Post by atomicsynth on Nov 7, 2014 7:50:35 GMT
There was a good sized turnout for the show.
The PA was too soft. I should not be able to talk effortlessly to my son during a song.
The show was tight, choreographed. Too choreographed.
The band plays with no "abandon" whatsoever. They play precise but cold and safe. This could well be of direction or mandate. Florian Ophale is not mixed high up enough in the least. The Martin Barre lack of comparisons would end, in my opinion, if Florian would go off the Twin Reverb, start using a Soldano and then a FOH mixer that actually would turn him up to where he should be because this guy can really play when you can hear him, it would transform this band.
The acoustic parlour guitar is loud and clear. Ophale should be too. Martin Barre was always in your face loud. Ophale is not. It is not his fault.
The vocals were not intelligible. Part is that Ian Anderson's vocals are, as known, not what they once were and part is that O'Donnell's EQ was not near bright enough. The words in Homo Erraticus could not be understood. If Ian is going to write such wordy complex lyrics then they need to be up front and center in concerts. People behind me were saying they couldn't understand the words at all. It does not help in the least that the PA at Ian Anderson's concerts now is run too softly.
I thought the entire "Homo Erraticus" album was to be played. My mistake because it was portioned. I wish he would have done the whole thing.
I didn't like the shortened and changed around "Songs From The Wood" near to the original touring version. It was a delight to hear "With You There To Help Me" as the low part suited Ian. The two need to sing more together in my opinion. It was the shortest "Living In The Past" I have ever heard live. "Too Old For Rock and Roll" worked well and was a fun surprise.
One used to hear complex contrapuntal layers, for want of a simple definition in Jethro Tull. They are not nearly as present with this band, especially with this FOH mix. This was very evident in "Songs From The Wood". The band of today sounds more homogenized. David Goodier is the stand out of the band. His bass solo on "Bouree" with the fingerpicking style at the end was incredible!
Ian's flute playing is yet outstanding and is the big saving grace.
I would like to see a different slant, personally, things like where O Donnell isn't doing things like pushing a broom around or doing the aimless wandering thing in consort with the contrived humor. It becomes an odd distraction, to me. The Tabb 2 humor did not need to be repeated in my opinion. I would prefer a more damn the torpedos play their asses off attitude than the eccentric humor.
I was really looking forward to Critique Oblique. I wish Ian would not acknowledge the critic backlash that happened over Passion Play in his stage talk. He did not "go too far". It was and yet is a fantastic album and Ian needs to own it and stop giving into past detractors. He should tour that album again or write a II and play both but he won't do it. But at least stop playing credence to the disses of past which were so undeserved. The Passion Play tour was a financial success and the album sold well. **** the critics. I am really glad he played the portion though, albeit too little.
I don't view "Farm On The Freeway" as being a significant enough song to be part of a best of Tull. My opinion. The song is in the decline era.
O' Hara is not the edgy keyboardist Andrew Giddings was. O' Hara is precise but there is little excitement in his playing (by direction as to the excitement factor?). He also had some odd note/chord choices, to me in "Songs From The Wood". Not wrong notes per-say, but a little too different.
No one has been able to play the "Locomotive Breath" intro anywhere close to John Evan. Giddings came closest in my opinion. He was a better keyboardist than the current, sorry to say.
Scott Hammond is precise but plays much simpler than Barriemore Barlow. This also could well be by direction. If this band were permitted to cut loose I would likely feel differently about many things.
I am glad I went to the show. The audience was happy and it was standing ovation in the end. But I went home without the feeling I had been in a great or life changing event, to be honest. This was not the case when I saw Tull in their day. But nonetheless, Tull has been a big part of my life and I'm staying the course, willing to take that which I can get.
I'm sorry to pose this rhetorical but part of me wants to know why the vocals on the "Homo Erraticus" album are on pitch and rock solid strong in contrast to live? I don't hear autotune artifacts on the record so it is puzzling.
I think he triggered a vocal sample for the clear high note which ended "Locomotive Breath" which is quite ok by me. I could be wrong but there was a stomp box.
Postscript:
I clearly cannot avoid comparing the current to an era long gone when Tull was the best band in the world. Hence my review is by nature of influence because I was there back then.
