Live shows....3 biggest surprise and disappointments
pjoasisrule
Posts: 3,412
These 3 were much better than my expectations
NIN (incredible performance, great set, awesome light show)
Editors (tons of energy, great music)
BRMC (wasnt even a huge fan when I first saw them but they are now one of my favorite bands and I saw them 3 times in a year, definitely the best show you can see for the most reasonable price.....many bands should take notes on their shows because these guys are one of the few true rock and roll bands left)
I was expecting better from these 3
Explosions In The Sky (not that it was terrible, but the setlist was dull, they just play their songs straight through with no breaks and no encore, the light show was quite lame)
Jet (blah, who would have thought a band with as good of screams and energetic songs could be this dull)
Goo Goo Dolls it was free but it was just awful, not that I was expecting it to be great but everything about them was terrible)
NIN (incredible performance, great set, awesome light show)
Editors (tons of energy, great music)
BRMC (wasnt even a huge fan when I first saw them but they are now one of my favorite bands and I saw them 3 times in a year, definitely the best show you can see for the most reasonable price.....many bands should take notes on their shows because these guys are one of the few true rock and roll bands left)
I was expecting better from these 3
Explosions In The Sky (not that it was terrible, but the setlist was dull, they just play their songs straight through with no breaks and no encore, the light show was quite lame)
Jet (blah, who would have thought a band with as good of screams and energetic songs could be this dull)
Goo Goo Dolls it was free but it was just awful, not that I was expecting it to be great but everything about them was terrible)
Alpine Valley 2000
Summerfest 2006
"Why would they come to our concert just to boo us?" -Lisa Simpson
Summerfest 2006
"Why would they come to our concert just to boo us?" -Lisa Simpson
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MMJ in early 2007, never seen them live or listened to them much. Awesome!
QOTSA in 02' on the Songs for the Deaf secret club tour. The best queens lineup in my favorite Portland Venue (Homme, Oliveri, Van Leeuewen, & Grohl)
RATM at SF in 95' Balls Out loud and awesome
Disappointments:
KOL last month, Boring. They're slowly turning into Angels and Airwaves. Love the music, hate the performance.
RCHP in 95' they followed RATM and it was bad. Everyone left.
Smashing Pumpkins 95' They played 1975 and some noise for about 45 minutes.
RHCP - Was expecting energy, and was treated to their own personal brand of "we're phoning this in and playing nothing but ballads"
Worst live show ever. 90 minutes of an out-of-tune anthony kiedis singing gay ass mellow bullshit. fuck you.
in fact, i have seen them twice since then and it's been the same. WTF happened to those guys?
Black Sabbath - These guys are supposed to be legends, but the show fucking sucked. And Ozzy had the flu on top of it. You know something is wrong when your opening acts blow you off the stage. especially when one of those opening acts is fucking Godsmack. Awful. and don't even get me started on the titty cam flashing a bunch of 40 year old women's breasts up on the bigscreen. talk about a dumb idea.
Radiohead - For all the hype, i expected them to be amazing. Amazing they were not. 2 hours i will never get back. i thought i was going to fall asleep. Never before has someone made a guitar such a pussy instrument.
SURPRISES
Snoop Dogg - Lollapalooza 97. i didn't expect much. Instead i was treated to one of the greatest singalongs i have ever seen. Snoop is quite an entertainer, and keeps the crowd into it from the first note till the last. i was shocked at how much fun i had.
Alien Ant Farm - 6 months prior to Smooth Criminal, opening for Orgy. They were nobodies, and busted their asses from start to finish. Absolutely slayed. i bought their album on the spot just out of respect for the asskicking they delivered. i heard from a friend post-Smooth Criminal that they just stood around bored and went through the motions. How quickly a hit single and some money changes things. But on the night i saw them, they were gods.
