Tuesday, July 12, 2005
All My Music
I hit Summerfest a couple times this year. The first show I saw was Tom Petty with the Black Crowes opening. This was a key show for me, namely because the Black Crowes got back together. I'm of the camp that states they've never made a bad album, not even a sub-par album, so their getting back together was good news. In fact, what struck me as just wacky about the whole night, was how subdued the crowd was for the Crowes, but how crazy they went for Tom Petty. I mean I like TP as much as the next guy . . . but I came for the Crowes. I think I was the only one who felt this way.
But it's a strange lineup they've put together. Even the Crowes website no longer has a "band" section . . . . It's as if they don't want to publicize it too much. It's still Chris and Rich Robinson, obviously. Good old Eddie Harsch, who's been with the group since album two, is also back on keyboards. Their original lead guitarist, Jeff Cease, was gone after the first album and unlikely to ever return. Their second lead guitarist, Marc Ford, who was kicked out of the band after their fourth album for crazy drug use, is back. This makes sense. I liked their third lead guitarist, Audley Freed, but he only played on Lions. Original bassist Johnny Colt left around the same time Ford did, and was not missed. But the brothers apparently didn't get along with Sven Pipien, their second bassist, who only played on By Your Side. Which makes it such a surprise that he's back with the group.
Here's what's telling: Harsch, Ford, and Pipien did not play on either Shake Your Money Maker or Lions. The 7/1 set included 2 songs from SYMM (2 of the 4 hits from SYMM), none from Lions. What I'm taking a long time to say is that they're playing from a "set" setlist. This is a far different band than what I saw three years ago on the Lions tour, when they could play any song from their catalog at any point -- with a new guitarist and bassist. I understand they've just gotten back together after a few years, and they're probably getting the new lineup familiar with the material.
The Crowes also worked against a terrible sound mix. Chris Robinson usually has a tendency to over-do his vocals live. His voice was under control, but the mix had him way too loud. This blows me away every time I'm at Marcus Amphitheater. Why doesn't the sound guy just grab an assistant and ask him to stand in the middle of the place -- right between the seats and the bleachers -- and just check if everything's in balance? How tough is that?
The good news -- the band looked like it was having a decent time. They only got an hour, which is bullshit, thanks to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers needing more than an hour to get their obnoxious stage set up. What's better, the best song they played was a new song (or a new cover, I'm not sure). Hopefully, they'll finish this tour strong and cut an album.
As far as TP, he was good. I've seen him before, and this time it struck me more than ever how he knows how to play to the crowd. He's really become a touring act . . . . which made it nice to hear a couple strange covers by The Animals and the Traveling Wilburys (I guess since TP was in the TWs, it wasn't a cover). They also played a new song from their upcoming album (late this year?) that sounded very good alongside the regulars. The crowd went nuts for the large number of Wildflowers songs, especially since he played some of the non-hits from that album.
Later on, I got free lawn seats to The Fray, The Pixies, and Weezer.
The Fray got a slight rip in the local rag that calls itself a paper. They only got 4 songs, so there's really not much to compliment or complain. I guess it's great exposure for a band that doesn't even have a full-length debut album out yet. They sounded good, very pop-friendly. Hook-y. I can hear them on the radio.
What's most telling about The Fray is The Pixies went on stage very shortly after The Fray left . . . and the first song, Bone Machine, made everyone forget about the opening band. It was kind of like watching MLB immediately after a couple innings of single-A ball. At first, I thought the Pixies would only get an hour. They zipped from song to song without a single word between songs. I think they may have once taken a 20 second break between songs, but that was just to switch guitars. Otherwise, they moved as fast as I've ever seen a band move. No fucking around. It was such a statement against how every other band on earth does things. When the set closed, the crowd went wild with a standing-O, and the band just stood there, giving a couple waves -- still no words -- and then walked off stage. No encore, no fucking around. They left it all onstage.
Weezer came on shortly thereafter. Played maybe five songs from the new album. Sounded good. But they had none of the urgency the Pixies gave. The opener -- Say It Ain't So -- was a strange choice. They gave a smattering from all the albums. But it was short -- just over an hour, including the two-song encore. And it's not like they were working against the Summerfest deadline; we left with plenty of time to kill. I originally thought the Pixies/Weezer double-billing was just out of respect for the Pixies. I assumed we'd get at least 90-100 minutes of Weezer. Not so. I guess it wouldn't bother me as much if Weezer played long, complicated songs. But they play short, simple pop songs. The set was easily 5-7 songs short.
***
CDs:
I got a chance to hear Coldplay's new one before it was released. Strong album. Sounds like a keeper, also sounds a lot like Coldplay. I'll probably buy it after it drops off the radio.
Also on the sometime to be purchased list: the new Better Than Ezra, the new Foo Fighters, the new Nada Surf, the new Oasis, the new Audioslave, and the new Stills. And maybe, just maybe, that new Willie reggae album.