The PA was too soft. I should not be able to talk effortlessly to my son during a song.
The show was tight, choreographed. Too choreographed.
The band plays with no "abandon" whatsoever. They play precise but cold and safe. This could well be of direction or mandate. Florian Ophale is not mixed high up enough in the least. The Martin Barre lack of comparisons would end, in my opinion, if Florian would go off the Twin Reverb, start using a Soldano and then a FOH mixer that actually would turn him up to where he should be because this guy can really play when you can hear him, it would transform this band.
The acoustic parlour guitar is loud and clear. Ophale should be too. Martin Barre was always in your face loud. Ophale is not. It is not his fault.
The vocals were not intelligible. Part is that Ian Anderson's vocals are, as known, not what they once were and part is that O'Donnell's EQ was not near bright enough. The words in Homo Erraticus could not be understood. If Ian is going to write such wordy complex lyrics then they need to be up front and center in concerts. People behind me were saying they couldn't understand the words at all. It does not help in the least that the PA at Ian Anderson's concerts now is run too softly.
I thought the entire "Homo Erraticus" album was to be played. My mistake because it was portioned. I wish he would have done the whole thing.
I didn't like the shortened and changed around "Songs From The Wood" near to the original touring version. It was a delight to hear "With You There To Help Me" as the low part suited Ian. The two need to sing more together in my opinion. It was the shortest "Living In The Past" I have ever heard live. "Too Old For Rock and Roll" worked well and was a fun surprise.
One used to hear complex contrapuntal layers, for want of a simple definition in Jethro Tull. They are not nearly as present with this band, especially with this FOH mix. This was very evident in "Songs From The Wood". The band of today sounds more homogenized. David Goodier is the stand out of the band. His bass solo on "Bouree" with the fingerpicking style at the end was incredible!
Ian's flute playing is yet outstanding and is the big saving grace.
I would like to see a different slant, personally, things like where O Donnell isn't doing things like pushing a broom around or doing the aimless wandering thing in consort with the contrived humor. It becomes an odd distraction, to me. The Tabb 2 humor did not need to be repeated in my opinion. I would prefer a more damn the torpedos play their asses off attitude than the eccentric humor.
I was really looking forward to Critique Oblique. I wish Ian would not acknowledge the critic backlash that happened over Passion Play in his stage talk. He did not "go too far". It was and yet is a fantastic album and Ian needs to own it and stop giving into past detractors. He should tour that album again or write a II and play both but he won't do it. But at least stop playing credence to the disses of past which were so undeserved. The Passion Play tour was a financial success and the album sold well. **** the critics. I am really glad he played the portion though, albeit too little.
I don't view "Farm On The Freeway" as being a significant enough song to be part of a best of Tull. My opinion. The song is in the decline era.
O' Hara is not the edgy keyboardist Andrew Giddings was. O' Hara is precise but there is little excitement in his playing (by direction as to the excitement factor?). He also had some odd note/chord choices, to me in "Songs From The Wood". Not wrong notes per-say, but a little too different.
No one has been able to play the "Locomotive Breath" intro anywhere close to John Evan. Giddings came closest in my opinion. He was a better keyboardist than the current, sorry to say.
Scott Hammond is precise but plays much simpler than Barriemore Barlow. This also could well be by direction. If this band were permitted to cut loose I would likely feel differently about many things.
I am glad I went to the show. The audience was happy and it was standing ovation in the end. But I went home without the feeling I had been in a great or life changing event, to be honest. This was not the case when I saw Tull in their day. But nonetheless, Tull has been a big part of my life and I'm staying the course, willing to take that which I can get.
I'm sorry to pose this rhetorical but part of me wants to know why the vocals on the "Homo Erraticus" album are on pitch and rock solid strong in contrast to live? I don't hear autotune artifacts on the record so it is puzzling.
I think he triggered a vocal sample for the clear high note which ended "Locomotive Breath" which is quite ok by me. I could be wrong but there was a stomp box.
Postscript:
I clearly cannot avoid comparing the current to an era long gone when Tull was the best band in the world. Hence my review is by nature of influence because I was there back then.