Papa Roach - i went to that Bad Boys of Rock tour (Buckcherry, Hinder, and Papa Roach) because i needed an excuse to get really drunk over the summer. I figured it would be a trainwreck and something to laugh about all night. Papa Roach fucking killed it. Every song they played, i knew. Apparently they have alot more radio hits than i was aware of. So it was a big drunken singalong, and they busted their asses. Great show. Quite unexpected.
1) My Brightest Diamond - wow ... they opened for the Decemberists last year and was the first act in, well, a LONG time that literally had my jaw agape. Lead singer Shara Wardon's voice is beautiful and haunting (she's like a female Jeff Buckley) ... I was mezmorized ... then they broke out their cover of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter" ... unbelievable.
I think this was the show I was actually at (listen to her belt at the end!) ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iKkN9FrgEA
2) Devotchka - I really liked these guys, but their musicianship was pretty astounding to see in person ... and Nick Urata carries the voice from the record to the stage with ease ... I had to restrain my girlfriend from jumping the stage to grab him.
Here's "The Enemy Guns" ... live @ Coachella this year ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1E4WFGwlyw
3) Wilco ... They played the Outside Lands Festival here in SF back in August ... and I've always liked their stuff ... but, holy shit, they were amazing live. I should have jumped on their live shows LONG ago ...
(same goes for Cafe Tacuva who also rocked my ass off that day)
Three biggest recent disappointments ...
1) My Bloody Valentine ... played here a month or so ago and the sound was atrocious ... the venue they played at is known for crappy sound (Concourse Exhibition Hall) .... toss in a loud band known for distorted sound, and ... well ... it was a hot mess.
2) Ted Leo and the Pharmacists ... yup, opening for Pearl Jam ... Ted's raw rock really wasn't meant for MSG ... he's more of a pack a club to the gils and rock the roof off kind of act ... his sound was SO lost at MSG, and, he only played 7 songs, grumble. I've seen him at clubs and venues for >1,000 before, and he's fantastic ... but, he's not an arena rock guy.
3) Buffalo Tom Indeed, my favorite band in the world ... they came out last year and did a show here in San Francisco, they don't tour much anymore, just stick to Boston area gigs, so I was REALLY stoked to see them here on the West Coast for the first time .... well ... the bassist was sick, and it showed, they had to cut several songs and replace some of the "rockier" tunes for more mellow stuff. Also, not sure if it was a "we're sick" thing or a "we're not in Boston" thing, but, Bill, the lead singer, was not his chatty, funny self. Don't get me wrong, it was still a great show, but after seeing them no less than 25 times over the years back east, the first time I catch them out west was on an off night ... oh well. They are still my favorite band and I'd still kick over little children to see them.
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
Soul Coughing opening for Dave Matthews '95 or '96? THANK YOU DAVE. Introduced me to one of the my favorite bands ever. Never looked back. They were so fresh, so different. So much more different than anyone out there. I loved their set up, I am sucker for a 3 piece band. Still no one else like them out there. They really need to kiss and make up.
George Thorogood. Yes George. I never liked him. He would come on the radio and I would quickly change it. My rooms mates, huge fans, begged me to take them. No license between the 2 of them. They paid for my ticket, gas, parking..So I went. It rocked. Seriously biggest surprise ever. Never thought I would ever like him or his music. By the end of the show he was the man. Really top notch show.
Disappointments. I have to say I have been lucky. Not too many bands I can say that I was disappointed.
WILCO late 2003 perhaps early 2004, I know I was pregnant with my 1st. Lamest show ever. They played with the Flaming Lips and Beck all on the same bill. Small venue, the Orpheum ( same place I saw PJ the 1st time lucky me) I just did not get it. Flaming Lips should had played more and Beck and Wilco less. I love Beck I love his work, all ranges of it. I had heard nothing but GREAT things about Wilco. Wilco sucked won't go there again.
Highgate II 1995. That was by far the worst Dead show I had ever been to. I have never walked out of a show until then. I love Jerry. I will always love Jerry. Here comes Sunshine was gross, I couldn't take anymore. 2 days later I was at Red Rocks seeing Pearl Jam. I really felt it was the passing of the guards. And when Ed said that it was like a Grateful Dead concert he couldn't had said anything closest to the truth for me. That blew me away.
