What you guys think of this band? Saw them for the second time the other day; class gig, though it was an outdoor gig and was too far back from stage to get the full blast.
Personally I think they are one of the best bands around. Their live performance is in a league of its own. The first time I saw them (bout 4 years ago) I was up front and Im telling ya, it was frickin awesome. The second best gig Ive ever witnessed (the best being Ministry in June '03). The gig the other day was still very impressive; good range on setlist (though no play of ‘Assassin’). The stage itself was humongous: 4 big satellites (2 on stage, 2 either side) reflecting footage of the band. I hear they are planning on cutting back on the stage size after this tour.
As regards their albums I think their most recent one, ‘Black Holes…’ is their best, ‘Origin of Symmetry’ a close second. The singer/guitarist is obviously quite talented, though his singing can be a bit whiny & nasally at times but he has relaxed it a bit on the recent album. The drummer is class, esp. considering he’s only a little guy.
These current “math rock” and “art rock” bands owe a huge debt to Muse and they dont quite cut the mustard as regards matching them for head bangin’ rockability.
NO ONES GONNA TAAAAAAKE MEEEE AAAAAAAAALIIIIIIVE
THE TIME HAS COME TO MAAAAAKE THIIINGS RIIIIGHT
YOU AND I MUST FIIIGHT FOR OUR RIIIIGHTS
YOU AND I MUST FIIIIIGHT TO SURVIIIIIVE
my first experience with them was seeing them at the Cure’s curiosa fest in detroit a while back. i think absolution had just come out. they played a stage in the parking lot and i was very impressed with their live show. then interpol came on and were boring as fuck which made me appreciate muse even more. the bassist broke his hand that day and that was the last show they did on that tour. album wise i like absolution a lot. its a good catchy popish rock album. don’t really care for their new album at all but it’s cool they got some international play as i think they were fairly popular in europe a while before they got known here.
I was expecting a load of skinny girly men and ugly chicks smothered in eyeliner at the gig, but was pleasantly surprised by the rather regular looking audience in attendance. Most people were in their mid 20s, lively enough, though I did get a few looks when the head banging started. One of the funnier moments was when a girl was on her boyfriends shoulders in front of us and was blocking the view of a number of people. Some guy beside me pinched her buttocks… no effect, so then this guys girlfriend took the liberty to bite the girl on the ass. [laugh][laugh][laugh]
The girl got down off her yer man’s shoulders and the bitey girl got a couple of high fives.
I saw these suck dolls at Inland Invasion about a year ago! They should’ve went on, right after 30 Seconds to Mars, earlier in the day But instead they were one of the later bands. 3rd from the top I Beleive! Right before Alice in Chains (which is still bad ass btw even with the new singer) Which was right before the headliner Guns n Ros…I mean the Axl Rose Band!
Standing behind a Keyboard and pushing one key every few seconds or so Does NOT mean you are a musician. Ignoring your audience and making your allotted time on stage seem more like band practice does not make for good Musicians either!
Late,
grmpysmrf
You must have caught them on a bad day. Or else they weren’t impressed with their slot. All good bands have bad days. Interacting with crowds can be hard too when the stage is huge and the distance from the stage to the crowd considerable. A band like Pink Floyd would not be renowned for their crowd interaction say in 1980, but yet one cant deny David Gilmour is the one of the best guitarists in rock history.
I hear Alice in Chains are cool live w/ the new guy. They played near me a few years back but didnt see it, unfortunately. I have heard the new singer though and have to say I think he’s better than Staley; no nasally exaggerated ‘rrrrr’ sounds. Would love to hear new material from them with new guy, with no self pitying drug abuse lyrics.
Saw them in the Curiosa festival a few years ago. They played the second stage in broad daylight (which kind of mucked up their lightshow), but they were clearly the best opening act on the tour.
I’ve seen AIC twice. First at Inland Invasion when they unvieled their new singer and then again at the Dimebag Darrel Benefit at the Hollywood house of Blues where they played an acoustic set. Pretty Bad ASS!
as far as the new singer goes… I think somebody who didn’t really follow the band, or just liked them based on radio play, would be hard pressed to tell the difference between Staley and this new guy. I’ve always liked Staley’s voice and his drug lyrics were some of the best lyrics. I think my favorite AIC song is Junkhead!
Late,
grmpysmrf