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Post by pantsgoblin on Sept 30, 2023 10:26:33 GMT -5
I am here at the new MSG venue in Vegas, the Sphere. This is opening night. U2 is going on in about an hour. MSG spent approximately a gazillion dollars building this venue. I want to see what it can do.
Update post-concert: It is pretty dang cool! The venue allowed cell phones in, and U2 encouraged the audience to take photos and video and post it online. I am pretty sure EVERYONE filmed at least one of the songs. This should be flooding YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. I don't know how the screen effects will translate to 2-D videos, though.
Definitely some of the most fun visual effects are the way the visual projections can seem to reshape the room into a square space, or seemingly project 3D images. That was very cool!
Also, Paul McCartney was at the concert. At one point Bono remarked that he thinks this venue was what would have solved the Beatles' touring problems. Um, yeah. I sometimes wonder what Paul McCartney thinks about all the advancements in concert audio tech, and how that all came decades too late for his band.
U2 Play Achtung Baby Deep Cuts For The First Time In 30 Years At Las Vegas"Trying To Throw Your Arms Around the World" is a personal favorite of their songs.
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Post by Desert Dweller on Sept 30, 2023 16:50:53 GMT -5
I didn't actually like the live performance of this one. I'm not sure what was missing, but it lacked some life.
Honestly, the band seemed a little overwhelmed by the visuals in a couple of places. And when the band you are talking about is U2, that is really saying something. When I saw the setup, I texted a friend and said, "I wonder if Bono will actually like this place, since I know he likes to be closer to the audience." The stage is so small and bare, it relies entirely on projecting the band on the screen, rather than letting the band itself get close to the audience.
Also not helping was an audience full of celebs and Vegas high rollers. So that truly great performances by Bono and the band of some of the "Achtung Baby" tracks received a lukewarm response. (Though, not in my section.)
And it seemed like Bono was a bit unsure of actually playing Achtung in full like that. And while I personally thought they absolutely CRUSHED the final 4 songs, there is no doubt that it is a bit depressing and intense to do all those in a row. I wonder if they should have mixed them up amongst the other songs? I don't know.
Edited to add: They actually played "Achtung" out of order, but I am wondering if they should have also played other songs in between those songs.
The 3D image projections seem like they could be utilized in some very cool ways. Additionally, there is a gorgeous sequence in this show where the screen turns into a display of the actual city of Vegas, as if the walls were removed and you are actually outside. And then the city is dismantled building by building, and you are left in the open desert. This looked so good that I googled for who was responsible for this particular effect. Ha! Industrial Light and Magic.
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Post by Desert Dweller on Oct 3, 2023 17:10:22 GMT -5
I searched a while on YouTube for someone who had the correct angle video of U2 doing "The Fly" at the Sphere the night I was there. This is the one that does something pretty cool with the way the giant LED screen can make it appear as though the room is being reshaped. Too many people recording this one are zooming in when they should be zooming OUT to capture this. And too many were taken from extreme side angles that won't give you the correct perspective.
This one is way up, but centered. So, it has the correct angle. About 1:25 through the song is when they start playing with perspective. And around 3:18 is when they start a cool effect wherein the LED screen made it look like the walls and ceiling are closing in on you, and creating a square or rectangular room.
This one, "Even Better Than The Real Thing" was almost nausea-inducing because of the perpetually scrolling image that moved downward. The speed this moved at made it feel like the the stage was rising. In some videos of this on YouTube you can hear people screaming "Are we MOVING?!"
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Post by MyNameIsNoneOfYourGoddamnBusin on Oct 7, 2023 8:18:07 GMT -5
Last night, The Violent Femmes doing their first album (although out of order and "Blister In The Sun" twice with only one song in-between) backed on most songs by the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra. I think I would like all classical music better if someone was shouting "Why can't I get just one fuck?" over it.
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Post by ganews on Oct 24, 2023 19:31:45 GMT -5
24 hours from now I'll be watching a band that I truly thought I would never get to see live: Kings of Convenience. Three albums in nine years, then nothing for twelve years. They haven't even been in the US for a decade. Their European tours tend to be, like, eight dates in Germany/Denmark/Norway. Half of the eastern seaboard fanbase is going to condense on this one show, I'm going to have to get in line like three hours early.