Ah my greatest disappointment...Phish, thanksgiving at the Worcester Centrum now the DCU center. I want to say 1995? 20 minute version of Wolfman's Brother, I need not say more. The show had hilights-the monitor blew out and the crowd was so quiet just so we could hear the band. But all the rich hippie kids with their parents BMW or whatever begging for the miracle ticket, wapping me with their fake nasty dreadlocks, I was done. I went from seeing Phish in 1988 throughout the 90's; to that and I was just like I'm all set. ***I have gone to see Phish since then but it was the festivals...Clifford Ball, Great Went, Lemonwheel. Good times but still all set with the scene......
There you have it. My 2 am (et) drunken response!
Ha, I saw Pearl Jam at the Orpheum back in 94 ... looks like we've covered some of the same ground.
Another potential issue with Wilco around that time you mention, Jeff Tweedy's pain killer addiction ... I was supposed to see Wilco at Coachella in 2004, but they cancelled as Tweedy went in for treatment ... so ... that could have been part of the issue.
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
dissapointing/ just plain bad:
Styx- seen them twice, once a headliner, once an opener. Have a few good songs, but live they are horrible.
Night ranger- their soundengineer/ quality just plain sucks, otherwise I think they would have done a really great show.
Jackyl- not a fan, but a god awful live band. Didn't impress me at all.
Surprises:
Tonic- yes, tonic. I know they are adult contemporary and I thought they would be boring but, they were the best band of the day at this festival where like 15 bands played. They were the best band there that day- I'm serious.
John doe- saw him open for Wilco this year, and I thought both artists were great.
Red hot chili peppers- They get shitted on hard core here- but the stadium arcadium show I saw was f-ing awesome. It was in Dallas at American Airlines(a sold out show) and they rocked! Yeah the beginning and ending 20 minute jams with Flea, John and Chad were a little boring to open close a show with, but overall such a bad ass show!
EV Solo: 7/11/11 11/12/12 11/13/12
Biggest disappointment was without question Death Cab. I like their music, but their live show was horrible. I was also expecting a little more from Black Keys and Drive by Truckers.
WTF
Reading 1995 is a very very good show. I presume the rest of the tour would have been good. 1975 eh?
David Gray, San Diego, 2001: I was just barely a fan of his, but my girlfriend dug him, so I went to the show with her. The show was AMAZING. The man has such energy on stage, and the show proved to an awesome singalong.
Jeff Tweedy, Los Angeles, 2007: I'm a huge Wilco fan, but I didn't really know what to expect from a Tweedy solo show. I got tickets from a guy on craigslist the day of the show on a whim. Man, am I glad I did. Tweedy's set was absolutely spellbinding. It's almost blasphemy to say so, but I enjoyed his solo show more than I have any of the Wilco shows I have been to.
Carney, Los Angeles, 2007: Nobody else probably even knows who Carney is. I didn't at the time. They opened for the band Live at a smallish show last summer. I usually can't get into opening bands who I'm not familiar with, no matter how hard I try. But this opening band was amazing. The lead singer (Reeve Carney -- he was a child actor, played the young man in "Snow Falling in Cedars") reminds me A LOT of Jeff Buckley. Check them out if you ever get the chance!
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
NIN at Reading 2007 - Just utterly brilliant. Amazing atmosphere, killer setlist, brilliant performance. Hurt was magnificent. I say surprise because I like NIN but I'm not a massive fan. They were far better live than I expected.
In Flames, sometime in 2006 - Know almost nothing about the band, went for a friend's birthday to the Unholy Alliance tour. They were the only band besides Slayer who didn't think they were really rawk and didn't feel the need to swear 6 times in every sentence to seem cool, they just played a killer set with an awesome light show.
