I have been able to enjoy watching and listening to Chris's music for a little while now after a deep sadness kept me from being able to enjoy it. Going back into the many memories over the years that he had gifted my wife and I through our many concert experiences and spending a little time speaking with him and meeting him has been more difficult. These past few posts have made me smile and think back to the many joyful times spent in different cities meeting people along the way and hearing so many songs for the first times that I never thought I would ever hear. There have been so many special moments along the way, but I will share a few of my favorites to hopefully express from my perspective how truly sincere and kind this man was to these fans.
At a solo show we went up to Milwaukee in April 2011. My wife had made a shirt with the name of the song she wanted to hear and threw it up to Chris from the rail. I was filming with the camera on the stage (which Chris was ok with) he played the request! Then later in the set we called out an additional song and said "hey C'mon where's my hat or shorts that's how this works!" He played the second request anyway! Neither were on the setlist.. Super Cool of him..
the Next year in Miami he had not been playing "Say Hello" all leg of the tour, and we had just seen four shows in a row. We had shorts, hat, shirt ready for him.. He played Say Hello and Wooden Jesus for Us neither on the Setlist.. the guy loved his fans.. he was so personable... What is better than having a piece of music you want to hear more than anything, and having him play it when you have never heard it or haven't all tour. Just awesome!
The below show was on my 2 year sober anniversary (12 years next week God willing) and was a very special day for me. I attended with my wife and brother. We made two signs as requests. He played BOTH! He spoke to us for quite some time and said the band had not rehearsed "The Day I Tried To Live" but they would give it a try and played a flawless version. They later played played "Pretty Noose" as well for us.. he then gave me his setlist. That was on the setlist and would have been played anyway but he made us feel as though it was for us. Lol
This was from PJ20.. as we heard the rumors of the TOTD reunion I had made this sign. I was third row both nights in front of Mike and each night he came out and smiled and pointed at it. A few years later spent a little time with him and he said "that's the sign from PJ20". He signed and personalized it to my wife and I along with a beautiful poster photo from that night I had and a Purple vinyl. He then asked if he could please have a copy of the photo / poster so he could frame it on his wall in his house. He said that was one of his favorite memories. We spoke that night just my wife and him for about twenty minutes about life and music.
When I had the opportunity to work on the Temple Bluray project for the record label. I would get reports back from him of my work editing the songs. That was super cool to know he was watching the work I was doing and the notes were always complimentary.
It was poorly advertised, because the advertising for the deluxe edition of the ToTD release said all the video was on the DVD, but they actually included some of the video on the bluray (that was supposed to be audio only). The Bluray contains about a half hour of ToTD footage from PJ20. There's the songs from sonic evolution too. The youtube link monkeewrench posted was the director's cut of the footage on bluray (the guy continued to tweak the editing after it came out).
It was poorly advertised, because the advertising for the deluxe edition of the ToTD release said all the video was on the DVD, but they actually included some of the video on the bluray (that was supposed to be audio only). The Bluray contains about a half hour of ToTD footage from PJ20. There's the songs from sonic evolution too. The youtube link monkeewrench posted was the director's cut of the footage on bluray (the guy continued to tweak the editing after it came out).
I agree.. very poorly advertised.. The 2 songs from Sonic Evolution are Great!!!!
As far as the PJ20 stuff the guy did continue to tweak the editing. lol
I was not happy with the insistence to use straight cuts instead of fades, as straight cuts were used in the other footage on the disc, and their software were picking up imperfections in the transitions for itunes quality control, due to the fact that we had multiple formats and cameras being used. I explained that this was not the standard project with all professional equipment. It was all HD1080, but the equipment and countries of origins and frame rates varied. I used footage from a guy in Sweden, and Brazil etc... I used the best footage I could find along with some our best local tapers, and then leaned heavily on the Professional Filming of Kevin Shuss provided by the band filmed in the Pit. I was under a short time clock and did tweak a few different things afterwards. This cut also includes the Ed introduction of Chris and Happy Birthday to the band before night 2 performance kicks in. That footage was left on the chopping block from the Blu-ray. All in all this version is the version that I much prefer watching and is also of a higher fidelity and quality. The Bluray was compressed due to factors that are somewhat confusing to me..
