Terrible MSG1 review in the NY Post
nycnpt
Posts: 74
Read the article and then email <!-- e --><a href="mailto:dan.aquilante@nypost.com">dan.aquilante@nypost.com</a><!-- e --> and let him know what you think about it.
Limp show could have been Vedder
Had Pearl Jam played Thursday's Madison Square Garden concert at a smaller hall, the band's energy -- and the dynamic stage presence of frontman Eddie Vedder -- might have saved the day. But they played the arena as if it were a club -- and the fans who filled the Garden paid the price.
First, there was no video projection system. From the back wall of the Garden to the lip of the stage, it's almost a quarter-mile, so the majority of the audience was denied any real visual detail. Did Vedder contort his kisser into the ugly face when he sang "Severed Hand" early in the set? You'd have to ask somebody who sat up front; even the eagle-eyed would have a hard time confirming it was actually Vedder up there.
The band's sound system was another problem. The acoustics weren't just a little muddy, they were the Mississippi. Lyrics were mostly indiscernible during the set, which ran for more than 30 songs.
It wasn't so bad on tunes such as "Jeremy" and "Leash," two of the band's best-known numbers. On those, what we couldn't hear with our ears we heard in our heads. But on the less familiar, deep-vault cuts, Vedder's lyrics were little more than garbled jibber-jabber, more noise than poetry.
Other than the shirtless, drunk, fat guy in my far-back section who broke a seat by jumping on it, the fan reaction cooled the farther you were from the stage.
The exceptions came during the night's two brightest songs: a cover of The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me" and Pearl Jam's own anthem "Alive," which was played in the show's last breaths. These two songs illustrated why Pearl Jam still matters -- but for the most part, Pearl Jam and Vedder coulda been better.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/m ... z0omNLGkSY
Limp show could have been Vedder
Had Pearl Jam played Thursday's Madison Square Garden concert at a smaller hall, the band's energy -- and the dynamic stage presence of frontman Eddie Vedder -- might have saved the day. But they played the arena as if it were a club -- and the fans who filled the Garden paid the price.
First, there was no video projection system. From the back wall of the Garden to the lip of the stage, it's almost a quarter-mile, so the majority of the audience was denied any real visual detail. Did Vedder contort his kisser into the ugly face when he sang "Severed Hand" early in the set? You'd have to ask somebody who sat up front; even the eagle-eyed would have a hard time confirming it was actually Vedder up there.
The band's sound system was another problem. The acoustics weren't just a little muddy, they were the Mississippi. Lyrics were mostly indiscernible during the set, which ran for more than 30 songs.
It wasn't so bad on tunes such as "Jeremy" and "Leash," two of the band's best-known numbers. On those, what we couldn't hear with our ears we heard in our heads. But on the less familiar, deep-vault cuts, Vedder's lyrics were little more than garbled jibber-jabber, more noise than poetry.
Other than the shirtless, drunk, fat guy in my far-back section who broke a seat by jumping on it, the fan reaction cooled the farther you were from the stage.
The exceptions came during the night's two brightest songs: a cover of The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me" and Pearl Jam's own anthem "Alive," which was played in the show's last breaths. These two songs illustrated why Pearl Jam still matters -- but for the most part, Pearl Jam and Vedder coulda been better.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/m ... z0omNLGkSY
96- Ed in Pvd, NYC 1, Hartford, Ft Lauderdale
98- Hartford, BOS 1&2
00- Bos 1&2
03- BOS 1,2&3, NYC 1
04- BOS 1 &2
05 - Borgotta 1&2
06 - Albany, CT, BOS 1&2, NYC 1&2, Vegas
08- MSG I & II - EV Solo NYC 1&2
10- BOS, MSG2
11- Ed PVD, NYC1
And a ton more. 85 shows and counting
98- Hartford, BOS 1&2
00- Bos 1&2
03- BOS 1,2&3, NYC 1
04- BOS 1 &2
05 - Borgotta 1&2
06 - Albany, CT, BOS 1&2, NYC 1&2, Vegas
08- MSG I & II - EV Solo NYC 1&2
10- BOS, MSG2
11- Ed PVD, NYC1
And a ton more. 85 shows and counting
Post edited by Unknown User on
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we all know what took place
2008: Camden 2, Hartford
2010: Hartford
2013: Wrigley, Worcester x2, Hartford
2015: NYC
2016: Philly 2, MSG x2, Boston 2, (TOTD Philly 2, MSG)
2018: Prague, Krakow, Berlin, Boston x2
2022: San Diego, Sacramento, Las Vegas
You were probably in the sweet spot. I sat right in front of the soundboard at Philly 2 and it sounded hideous. Just muddy, indistinct echo. East Rutherford '06 was bad too. I couldn't hear a fucking thing that was going on. A waste of time & money!
2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
2017: RRHoF 4/7 2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4 2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18
2022: MSG 9/11 2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
http://www.facebook.com/jennytree
SMELL YER MA!
I missed the screens at KC and Hartford too, most especially at KC back of the floor, they help a lot then.
2000 - 8/23, 8/24, 8/25, 8/29, 8/30
2003 - 4/29, 6/18, 6/21, 7/2, 7/3, 7/11
2004 - 9/28, 9/29
2006 - 5/12, 5/13, 5/24, 5/25
2008 - 6/27, 6/28, 6/30
2010 - 5/15, 5/17, 5/21
2013 - 10/15, 10/16, 10/19, 10/25
2016 - 4/29, 5/1, 8/5, 8/7
fixed.
I will say that we sat in two totally different areas of the arena for the MSG shows - for #1 we were section 81, row 4 (basically center court on stone's side) and for #2 we were 210 about 6 rows up (basically in line with Mike but elevated) - and I thought the sound was MUCH better on Thursday night...I literally could hear every word, and trust me I am not the lyric guy in this household (my wife is). The sound was more of an issue on Friday night IMO, and my sister-in-law said the same thing two songs in.
The Boston show had the WORST sound I think I have ever heard. I was on the floor about 15 rows back in front of Stone. It was horrendous, but that place is known for that. I thought Hartford's sound was pretty good, but again we were side stage about center court on Stone's side. I don't know, maybe that's a good spot.
Bottom line, I think it has everything to do with where you sat, how much you follow these guys, and what you expect going in. These shows were killer, and there's not a person on the planet that could sell me otherwise.
Newspapers matter not to me,
No more crowbars to my head,
I'm trading stories with the leaves instead