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Post by ganews on Oct 26, 2023 10:45:22 GMT -5
24 hours from now I'll be watching a band that I truly thought I would never get to see live: Kings of Convenience. Three albums in nine years, then nothing for twelve years. They haven't even been in the US for a (ETA over a) decade. Their European tours tend to be, like, eight dates in Germany/Denmark/Norway. Half of the eastern seaboard fanbase is going to condense on this one show, I'm going to have to get in line like three hours early. Simply amazing, an all-timer for sure. Also one of the rare shows that Wifemate appreciated as much as me, even though she was only lightly familiar with the duo from me playing them around the house. We got there a full three hours before door open, the first time I have ever literally been first in line. (They have like ten engagements in the US on this tour, and all of them sold out so who could say; other people gut behind us about 30 minute later.) So we were dead center on the front rail in the 2000-capacity club.
Two-thirds of the set was just the two and their guitars, then they brought out bass and drum players for a few more songs. Technically amazing to watch them play, not that I know anything. Quite good stage patter, having the audience snap instead of clap or sing the Feist vocals.
Someone in the audience fainted during the clapping at the end of the encore, which led to the strangest end to a concert I have ever been to. Eirik and Orlend stood on stage looking concerned, the audience shifted around quietly, then when the person was okay everyone just kind of dissolved away. Actually this was the third show on the tour and third show where one or more audience members fainted; they even talked about the previous two on-stage earlier in the night! Probably it's because people who normally can't stand up for hours in a GA show are pushing themselves to go out for a band that you have a very real chance of seeing once in a lifetime.
After a little break Orlend came back on stage to do a DJ set and sign a few autographs (I got a handshake). Wifemate scored a setlist while I was at the merch table, and later Eirik came out and signed my tour poster. We would have stayed even longer but the DC metro only runs so late.
The only thing I would change would be to have a viola player come on stage to fill out a few songs, like on some album tracks. I also noted they didn't play "Toxic Girl", their first hit and the song that made me notice them over 20 years ago. Lots of bands don't play the biggest early song live, but that just deepens the mystery about whether the lyrics are/were supposed to be sympathetic or satirical.
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LazBro
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Posts: 10,021
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Post by LazBro on Nov 2, 2023 9:27:28 GMT -5
Tonight!!!
Protest the Hero, Moon Tooth, The Callous Daoboys, w/ local support NYGMA
What a jewel of a line up. I really like all three bands, and Moon Tooth in particular have been near the top of my "must see" list for years now. They're an act I would have shelled out to see as part of any package. Just for them. But to get them here finally and supporting Protest, possibly a top 5 of all time band for me, is simply incredible. And it was only $38, fees and all, and free parking at the venue. I didn't even know this tour was happening until two weeks ago. Randomly checked out Moon Tooth's Facebook and saw the bill, like, "No way!"
Just going by my onesies, which I really don't mind. I work alone from home, so I get plenty of time to myself, but I don't get a lot of time to myself while out of the house. Not a lot of time to interact with or even be around other people. This work day can't end soon enough.
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monodrone
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Come To Brazil
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Post by monodrone on Nov 16, 2023 17:13:51 GMT -5
Going to see TOOL next summer.
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monodrone
Prolific Poster
Come To Brazil
Posts: 2,551
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Post by monodrone on Nov 17, 2023 16:30:42 GMT -5
On the flip side of that, I'm currently at a The Clash tribute act gig and fuck me this is boring. I thought punk was supposed to sound urgent and lively but this is not that.
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Post by pantsgoblin on Nov 17, 2023 16:55:26 GMT -5
On the flip side of that, I'm currently at a The Clash tribute act gig and fuck me this is boring. I thought punk was supposed to sound urgent and lively but this is not that. I'm lost in the supermarket... no really, please help.
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Post by The Most Proven Californian on Dec 16, 2023 18:47:54 GMT -5
saw Panda Bear and Sonic Boom on Thursday and they were really good. Person Pitch is one of my fave albums so it was a treat to hear Comfy in Nautica live. Noah's live vocals are excellent, dunno why i was surprised by that but there you go.