The Bronx, also 2006 the first time - Had only listened to their second album, once or twice, saw them in a tiny club and the ripped the place to shreds. Fucking brilliant. Seen them a further 3 times since.
Disappointments:
RHCP, Reading 2007 - Just awful. Shit atmosphere, horribly packed audience, band members were pissed at each other, lame boring jams, Kiedis was a total cunt, I actually FELL ASLEEP. Shocking.
Arcade Fire, Reading again - Good band, just expected them to be a lot better live than they were.
Can't think of any others right now.
Swell Season=Bonnaroo
Arcade Fire-Atlanta 07. I knew they were going to be good but it was damn near religious
Grace Potter and The Nocturnals-Langerado
Dissappointments
Cat Power-Bonnaroo
RHCP
Beck-Bonnaroo 06
There are also many bands that blew me away opening for others that i had never heard of at the time such as Burning Brides, Dexateens, Wax Fang, The Whigs, The Fags, and Wildhearts to name a few
Jenny Lewis--- (great record..even better live)
Damien Rice--- (always puts on an amazing show)
The Black Keys--- (AWESOME)
Radiohead--- (I have some boots, but finally got to see/hear them live this year..simply amazing)
Gillian Welch---(one of my highlights from ACL 2008)
Thumbs Down:
Beck--- (he looked/sounded bored)
Krauss/Plant--- (meh)
MGMT--- (don't really understand the buzz about this band)
Iron & Wine--- (one of my favorites, yet his show just didn't do it for me. that could be b/c of the loud, obnoxious drunk girls in front of me)
www.cluthelee.com
www.cluthe.com
DR.DOG - Never in my life have I seen a band so on fire. There wasn’t a missed note all night…Harmonies were spot on, and the band was having a blast.
QOTSA- Songs for the Deaf Secret Club tour w/ Dave Grohl and Mark Lanegan…Pure Magic…Heavy as Shit…Once in a lifetime show.
BOWIE- Wasn’t expecting much (Free Ticket) but I was honestly floored. The man is one hell of a performer…Ageless performance
DISAPOINTMENTS:
PUMPKINS-Terrible vocals,Terrible set list, played for just over an hour and bailed.
RHCP- Half Assed sloppy performance, vocals and guitars completely off
WHITE STRIPES- Worst live band in the history of Rock, Their soundman should have been shot and thrown from the roof of the arena.
Reading Festival 2006: Sunday - This was 'rock day', the final day of Reading Festival 2006, and I only went for Pearl Jam. Most of it bored me, but 2 bands surprised me:
Bullet For my Valentine. Now, the volume level might have meant that my ears deceived me - I could hear hardly anything of the song structures of what was a string of metal bands - but what I thought was a band of emos turned out to be a group of proficient musicians who fused some pleasant oldschool thrash metal with what I expect of a pop metal band, but they weren't terrible. That was a surprise. I doubt it'll push me to buy an album but it was enough for me to put them down here.
Killswitch Engage - I only new one song from them and it was fairly typical 'post-hardcore' (What does that mean anyway?) nu-metal. They turned out to be pretty OK and a different kettle of fish in a live setting.
Mastodon - Now, I had no idea who they were at the time but they were incredibly technically proficient and although incredibly loud (I didn't see myself as a metal fan then), they had an irresistably enjoyable sound.. I nodded my head the whole way through and really, they were a good reminder that I still liked rediculously loud metal music. I still need to get some on CD.
NIN - I've always liked NIN and bought The Fragile when it came out, but then left it for years... I went most of my life without hearing the rest of their stuff. Two of my friends invited me to see NIN last year at Brixton Academy and they blew me away, for obvious reasons. Their noise had a level of maturity and musicianship which has made me a fan since, and I've since purchased four of their albums plus an EP.