1994 - Pensacola, Miami, Atlanta - 1995 - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, New Orleans (Tickets to Phoenix, Las Cruces, Austin, Shows Canceled) - 1996 - Randalls Island, Randalls Island, Charlotte, N.Charleston, Ft. Lauderdale - 1997 - Oakland-1998 - Alpine Valley, Alpine Valley, Chicago, West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach - 2000 - West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Phoenix, Las Vegas (10th Anniversary Show) - 2003 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville, Camden, Camden, MSG, MSG - 2004 - Kissimmee, Fl - 2006 - Irving Plaza, Albany, Hartford, Denver, Denver, Las Vegas - 2007 - Ed w/ Jack Irons & Flea in LA - 2008 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Columbia, Camden, Camden, Washington D.C. - 2009 - L.A., San Diego, Philly Spectrum Night 3 & 4 - 2010 - New Orleans, Columbus, Indianapolis, Hartford, MSG, MSG - 2011 - Ed - Hartford, Providence, Boston - 2011 - Alpine Valley X2 (PJ20), Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver - 2012 - Ed - Ft. Lauderdale x2, - 2012 / 2014 Beautiful Daughter "Emily" born 11/07/12. On the bench for 3 years! She's really cute though! - 2015 - Mexico City - 2016 - Ft. Laud, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Greenville, Raleigh, Columbia, Philly 1 & 2, Toronto 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2, Wrigley Night 1 & 2 - 2016 - MSG, San Francisco, San Francisco, Seattle, Seattle (TOTD) - 2018 - Seattle 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2
I think I can speak for any taper, Filmer, editor, artist etc.. Every time we work on one of these projects or are at a live show documenting something magical, the hope is that we can share it with those who love it as much as we do.
I try to do the best that I can with whatever I work on because I deeply love the music and I am really neurotic. lol The Temple Of The Dog shows were something that were so special and rare to me that I really put all that I could into those projects. The San Francisco Multi-cam was a journey.. lol
I always joke with my friend Allon that I try to be such a perfectionist not because I worry about what anyone else will notice or think about my work, but because for the rest of my life I am the guy who loves this stuff so much I will be watching it a million times. I don't want to miss something and say, "Damn, maybe I should have done this, or I missed that," It will eat away at me.
Not that I am perfect at any of this stuff, but I try my best, and know these guys here like Matt, Allon, Vikas, Manish, Steve, VG, Datfly and all the other guys I'm forgetting taping and Editing put there all in to this stuff. Sometimes sacrificing a night or nights of a tour of their live experience for the rest of us.
Post edited by steved on
1994 - Pensacola, Miami, Atlanta - 1995 - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, New Orleans (Tickets to Phoenix, Las Cruces, Austin, Shows Canceled) - 1996 - Randalls Island, Randalls Island, Charlotte, N.Charleston, Ft. Lauderdale - 1997 - Oakland-1998 - Alpine Valley, Alpine Valley, Chicago, West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach - 2000 - West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Phoenix, Las Vegas (10th Anniversary Show) - 2003 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville, Camden, Camden, MSG, MSG - 2004 - Kissimmee, Fl - 2006 - Irving Plaza, Albany, Hartford, Denver, Denver, Las Vegas - 2007 - Ed w/ Jack Irons & Flea in LA - 2008 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Columbia, Camden, Camden, Washington D.C. - 2009 - L.A., San Diego, Philly Spectrum Night 3 & 4 - 2010 - New Orleans, Columbus, Indianapolis, Hartford, MSG, MSG - 2011 - Ed - Hartford, Providence, Boston - 2011 - Alpine Valley X2 (PJ20), Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver - 2012 - Ed - Ft. Lauderdale x2, - 2012 / 2014 Beautiful Daughter "Emily" born 11/07/12. On the bench for 3 years! She's really cute though! - 2015 - Mexico City - 2016 - Ft. Laud, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Greenville, Raleigh, Columbia, Philly 1 & 2, Toronto 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2, Wrigley Night 1 & 2 - 2016 - MSG, San Francisco, San Francisco, Seattle, Seattle (TOTD) - 2018 - Seattle 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2
Well so far the SF Bluray is awesome. I can imagine how much work went into it maybe.
Thanks!
yes it is a lot of effort, but I wouldn't call it (work). It is a total labor of love, and for me always a team effort. I always need and want help. The collaboration with these guys have been great. We seemingly want to achieve the same thing, the best quality footage we can make available to fellow fans who love what we love.
