Duesseldorf concert - my opinion

I saw them open one of the Stone Pony (Gaslight) shows last year and on NYE going into 2013. Maybe that's why (?) After those I was like "OK I really don't get it...I must be missing something here."

NeverTrustAJunkie wrote:

"OK I really don't get it...I must be missing something here."

Yep

Although I don't know what it would be like to see them without knowing all the tunes (not saying that was your situation)... A lot of their music took a long time for me to get into.

And yeah, I think they've talked about switching up the performance style after tad sobered up.

And I know this is all off topic but it was a bad topic anyway.

I feel like if you play close attention to Brian's facial expressions and mannerisms, it could never be boring.
If you have a giant crush on Alex Levine and he's standing right in front of you, it could never be boring.
If you watch Alex Rosamilia actually making all those amazing sounds right before your eyes, it could never be boring.
If you're wildly amused by Benny's constant grin, it could never be boring.

But hey, maybe I'm seeing something the O.P.'s not.

Rose1991 wrote:

I feel like if you play close attention to Brian's facial expressions and mannerisms, it could never be boring.
If you have a giant crush on Alex Levine and he's standing right in front of you, it could never be boring.
If you watch Alex Rosamilia actually making all those amazing sounds right before your eyes, it could never be boring.
If you're wildly amused by Benny's constant grin, it could never be boring.

But hey, maybe I'm seeing something the O.P.'s not.

My wife fell in love with Benny when she saw him belting out the lyrics to Wooderson behind Brian.

NeverTrustAJunkie wrote:

I saw them open one of the Stone Pony (Gaslight) shows last year and on NYE going into 2013. Maybe that's why (?) After those I was like "OK I really don't get it...I must be missing something here."

That'd be why. The shows in that period were pretty bad. I would say they were some of the worst I've been to--which was jarring considering the earlier shows were some of my all-time favorites.

I absolutely love this band (why else would I be here?), but I think it's alright to criticize aspects of their performances without trying to balance it up with positives. It's different when you're at a show and you're feeling the energy and community of the fans, but watching footage of recent shows can be really frustrating. Brian's voice can be really hit or miss at times, and it seems more like miss these days. Sure there are still occasions when he absolutely nails it or adds a new spark by changing the melodies up in some of the songs, but to me it often sounds really shaky and strained when he reaches for notes. I'm a musician myself, and I wonder how much it has to do with moving everything from the first four albums up a whole step (from D standard tuning to E standard). Obviously that's altered their sound and I'm not quite sure if it's for the better. A good example would be the Walmart sessions from this year. I didn't really get the hype around them and I hoped that it was just because they were in a non-live setting that can feel pretty weird sometimes. I'm still really excited to see this tour, they're playing London on my birthday this year which is fucking awesome! I love the album overall, I think I just expected a little more from their live show at this stage. It's beginning to sound a lot more like mistakes than "punk mistakes". When a lot of the energy is removed from the performances, the musicianship should be a lot tighter.

TheMagnificentDreamer wrote:

I absolutely love this band (why else would I be here?), but I think it's alright to criticize aspects of their performances without trying to balance it up with positives. It's different when you're at a show and you're feeling the energy and community of the fans, but watching footage of recent shows can be really frustrating. Brian's voice can be really hit or miss at times, and it seems more like miss these days. Sure there are still occasions when he absolutely nails it or adds a new spark by changing the melodies up in some of the songs, but to me it often sounds really shaky and strained when he reaches for notes. I'm a musician myself, and I wonder how much it has to do with moving everything from the first four albums up a whole step (from D standard tuning to E standard). Obviously that's altered their sound and I'm not quite sure if it's for the better. A good example would be the Walmart sessions from this year. I didn't really get the hype around them and I hoped that it was just because they were in a non-live setting that can feel pretty weird sometimes. I'm still really excited to see this tour, they're playing London on my birthday this year which is fucking awesome! I love the album overall, I think I just expected a little more from their live show at this stage. It's beginning to sound a lot more like mistakes than "punk mistakes". When a lot of the energy is removed from the performances, the musicianship should be a lot tighter.  

I agree, I have seen Gaslight live countless times now and it can be hit and miss. (more hit) As people have said Brian is the focal point of the band and if he is having an off night (with hundreds of shows to play in a row who can blame him) it can be a little disappointing. I feel like Brian is a very emotional guy and if he's in an off mood you really feel that in the show. I have had some of the best nights of my life at gaslight shows but I can also admit when I feel its been below-par. I am yet to see the new material live and will be seeing 2 shows of the U.K tour. I have also paid for a pre-show at the Birmingham gig. I'm really looking forward to the shows and love the new album. I will admit I have heard quite a few people complaining about the standards of shows recently which does worry me as seeing Gaslight these days is an expensive experience.

NeverTrustAJunkie wrote:

I could not have been more bored with The Hold Steady the couple of times I've seen them. To each his own.

Aw, man. THS is my, hands down, favorite live band. I've never been so tired, sore, out of breath, and voice-broken than after a Hold Steady show. They're probably the only band that I refuse to miss when they're in town. I started listening to TGA a few years before THS, but I've probably been to double the number of their shows.

Of course, I agree: to each his own. But I just. don't. understand you. in this regard.

LOL well it seems I caught them at a bad time :O

DeathoftheCool wrote:

Fuck the subject of this topic... really

Agreed!!!!

I had been to this show and sadly I can't disagree with some of the mentioned negative aspects.

I thought the guys, especially Brian and Benny, were in a good mood. Brian's vocals were in good form und I liked the setlist in terms of choosen songs and length. It was very nice that they played "Great Expectations", which was requested by the audience, and the solo performance by Mr. Fallon of it was my personal highlight of the show.

But the main problem of the show was the bad sound. Especially the first two songs were a disaster. You weren't able to hear Brian's vocals. The drums and the bass were way too loud. As the show went on, it was getting a little bit better, but it was far from a good sound.
When I look back at the Gaslight shows I attended, there was never a good sound. The two gigs in cologne during the "Handwritten-Tour" were bad in terms of sound, too. I had a lot of hope, after reading an interview that they have a new sound system and reading all the positive reviews from the US gigs.

I went to the concert in Düsseldorf with five friends. Afterwards we all shared the opinion that the sound was the major disappointment but the band was giving their best. I hope the next time I will see them they will manage that the sound will have the same quality as the band.