Disappointments
Placebo, Reading Festival 2006 - Now, I liked Placebo. I find their sound quite 'samey' but they have some classic, memorable songs. They hardly played any of them tonight though, as all their equipment failed and they spent about 20 minutes trying to fix the problem and appologising to the crowd while the cameras scrolled around the crowd and showed various womens' tits flashing on the big screens to pass the time. But even when Placebo played, they put on a lacklustre performance anyway, and their skill as musicians about matches their abilty to perform and entertain. They didn't feel any need to compensate for the problems with a good show.
Incubus - I love Incubus and went to see them at Wembley Arena, 2 years ago I think? Anyway, they played excellently, they played loads of songs I wanted them to, but it was an awful mish-mash crowd. I think the problem is that all their albums are so different and attract different types of fans. You got older, more mature fans who were probably after something like Morning View or ACLOTM, but then lots of younger kids yelling for songs from S.C.I.E.N.C.E. The presence of various different groups from various different 'scenes' meant that the crowd never felt united and so the atmosphere was less than mindblowing.
Stereophonics - I really think Stereophonics are bland wallpaper music, but I thought they'd be at least technically proficient, as they're professional musicians. I was given a free ticket by some friends. Anyway, I was surprised that even in Wembley Arena, the drummer was absolutely all over the place - timing was fast, slow, fast, slow.. He couldn't even keep a steady beat to the extent that it sounded like I was listening to my 15 year old friends' pub band. I'm a drummer so a bad drummer, especially in Wembley Arena, ruined my night completely.
They have a new drummer now.. Still uninspiring but at least he can play.
- the great Sir Leo Harrison
1) Liam Finn – I had heard good things but he totally blew me away
2) Coldplay – Now before you bash me, I saw them in San Diego opening for 311 right around the time Parachutes came out. I had never heard of them and they blew me away. I had hopes they could be the next Radiohead. As it turned out . . .
3) Clutch – They are probably the best live club band out there.
Disappointments
1) 311 – They had the energy but the opening bands (Jack Johnson / Coldplay) really stole their thunder
2) Deep Purple – In Deep Purple’s defense, they are like in their late sixties.
3) Corrosion of Conformity – They suffered from a stiff crowd that was waiting for Metallica to hit the stage. They played less then 30 minutes and with little enthusiasm.
not true ... saw them in the 80s, they were great.
edit ... and if you've seen them recently, it's not even Ritchie Blackmore on lead guitar, that shouldn't even count as Deep Purple.
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
Julian Cope, 1988: I thought I was going to be subjected to one or two minor hits, a bendy microphone and a few strobes. But he was superb. Of course, he later proved himself with Peggy Suicide and Jehovahkill ...
Mercury Rev, 1992 (Finsbury Park): They were fantastic. Pity they got boring after David Baker left ...
Peter Green, 1996: I wasn't expecting him to be able to do much at all, but he delivered a mighty set, including a version of The Stumble, The Green Manalishi, and even a cover of Hendrix's Can You See Me.
Disappointments:
Suzanne Vega, 1991: But then, I don't think I know what I was expecting.
Clannad, 1991: But then, I was expecting them to be bland. Just not that bland.
Every Dylan gig I've ever been to. The disappointment was, he was shit every time, for all of the time.
Deep Purple was amazing back in the late 60's early 70's.
Download the following tunes and tell me that they didn't just rock your freaking sox off.
1) Into the Fire
2) Space Truckin
3) Bloodsucker
Those songs launched a thousand ships my friend.
you don't even have Highway Star on there ... but, indeed.
To each their own.
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
So yes, I can tell you that they don't rock my "freaking sox off"
Arcade Fire (2007): I knew they would be great - as everything I had read about them said they were the best live band on the planet - and it blew away every expectation I had....I had no idea a concert could be so transcendent
Okkervil River (2008): I saw them open for the New Pornographers - I was more excited about seeing them as I had seen NP just a few months earlier - and they were incredible....one of the best live bands I have ever seen. They blew the New Pornographers off the stage that night (and that is no easy feat)
Disappointments:
RHCP (1999): I was a big fan at the time.....completely dull and lifeless live show and Kiedis cant sing to save his life. Haven't paid them a moments attention since
STP (1992): Weiland was an ass and kept trying to fight with everyone in the crowd.....they sucked!!! At least I got to see the Mighty Mighty Bosstones open the show
and they all eat rainbows and pooh butterflies!