But, Yes I did spend a long time on the San Fran.. my wife and I camped out and were first on line. I had a great spot front row to film the entire show. Chris had been pretty cool to allow me to film if I kept the camera down by the rail.
I was able to track down three other awesome complete HD sources and Allon (MFC) got me Fantastic audio. Then the real party started.. lol
I spent months slowly with no particular deadline editing song by song, watching back at night and making many changes before I would finalize each song.. in the end I think I got the most out of the footage I had to work with. I think it documents the night well. It was a special night. It was a clean energetic performance with very few errors by any band members, directly in the middle of the most special of tours.
Then I sent it out to Antero (Animal Projects) to Author a Bluray, and then Monkeewrench for some great artwork.. The Bluray I authored wasn't playing in certain machines..lol (not my area of expertise)
Antero is excellent at authoring Blurays, more notably he really enjoys the process, where I do not. Lol
Matt (BTN) helps me with authoring from time to time, in addition to being awesome at editing and putting out all of the PJ shows he continues to do. He is great at authoring as well. They are both much better at that then I am. (His TOTD Multi Cam Edit from Philly 1 is on YouTube and BluRay. It is Really Great!)
BTW... this San Fran is worth watching the one cam shot from front row with no edits synched with the better audio source also.
Post edited by steved on
1994 - Pensacola, Miami, Atlanta - 1995 - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, New Orleans (Tickets to Phoenix, Las Cruces, Austin, Shows Canceled) - 1996 - Randalls Island, Randalls Island, Charlotte, N.Charleston, Ft. Lauderdale - 1997 - Oakland-1998 - Alpine Valley, Alpine Valley, Chicago, West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach - 2000 - West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Phoenix, Las Vegas (10th Anniversary Show) - 2003 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville, Camden, Camden, MSG, MSG - 2004 - Kissimmee, Fl - 2006 - Irving Plaza, Albany, Hartford, Denver, Denver, Las Vegas - 2007 - Ed w/ Jack Irons & Flea in LA - 2008 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Columbia, Camden, Camden, Washington D.C. - 2009 - L.A., San Diego, Philly Spectrum Night 3 & 4 - 2010 - New Orleans, Columbus, Indianapolis, Hartford, MSG, MSG - 2011 - Ed - Hartford, Providence, Boston - 2011 - Alpine Valley X2 (PJ20), Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver - 2012 - Ed - Ft. Lauderdale x2, - 2012 / 2014 Beautiful Daughter "Emily" born 11/07/12. On the bench for 3 years! She's really cute though! - 2015 - Mexico City - 2016 - Ft. Laud, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Greenville, Raleigh, Columbia, Philly 1 & 2, Toronto 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2, Wrigley Night 1 & 2 - 2016 - MSG, San Francisco, San Francisco, Seattle, Seattle (TOTD) - 2018 - Seattle 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2
Really cool to hear about the process. Thank you again...I don’t think there’s another word to describe this tour beside holy, and that was even before Chris passed. I’ll check out Philly 1 next. I managed to get to 5 of the 8 shows and with your vid it now feels like 6. I can’t believe next week is the first anniversary of the first show.
listening to Higher Truth right now. this one STILL hurts.
That album totally grew on me. The first time I listened to it, I had wished it was more stripped down than it ended up being (in my head all I wanted was an album with Chris and an acoustic guitar.... just like the solo shows he'd being doing). The more I listened to it, the more the album grew on me. Now it's by far my favourite of his solo albums......
you and I were fire, fire fireworks that went off too soon And I miss you in the June gloom too It was the fourth of July
Atlanta, GA 8/7/00...Atlanta, GA 4/19/03...Columbia, SC 6/16/08...New Orleans, LA 5/1/10...East Troy, WI 9/3/11... East Troy, WI 9/4/11... Atlanta, GA 9/22/12...Greenville, SC 4/16/16...Nashville, TN 9/16/22
A buddy of mine reminded me last night it was a 2 years ago this week we did a bunch of Chris solo shows together. Here is some front row footage I filmed from Miami and St. Pete, Fl.
Sounded great to me.. True to the soul of the song.. Only a snippet, but It felt good in the right places to me... Wold love to know how to get the whole song..
