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Wow!!!
ReplyDeleteHalfway through. Threw in Bad Fog of Loneliness. Otherwise following Milwaukee set list.
Promise is a natural with Neil. Unbelievable voices. He is definitely not mailing it in. Great f-ing show!!
Cowgirl in place of Down by the river
ReplyDeleteMusically the shows seem to be strong, in particular Neil is singing very well, based on the clips I've heard, and there are some great song choices.
ReplyDeleteNeil's presence as a lead guitarist does seem to have largely been lost, something that was always a risk in a bigger band. He is now essentially playing rhythm guitar much of the time during the electric songs, and when he does play the occasional instrumental, the sound instantly becomes more cluttered.
Whether that is a good or thing or a bad one is purely a matter of perspective. But I'm reminded of David Briggs's death-bed advice that Neil should have "as much of him in the song as possible" as "no one gives a shit about anything else". I think the 3-guitarist arrangement worked far more effectively with Pearl Jam than it does here.
Also of note is just how much he is relying on the teleprompter on his mic stand in recent months. Obviously it's perfectly reasonable to require it's use for brand new songs, or rarely-performed ones with extensive lyrics (like Thrasher). And I do realise that he is nearly 70. But recently Neil has been habitually glancing down at it almost constantly, even when he doesn't really need it. I think he should ditch it, even if he does forget the occasional lyric. No big deal if he does (Bob Dylan does it all the time), and it's better mental training for if he ever actually does lose his memory.
Scotsman.
Remember when Poncho said that Crazy Horse struggled with early studio versions of Like A Hurricane, because there wasn't enough room in the sound for Neil's lead guitar? That reminds me of this band.
ReplyDeleteFrom the electric set, the sparser free-form songs like Words seem to be the most effective ones so far, giving all of the band plenty of room to breath without stepping on each other's toes (musically speaking).
Scotsman.
Think
ReplyDeleteDUCKS
PJ
IH
JOYFUL is how he is playing!
This is NOT CH!
ReplyDeleteA few Apache fellows and ladies opened up Neil's set with a drum song, at Neil's request. Check out their site: http://www.apache-stronghold.com
ReplyDeleteBand of Horses opened up and did a great set in the rain. After a few girls dressed in overalls and plaid covered the stage in
seeds for a while, Neil came out of the darkness on the piano. I should add that it rained steady in Morrison ALL DAY LONG - and actually - literally - the clouds parted when Neil hit the piano. A smooth solo rendition of After the Goldrush gave a sense of what the next three hours were going to be about: enviro-friendly hits. A little change in the lyrics, "Look at mother nature on the run, in the 1970's" to "21st Century" was warmly applauded. The concert carried on with beauty acoustic set for about an hour or so. A strong voice, great sounding guitar, piano, and pump organ.
As you might have guessed, the electric set was introduced by a pile of people in white insecticide suits with big tanks strapped on their backs - spraying the seeds that had previously been planted on stage. Enter Promise of the Real for some sweet deep tracks, long hits, and a number of Monsanto Years tunes. Neil and Lucas played fantastic together in my opinion. I may be overstepping here - but it reminded me of Neil playing with Stills. He and Lucas battled back and forth, taking each note to the next level. The whole band really pulled together and threw down a solid two hours of badass Neil Rock.
Top notch night.
hmmm, this could have been such a great tour if he didn't play the songs about monsanto, gmo's, and starbucks. I guess I could go to the bathroom during those songs...I would like to hear Double E, even though it used to be the Double L.
ReplyDeleteGreat comments from the flying Scottsman: I heartily agree
ReplyDeleteHey johnnyutensils, there wouldn't BE a tour without the new songs so stop complaining.
ReplyDeleteThe show was amazing!!! Neil is still a strong rocker. I was pleasantly surprised that his voice was so "Neil". He made a great choice in choosing a younger band to back him. The environmental message will reach a younger crowd and this was a smart choice for that reason.
ReplyDeleteI love this man.
Great concert from the Master, and a very pleasant surprise with Band of Horses opening the show! The eco-friendly, corporate bashing was spot on!!!
ReplyDelete