cover)

Nice one, thanks for the review

[Stormtron]

Saw Mastodon last night and it f'n ruled. Best Mastodon show I've seen yet. They did all of Crack the Skye again, and it was cool, but the place really came alive during the second half. Closing with March of the Fire Ants and Blood and Thunder was freaking epic. My neck hurts and I can't hear. Great show.

 

Setlist:

 

Oblivion

Divinations

Quintessence

The Czar

Ghost of Karelia

Crack the Skye

The Last Baron

Crusher Destroyer

Crystal Skull

I Am Ahab

Capillarian Crest

Ol'e Nessie

Circle of Cysquatch

Aqua Dementia

Iron Tusk

March of the Fire Ants

Blood and Thunder

 

 

Bonus cool points: The drummer from Municipal Waste was there and gave my wife props on her Rush shirt and said he was stoked for the tour.

 

Valient Thorr and Between the Buried and Me were awesome too. The singer from VT is entertaining as hell. I'd like to see them in a smaller venue.....lots of energy.