1994 - Pensacola, Miami, Atlanta - 1995 - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, New Orleans (Tickets to Phoenix, Las Cruces, Austin, Shows Canceled) - 1996 - Randalls Island, Randalls Island, Charlotte, N.Charleston, Ft. Lauderdale - 1997 - Oakland-1998 - Alpine Valley, Alpine Valley, Chicago, West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach - 2000 - West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Phoenix, Las Vegas (10th Anniversary Show) - 2003 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville, Camden, Camden, MSG, MSG - 2004 - Kissimmee, Fl - 2006 - Irving Plaza, Albany, Hartford, Denver, Denver, Las Vegas - 2007 - Ed w/ Jack Irons & Flea in LA - 2008 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Columbia, Camden, Camden, Washington D.C. - 2009 - L.A., San Diego, Philly Spectrum Night 3 & 4 - 2010 - New Orleans, Columbus, Indianapolis, Hartford, MSG, MSG - 2011 - Ed - Hartford, Providence, Boston - 2011 - Alpine Valley X2 (PJ20), Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver - 2012 - Ed - Ft. Lauderdale x2, - 2012 / 2014 Beautiful Daughter "Emily" born 11/07/12. On the bench for 3 years! She's really cute though! - 2015 - Mexico City - 2016 - Ft. Laud, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Greenville, Raleigh, Columbia, Philly 1 & 2, Toronto 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2, Wrigley Night 1 & 2 - 2016 - MSG, San Francisco, San Francisco, Seattle, Seattle (TOTD) - 2018 - Seattle 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2
Couple thoughts about the Temple tour as we head slowly into winter -
It started a year ago tomorrow near the end of a US presidential campaign and ended with
Trump as the prez elect, so presumptively with the world in worse shape
than when it started (though I’m no fan of Hillary either). But the
healing or whatever you wanna call it and the optimism I was left with
after the last show in Seattle I don’t think I’ve ever felt before, and
that feeling hasn’t faded despite the increasing chaos of 2017 not to mention Chris’s passing and how that’s affected music lovers everywhere.
Watch his eyes here when the crowd is singing the second chorus and see
what they do. My Dad, who is not super familiar with grunge or even
rock music (gasp), caught them right away.
I'm grateful for the ten times I saw him - but the last one (Higher Truth at Massey, 2015) was almost an afterthought after I'd sat through a 14-inning ALDS game earlier that day (which the Jays lost, so I wasn't really feeling the show). I wish I'd been in better shape. I wish I'd paid better fucking attention. And I wish my then-GF/later-fiancee/now-wife had gotten more time with Chris. That was her first time seeing him. I'm sure we both thought we had years left with him; I couldn't wait to take her to her first SG show.
This hurts every day.
Minneapolis 1998 | Jones Beach I & II, Montreal, and Toronto 2000 | Buffalo, State College, Toronto, Montreal and Hershey 2003 | Boston I & II 2004 | Thunder Bay, Kitchener, London, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto 2005 | Toronto I & II 2006 | The Vic and Lollapalooza 2007 | Calgary and Toronto 2009 | PJ20 I & II, Toronto I & II, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton 2011 | London, Chicago, Spokane, Calgary, Vancouver and Seattle 2013 | Ottawa and Toronto I & II 2016 | Chicago I & II 2018 | Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto 2022
I'm grateful for the ten times I saw him - but the last one (Higher Truth at Massey, 2015) was almost an afterthought after I'd sat through a 14-inning ALDS game earlier that day (which the Jays lost, so I wasn't really feeling the show). I wish I'd been in better shape. I wish I'd paid better fucking attention. And I wish my then-GF/later-fiancee/now-wife had gotten more time with Chris. That was her first time seeing him. I'm sure we both thought we had years left with him; I couldn't wait to take her to her first SG show.
Comments
www.headstonesband.com
www.headstonesband.com
As far as the PJ20 stuff the guy did continue to tweak the editing. lol
I was not happy with the insistence to use straight cuts instead of fades, as straight cuts were used in the other footage on the disc, and their software were picking up imperfections in the transitions for itunes quality control, due to the fact that we had multiple formats and cameras being used. I explained that this was not the standard project with all professional equipment. It was all HD1080, but the equipment and countries of origins and frame rates varied. I used footage from a guy in Sweden, and Brazil etc... I used the best footage I could find along with some our best local tapers, and then leaned heavily on the Professional Filming of Kevin Shuss provided by the band filmed in the Pit. I was under a short time clock and did tweak a few different things afterwards. This cut also includes the Ed introduction of Chris and Happy Birthday to the band before night 2 performance kicks in. That footage was left on the chopping block from the Blu-ray. All in all this version is the version that I much prefer watching and is also of a higher fidelity and quality. The Bluray was compressed due to factors that are somewhat confusing to me..