***
Side note on SF--
I noticed the goths were a bit different this year. Usually, the large pack of goth kids just spread themselves along the rocks at the east end of the fest. This year, while still on the east end, they grouped together in a big circle, like a pack of resting dogs. They seemed to look out at all the "normals" with that great mix of anger, horror, and self-hate that only goths can meld together.
But it's a strange lineup they've put together. Even the Crowes website no longer has a "band" section . . . . It's as if they don't want to publicize it too much. It's still Chris and Rich Robinson, obviously. Good old Eddie Harsch, who's been with the group since album two, is also back on keyboards. Their original lead guitarist, Jeff Cease, was gone after the first album and unlikely to ever return. Their second lead guitarist, Marc Ford, who was kicked out of the band after their fourth album for crazy drug use, is back. This makes sense. I liked their third lead guitarist, Audley Freed, but he only played on Lions. Original bassist Johnny Colt left around the same time Ford did, and was not missed. But the brothers apparently didn't get along with Sven Pipien, their second bassist, who only played on By Your Side. Which makes it such a surprise that he's back with the group.
Here's what's telling: Harsch, Ford, and Pipien did not play on either Shake Your Money Maker or Lions. The 7/1 set included 2 songs from SYMM (2 of the 4 hits from SYMM), none from Lions. What I'm taking a long time to say is that they're playing from a "set" setlist. This is a far different band than what I saw three years ago on the Lions tour, when they could play any song from their catalog at any point -- with a new guitarist and bassist. I understand they've just gotten back together after a few years, and they're probably getting the new lineup familiar with the material.
The Crowes also worked against a terrible sound mix. Chris Robinson usually has a tendency to over-do his vocals live. His voice was under control, but the mix had him way too loud. This blows me away every time I'm at Marcus Amphitheater. Why doesn't the sound guy just grab an assistant and ask him to stand in the middle of the place -- right between the seats and the bleachers -- and just check if everything's in balance? How tough is that?
The good news -- the band looked like it was having a decent time. They only got an hour, which is bullshit, thanks to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers needing more than an hour to get their obnoxious stage set up. What's better, the best song they played was a new song (or a new cover, I'm not sure). Hopefully, they'll finish this tour strong and cut an album.
As far as TP, he was good. I've seen him before, and this time it struck me more than ever how he knows how to play to the crowd. He's really become a touring act . . . . which made it nice to hear a couple strange covers by The Animals and the Traveling Wilburys (I guess since TP was in the TWs, it wasn't a cover). They also played a new song from their upcoming album (late this year?) that sounded very good alongside the regulars. The crowd went nuts for the large number of Wildflowers songs, especially since he played some of the non-hits from that album.
Later on, I got free lawn seats to The Fray, The Pixies, and Weezer.
The Fray got a slight rip in the local rag that calls itself a paper. They only got 4 songs, so there's really not much to compliment or complain. I guess it's great exposure for a band that doesn't even have a full-length debut album out yet. They sounded good, very pop-friendly. Hook-y. I can hear them on the radio.
What's most telling about The Fray is The Pixies went on stage very shortly after The Fray left . . . and the first song, Bone Machine, made everyone forget about the opening band. It was kind of like watching MLB immediately after a couple innings of single-A ball. At first, I thought the Pixies would only get an hour. They zipped from song to song without a single word between songs. I think they may have once taken a 20 second break between songs, but that was just to switch guitars. Otherwise, they moved as fast as I've ever seen a band move. No fucking around. It was such a statement against how every other band on earth does things. When the set closed, the crowd went wild with a standing-O, and the band just stood there, giving a couple waves -- still no words -- and then walked off stage. No encore, no fucking around. They left it all onstage.
Weezer came on shortly thereafter. Played maybe five songs from the new album. Sounded good. But they had none of the urgency the Pixies gave. The opener -- Say It Ain't So -- was a strange choice. They gave a smattering from all the albums. But it was short -- just over an hour, including the two-song encore. And it's not like they were working against the Summerfest deadline; we left with plenty of time to kill. I originally thought the Pixies/Weezer double-billing was just out of respect for the Pixies. I assumed we'd get at least 90-100 minutes of Weezer. Not so. I guess it wouldn't bother me as much if Weezer played long, complicated songs. But they play short, simple pop songs. The set was easily 5-7 songs short.
***
CDs:
I got a chance to hear Coldplay's new one before it was released. Strong album. Sounds like a keeper, also sounds a lot like Coldplay. I'll probably buy it after it drops off the radio.
Also on the sometime to be purchased list: the new Better Than Ezra, the new Foo Fighters, the new Nada Surf, the new Oasis, the new Audioslave, and the new Stills. And maybe, just maybe, that new Willie reggae album.
***
Side note on SF--
I noticed the goths were a bit different this year. Usually, the large pack of goth kids just spread themselves along the rocks at the east end of the fest. This year, while still on the east end, they grouped together in a big circle, like a pack of resting dogs. They seemed to look out at all the "normals" with that great mix of anger, horror, and self-hate that only goths can meld together.
