The ever-popular "Currently Listening" thread

Originally Posted by JDR13
To be fair, I don't think anyone does.

Well, in the pop/rock world anyway … in the world where musicianship and artistry matter more than volume/hair/groupies, anyone playing an instrument who DOESN'T sound better live is a hack …

Originally Posted by txa1265
Well, in the pop/rock world anyway … in the world where musicianship and artistry matter more than volume/hair/groupies, anyone playing an instrument who DOESN'T sound better live is a hack …

I don't think you've been to many concerts.

naw dude, Iron Maiden sounds as good. I've seen Judas Priest and they sound as good, at least back in the day. Blue October sounds good. Metallica. The Cure. Danzig tries, but he so over-extends himself vocally in the studio that it's difficult for him to do anything other than his misfits/samhain stuff and sound like his studio work.

Guns and Roses tho, ive seen them twice and both times they were absolutely awful live. Axl is dreadful live!

Originally Posted by xSamhainx
Guns and Roses tho, ive seen them twice and both times they were absolutely awful live. Axl is dreadful live!

Saw G&R back around 95-96', and yeah..they sucked. It was when they were touring with Metallica and G&R was the headliner. It was actually sort of funny because a lot of people just got up and left after Metallica was finished.

I remember being pissed that G&R had top billing over Metallica, but looking back I realize it was good that people didn't have to sit through their performance while waiting for the real show to start.

Originally Posted by JDR13
I don't think you've been to many concerts.

Hundreds over more than 35 years, actually … but most have been jazz and improvisational music. Places where the music is really what matters, not some pyrotechnics, jumping around the stage, or attempting to recreate the studio version again and again … which sums up ~95% of pop/rock/rap/country/whatever …

However, there were rock groups I saw that were amazing live. I saw The Who when they were complete and they were amazing (not nearly as good when I saw their '82 'farewell' tour). Also saw The Police soon after Regatta de Blanc and before they got really big, and also after Ghost in the Machine … and they definitely bettered their albums. Same for King Crimson in the 'Discipline' era … astounding stuff.

Jazz musicians thrive on spontaneously recomposing harmonies, inventing melodic structures, altering rhythms on a contrapuntal basis, and so on … and therefore every show is a gambit. I have seen some times when it failed, but have also seen some totally amazing shows through the years.

Originally Posted by txa1265
Hundreds over more than 35 years, actually … but most have been jazz and improvisational music. Places where the music is really what matters, not some pyrotechnics, jumping around the stage, or attempting to recreate the studio version again and again … which sums up ~95% of pop/rock/rap/country/whatever

Yeah.. I kind of figured something like that. My concert-going experience is a little more varied, and while I definitely have preferences, I don't believe 95% of the stuff I don't prefer is inferior.

Anyways, I was talking about actual sound quality, not the quality of the show, which will always be subjective.

Originally Posted by JDR13
Yeah.. I kind of figured something like that. My concert-going experience is a little more varied, and while I definitely have preferences, I don't believe 95% of the stuff I don't prefer is inferior.

Anyways, I was talking about actual sound quality, not the quality of the show, which will always be subjective.

I don't think it is 'inferior', but differently aimed. Just as rock musicians are not inferior to jazz or classical musicians, they are just playing in a different style.

For example, last fall I went to see 'Skrillex' (dubstep) with my younger son, and he put on a fantastic show with amazing energy … but it was all about the energy and stage show. The music was more or less the same as on his records, but the show was what made it better.

My apologies for misunderstanding. I don't have a great deal of experience with Jazz, but I have seen some great performances.

I think one of the reasons Jazz often sounds so good live is because it tends to be performed in smaller, less open venues. Such places almost always sound better (imo) than the larger concert venues.

Just in case anyone is interested : Peter Gabriel is bringing So into the U.S. :
http://petergabriel.com/livedates/

I know this got posted in here sometime past (probably by Jaz), so it seems reasonable to note this here:
Mr. Trololo dies

I read this on the news today .
And yes, it might have been me who posted the vid here back then - I'm so obvious.

Found this on the above linked page - is this true ??? http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow…014514261.html
Or is it an "April's Fool" thing ? (Just look at the date !)

On the subject of live music quality, I tend to agree that stuff like jazz or improvisational music is most often better live, while rock / metal / pop / etc has a more spotty track record.

I will say Opeth has done amazingly well live, especially the ones where I saw them play Blackwater Park / Deliverance / Ghost Reveries material. Quite a feat considering how technical their music is.

Also High on Fire, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest were quite good live. The thing these all have in common is they don't rely heavily on studio wizardry or special effects - they are all just really solid musicians.

I agree the smaller the venue the better - it's really hard to get consistent sound quality in an open-air stadium.

Originally Posted by txa1265
Same for King Crimson in the 'Discipline' era … astounding stuff.

Wow, I would give my left arm to have seen that. Absolutely love King Crimson and the Discipline era, though I was too young at the time to have gone to that or known about them. I was probably like 7 years old and still listening to Duran Duran or something.

Originally Posted by Myrkrel
Wow, I would give my left arm to have seen that. Absolutely love King Crimson and the Discipline era, though I was too young at the time to have gone to that or known about them. I was probably like 7 years old and still listening to Duran Duran or something.

I have a similar thing for the "Old Genesis" - Peter Gabriel era - I'd LOVE to see them all around ! I'd probably get a "nerdgasm", then.

Originally Posted by txa1265
Same for King Crimson in the 'Discipline' era … astounding stuff.

I think I saw them tour for Three of a Perfect Pair? Or maybe the earlier album? But anyway it was in a very small venue and their performance and the acoustics were flawless. Hard to beat.

I've been listening to Luna Live; good mellow guitar rock.

http://www.amazon.com/Live-Luna/dp/B0000589F0

If you like Luna, you should look into Red House Painters.

Not really my cup of tea, but I do enjoy track 1 off this release:
http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Blue-Gui…8857319&sr=1-1

Or, perhaps Daniel Land and the Modern Painters (it's a theme, I guess )
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Songs-For…8858094&sr=1-1
(start with track 5)

Down - NOLA

This is a great go-to album, it just never gets old, truly timeless metal. Ive grown to like phil's work better in Down than Pantera. Highly recommended CD, like a mix between Sabbath and Pantera smokin out w/ Lynard Skynard. Fat grooves and thick riffs, and good lyrics. Powerful CD, timeless CD

standout tracks?
There are none, this is one of those cases there the entire CD is great

I'm listening to OMD again - this time their extended versions & mixes.

Bathory - Hades.

Nothing like some good old black metal.