PJ - Auckland 2009; Alpine Valley1&2 2011; Man1, Am'dam1&2, Berlin1&2, Stockholm, Oslo & Copenhagen 2012; LA, Oakland, Portland, Spokane, Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle 2013; Auckland 2014, Auckland1&2 2024
EV - Canberra, Newcastle & Sydney 1&2 2011
I think I can speak for any taper, Filmer, editor, artist etc.. Every time we work on one of these projects or are at a live show documenting something magical, the hope is that we can share it with those who love it as much as we do.
I try to do the best that I can with whatever I work on because I deeply love the music and I am really neurotic. lol
The Temple Of The Dog shows were something that were so special and rare to me that I really put all that I could into those projects. The San Francisco Multi-cam was a journey.. lol
I always joke with my friend Allon that I try to be such a perfectionist not because I worry about what anyone else will notice or think about my work, but because for the rest of my life I am the guy who loves this stuff so much I will be watching it a million times. I don't want to miss something and say, "Damn, maybe I should have done this, or I missed that," It will eat away at me.
Not that I am perfect at any of this stuff, but I try my best, and know these guys here like Matt, Allon, Vikas, Manish, Steve, VG, Datfly and all the other guys I'm forgetting taping and Editing put there all in to this stuff. Sometimes sacrificing a night or nights of a tour of their live experience for the rest of us.
Thanks!
yes it is a lot of effort, but I wouldn't call it (work). It is a total labor of love, and for me always a team effort. I always need and want help. The collaboration with these guys have been great. We seemingly want to achieve the same thing, the best quality footage we can make available to fellow fans who love what we love.
But, Yes I did spend a long time on the San Fran.. my wife and I camped out and were first on line. I had a great spot front row to film the entire show. Chris had been pretty cool to allow me to film if I kept the camera down by the rail.
I was able to track down three other awesome complete HD sources and Allon (MFC) got me Fantastic audio. Then the real party started.. lol
I spent months slowly with no particular deadline editing song by song, watching back at night and making many changes before I would finalize each song.. in the end I think I got the most out of the footage I had to work with. I think it documents the night well. It was a special night. It was a clean energetic performance with very few errors by any band members, directly in the middle of the most special of tours.
Then I sent it out to Antero (Animal Projects) to Author a Bluray, and then Monkeewrench for some great artwork.. The Bluray I authored wasn't playing in certain machines..lol (not my area of expertise)
Antero is excellent at authoring Blurays, more notably he really enjoys the process, where I do not. Lol
Matt (BTN) helps me with authoring from time to time, in addition to being awesome at editing and putting out all of the PJ shows he continues to do. He is great at authoring as well. They are both much better at that then I am. (His TOTD Multi Cam Edit from Philly 1 is on YouTube and BluRay. It is Really Great!)
BTW... this San Fran is worth watching the one cam shot from front row with no edits synched with the better audio source also.
www.headstonesband.com
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
that went off too soon
And I miss you in the June gloom too
It was the fourth of July
Stand alone and greet the coming night
In the last remaining light
Couple thoughts about the Temple tour as we head slowly into winter -
It started a year ago tomorrow near the end of a US presidential campaign and ended with Trump as the prez elect, so presumptively with the world in worse shape than when it started (though I’m no fan of Hillary either). But the healing or whatever you wanna call it and the optimism I was left with after the last show in Seattle I don’t think I’ve ever felt before, and that feeling hasn’t faded despite the increasing chaos of 2017 not to mention Chris’s passing and how that’s affected music lovers everywhere.
Watch his eyes here when the crowd is singing the second chorus and see what they do. My Dad, who is not super familiar with grunge or even rock music (gasp), caught them right away.
TGIF and Shabbat Shalom guys
#tothepromisedland
I'm grateful for the ten times I saw him - but the last one (Higher Truth at Massey, 2015) was almost an afterthought after I'd sat through a 14-inning ALDS game earlier that day (which the Jays lost, so I wasn't really feeling the show). I wish I'd been in better shape. I wish I'd paid better fucking attention. And I wish my then-GF/later-fiancee/now-wife had gotten more time with Chris. That was her first time seeing him. I'm sure we both thought we had years left with him; I couldn't wait to take her to her first SG show.
This hurts every day.