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Post by MyNameIsNoneOfYourGoddamnBusin on Dec 22, 2023 17:03:58 GMT -5
My year-end heavily abridged list of shows I saw in 2023:
Fitz And The Tantrums, Margo Price, Bob Weir, Badflower, Fit For A King, White Reaper, The Drive-By Truckers, Skid Row, Inhaler (AKA Bono's kid's band--not that bad actually but the obsessive teenage girl fan base is a real turn-off), The Residents, Molchat Doma (contemporary Belarusian darkwave), Queensryche, Roger Clyne And The Peacemakers, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Wallflowers, Peter Case (who did not play "Million Miles Away"), Father John Misty, Spiritbox, Avatar, Future Islands, The Sisters Of Mercy, Rival Sons, Taylor Swift (professional reasons only), The Struts, Palace, Sloan, The Descendents/The Circle Jerks, Elvis Costello And The Imposters, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds/Garbage, Jackyl, Everclear/Sponge, Dream Theater, Tommy Stinson (playing a private backyard), Steven Adler, Ryan Adams And The Cardinals, The Flaming Lips, Blackberry Smoke, The Dandy Warhols, The Steve Miller Band, Extreme/Living Colour, Gojira/Mastodon, The Warning, Joan Jett, Beck, The Dead Milkmen, The Pretenders, Breeders, Boris/The Melvins, Louder Than Life Festival (featuring Foo Fighters, Tool, Green Day, Pantera, etc. etc.), Explosions In The Sky, Maneskin, The Violent Femmes, Geese, Nick Cave, Amigo The Devil, Grace Potter, Metallica (both nights on their mini-residency), Dying Fetus, Wednesday 13 (doing only Murderdolls songs), Wolfmother, Imminence, Cattle Decapitation, Dirty Honey, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Local H, The Armed
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Post by Desert Dweller on Dec 23, 2023 1:15:03 GMT -5
I think I vaguely knew Bono's kid was in a band, but that comment of yours made me look them up. In the photo that pulled up in the Google results, I could immediately identify which one was Bono's kid, because wow, he looks a lot like his dad.
I wondered why that band in particular would be drawing that kind of annoying female fan base. Are they the youngest band you saw? I didn't know 100% of the artists you listed, but the ones I did know seem like they have been around a bit longer. Or is it something about the music that is drawing a primarily teenage girl fan base?
Hmmm, you say they aren't bad. Maybe I'll give them a listen.
Otherwise, though, wow, that seems like a fun group of concerts to see.
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Post by MyNameIsNoneOfYourGoddamnBusin on Dec 23, 2023 6:40:54 GMT -5
I think I vaguely knew Bono's kid was in a band, but that comment of yours made me look them up. In the photo that pulled up in the Google results, I could immediately identify which one was Bono's kid, because wow, he looks a lot like his dad. I wondered why that band in particular would be drawing that kind of annoying female fan base. Are they the youngest band you saw? I didn't know 100% of the artists you listed, but the ones I did know seem like they have been around a bit longer. Or is it something about the music that is drawing a primarily teenage girl fan base? Hmmm, you say they aren't bad. Maybe I'll give them a listen. Otherwise, though, wow, that seems like a fun group of concerts to see. They're certainly on the young end of the spectrum, but not the youngest. A large number of shows I see are through working in the business and we get a lot of on-the-way-up teen-ish pop future stars (I didn't list any here because they were pretty interchangeable and I doubt anyone here would know any by name). I'm not completely sure why this band in particular is getting the teen girl fanbase--they're just a pseudo-indie rock band with really nothing special about them sonicly or appearance-wise I liked them enough but actually thought their opener sounded better. Aside from nodding him into the building, I didn't really personally interact with Bono-spawn, but one of our security guards who did said he was normal guy friendly and had no idea until later what his provenance was.
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Post by The Sensational She-Hulk on Feb 14, 2024 16:55:01 GMT -5
I decided not to pay $99 for general floor tickets to see Bikini Kill at Baltimore Soundstage in July, but I did decide to pay $99 for a seat to see Stevie Nicks in Hersheypark Stadium in June. I'm so excited. And my mom is coming, too!
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Post by pantsgoblin on Feb 19, 2024 14:14:32 GMT -5
I'm not seeing the Ween 40th Anniversary concerts, fan though I am. Never been diehard rock concert guy and once was enough for them in 2001. My main memories of that are them debuting "Zoloft" 2 years prior to Quebec and that they seemingly sincerely dedicated the show to Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who had just died.
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Post by Lurky McLurk on Mar 18, 2024 7:25:18 GMT -5
Saw Pixies last night at Kentish Town Forum, playing Bossanova and Trompe Le Monde. Very, very good, as you would expect for a band who've been doing this for such a long time* and Francis was surprisingly personable. Some slight limitations due to the format of playing two albums straight through - they had to change guitars between nearly every song in Bossanova, and to be honest Trompe Le Monde loses steam for a bit on Side B.