I've Arcade Fire at 2 festivals ... thier 2005 Coachella performance was off the charts amazing.
They even put one of the tunes on the Coachella DVD (and it wasn't even the best tune of the day ... Neighborhood #2 - Laika was) ... pretty high honor for a band with one album at the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V41qkhU-98
you just caught them on an off night, perhaps.
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
I saw them at Massey Hall in Toronto - which is a beautiful old theatre built in 1890. The architecture is amazing, the building is steeped in history and the sound and sightlines are incredible.....couldn't imagine a venue better suited to seeing them
and they all eat rainbows and pooh butterflies!
I saw them on TV once and found they were boring. I watched two songs and had to change the channel. I was a great fan of Californication.
Another disappointment was Jennifer Rush - remember the Power of Love in the 1980's. This show was billed to be 90 minutes. She came on for 30 minutes, the break was over half hour and then finished after twenty. Total 50 minutes out of 90. No encore, nothing.
Of course I'm going to say McCabe and Mrs Miller (Victor Krummenacher & Alison Levy) is one of the best bands I saw recently and that's no surprise. Victor is a great bloke and the show is a moving experience. Next stop The Abbey Pub, Chicago on the 22nd.
ozzy: he's shot, i saw him last year, and i am a big ozzy/sabbath fan, but he just couldn't sing, sounded awful. . .i actually felt bad for him
rhcp: as some have mentioned, just kind of a dull go through the motions show, saw them in "03, qotsa opened and was way better
mars volta: saw them open up for qotsa a few year back and thought they were ok, the next time i saw them they opened for system of a down , i thought they were awful
radiohead: saw them at field day at giants stadium in '03. . .just not that big a fan
surprises:
rob zombie: opened up for ozzy last december at msg, was not a big fan but he put on a great show. . .was better than ozzy
mmj: opening for pj on the "06 tour saw them 4 times, wasnt familar with them prior but became a fan after seeing them live, thought they were great
ac/dc: saw them last week, didnt know what to expect having seen ozzy with his voice shot if they were going to be shot because of their wear and tear, but they put on a great show
as someone mentioned im not really a fan of them anymore but i've seen papa roach a couple of times a couple years ago and i thought they were great live. . .
JEFFREY ROSS ROGERS 1975-2002
9.10.98 NYC / 8.23.00 JONES BEACH /4.30.03 UNIONDALE / 7.9.03 NYC /5.12.06 ALBANY/ 6.1.06 E.RUTHEFORD/ 6.3.06 E. RUTHEFORD/ CAMDEN 6.19.08/ NYC 6.24.08/ NYC 6.25.08/ HARTFORD 6.27.08/ CHICAGO 8.24.09/ PHILLY 10.31.09/ HARTFORD 5.15.10/ NEWARK 5.18.10/ NYC 5.20.10/ CHICAGO 7.19.13/ BROOKLYN 10.18.13/ BROOKLYN 10.19.13/ HARTFORD 10.25.13/ NYC 9.26.15/ 4.8.16 FT. LAUDERDALE/ 4.9.16 MIAMI / 5.1.16 NYC/ 5.2.16 NYC / 8.5.16 BOSTON / 8.7.16 BOSTON/ 8.20.18 CHICAGO/ 9.2.18 BOSTON/ 9.4.18 BOSTON/ 9.18.21 ASBURY PARK
finally, FUCK TICKETMASTER
I swear we must have watched different shows, cause I thought they were incredible at Reading - I thought the atmosphere was pretty unreal, that opening religious video, the sun going down and the crowd were really into it, it made for a pretty intense experience.
Chili Peppers were indeed awful though, I left after ten minutes.