*apart from the bassist who I could barely recognise as Paz Lenchantin, before finding out later that Paz left the band a couple of weeks ago. Anyway, the replacement bassist they got in for the tour did fine.
London public transport late on Sunday night, however, is not so good.
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Post by ganews on Mar 19, 2024 20:37:43 GMT -5
Aw yeah, I just found out that Beck is touring and playing shows backed by local orchestras! I am 100% going to see him with the National Symphony in Virginia this summer.
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Post by Desert Dweller on Mar 19, 2024 22:51:30 GMT -5
Aw yeah, I just found out that Beck is touring and playing shows backed by local orchestras! I am 100% going to see him with the National Symphony in Virginia this summer.
Very cool. Closest one to me is Los Angeles. I looked it over, but I can't see how to purchase tickets for just that event. Seems like it is only letting me purchase with a package of 3 different shows. Obviously I cannot stay in LA for that long. Ah well. I can't really afford it anyway.
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Post by ganews on Apr 7, 2024 18:35:30 GMT -5
We went to a joint performance of the Univ. Maryland wind ensemble and the local community band. I haven't been to any kind of orchestral performance in years, so that was a nice way to spend a couple hours. I like musical and dramatic performances by non-professionals; not perfect even to my non-expert ears but pretty good, cheap or free, and you know they appreciate having an audience.
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Post by Desert Dweller on Apr 8, 2024 1:07:24 GMT -5
We went to a joint performance of the Univ. Maryland wind ensemble and the local community band. I haven't been to any kind of orchestral performance in years, so that was a nice way to spend a couple hours. I like musical and dramatic performances by non-professionals; not perfect even to my non-expert ears but pretty good, cheap or free, and you know they appreciate having an audience.
I assure you, professionals appreciate having an audience, too.
I occasionally go to the concerts at my university. It's honestly a bit jolting to realize how far below professional they are. It is a nice reminder of how great the players are in my symphony. The university has one advantage, though, in that they player newer music more often, since they aren't concerned about ticket sales. And I like hearing the students work on this newer stuff.
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Post by Desert Dweller on Apr 21, 2024 3:26:17 GMT -5
I've reviewed musicals here before, so now I'll go ahead and review an opera.
A friend gave me tickets to see "Don Giovanni" for my birthday. This is being performed this weekend and next by the big state opera company. This happens to be my favorite opera of all time. I took a co-worker who'd never seen it.
Woo! Wonderful! Damn, this is truly a great opera. It lives up to the hype every time.
Gotta say, however, that this was perhaps the tamest performance of this opera I've ever seen. Very, very timid in characterization and staging. The libretto and score still pack enough punch to make up for that, but I prefer a bolder, darker take on this material. The opera cries out for it, honestly.
Still, the singers were all great. Loved the guy playing Giovanni. The woman playing Anna had a beautiful voice. Production design was great, very good use of digital screens and effects. The climax scene worked wonderfully!
Had a few minor quibbles (and one larger one) but overall, this was a ton of fun. The co-worker who came with me had only seen one other opera before. ("Tosca") She said she liked this one a lot more. Well, yeah. This is the best opera of all time! Of course you do! She said she was surprised by how darkly funny it is. Yeah, Da Ponte's libretto is fantastic.
Very very good!
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Post by Desert Dweller on Apr 22, 2024 18:04:48 GMT -5
As an addendum to that post above: There is a final denouement scene in "Don Giovanni" that a lot of modern productions leave out. This production I saw left it in. I can definitely say that this scene should be cut. It is superfluous.
When the climax scene of your opera features literal demons dragging your protagonist to hell, it is okay to just end with that. You don't need to have a final scene with the one witness to this recapping it to the other characters, and then all those characters moralizing to the audience, "See, this is what happens to wicked people!". Mozart, you put literal demons on stage who drag your protagonist to eternal damnation in the fiery abyss of hell. That's all you need to say.
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Post by pantsgoblin on May 1, 2024 8:39:00 GMT -5
Slowdive w/ Drab Majesty
Most age-diverse crowd I've seen in a while, everything from teenagers to gray-hairs who were fans in their '90s heyday. For the latter, Slowdive threw a bone with the set's second half mostly cuts from Souvlaki.
Talk about a band I never thought I'd see in a million years when I was a shoegaze head in the late '90s, as I bought into the critical drubbing. But Souvlaki and Pygmalion have aged pretty well and the 2 records upon reforming are quality. Really, though, I'm betting this will be my one chance to see a significant band of first-wave 'gaze and it was satisfying. Drab Majesty were OK.
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