ridleybradout wrote:The quality of compilations that will be culled from this tour (and the first half of the Portland and probably last 4 US boots) will show that the band can definitely still sound amazing - they are just way too inconsistent these days and it is undeniable that there are 3 things behind this:
1. A lack of rehearsal/concentration - as some have suggested, the setlists are perhaps too varied these days.
2. A lack of care - how many times does Ed have to butcher the words to Swallowed Whole, MFS, Life Wasted etc before he cares enough to simply look them up before the show?
3. Ed's drinking on stage - might add to the 'fun factor' for some but greatly impacts on the quality of his performance.
Well said Brad. And #3 has turned into high five, I'm drinking. Grow up Ed.
I liked the mellow Encore 1 idea for the US legs. Another nice idea would be an album encore bracket so encore 1 could be 5-6 tracks from Binaural or Riot Act or ST (haha). It'd be different but it could be rehearsed.
guitar_davey wrote:kudos to them for still mixing up the set lists and refusing to rein in the energy
Honestly, I think these are two of their biggest problems as a live band.
So much this.
You're certainly in the minority, Birds.
Being the band that consistently changes up their setlists has allowed them (and the fans) to believe in this falsehood that every show is different and anything can happen on any given night. While in practice, it's probably stopped them from growing as a band. They think they're constantly doing things different, so they don't feel the burning to desire to actually move forward creatively.
It's that attitude that breeds songs like Unthought Known and Lightning Bolt on every album.
Would you explain what you mean by "growth." Do you mean extended jams? Alternate versions?
I disagree that varied set lists have anything to do with the song writing process.
emanon wrote:I think I either need to drink less to become more alert, or more so as not to care.
guitar_davey wrote:kudos to them for still mixing up the set lists and refusing to rein in the energy
Honestly, I think these are two of their biggest problems as a live band.
So much this.
You're certainly in the minority, Birds.
Being the band that consistently changes up their setlists has allowed them (and the fans) to believe in this falsehood that every show is different and anything can happen on any given night. While in practice, it's probably stopped them from growing as a band. They think they're constantly doing things different, so they don't feel the burning to desire to actually move forward creatively.
It's that attitude that breeds songs like Unthought Known and Lightning Bolt on every album.
Would you explain what you mean by "growth." Do you mean extended jams? Alternate versions?
I disagree that varied set lists have anything to do with the song writing process.
The live shows have everything to do with the songwriting process, and the varied setlists are a major component of what categorizes the live show. Songs like UK and LB are written to be performed live. The band has said themselves that when they write songs these days, a big thing on their mind is how they'll play live.
All I'm saying with the varied setlists is it gives a false sense of trying new things, when in reality it has them cemented in place as to what they do as a band. They change the setlists, the crowds go nuts despite how well the songs are actually played, and Pearl Jam then sees themselves as continuing to be one of the best live acts of their generation. That's the attitude they take into the song writing process and you get a song that starts out with some palm muting or other quiet type of playing and Eddie singing, then the drums kick in and a layered guitar part plays underneath, and then the chorus explodes in anthemic fashion. Except we already have that song over and over again, and this feeling of "variety" has ultimately led to creative stagnation.
guitar_davey wrote:kudos to them for still mixing up the set lists and refusing to rein in the energy
Honestly, I think these are two of their biggest problems as a live band.
So much this.
You're certainly in the minority, Birds.
Being the band that consistently changes up their setlists has allowed them (and the fans) to believe in this falsehood that every show is different and anything can happen on any given night. While in practice, it's probably stopped them from growing as a band. They think they're constantly doing things different, so they don't feel the burning to desire to actually move forward creatively.
It's that attitude that breeds songs like Unthought Known and Lightning Bolt on every album.
Would you explain what you mean by "growth." Do you mean extended jams? Alternate versions?
I disagree that varied set lists have anything to do with the song writing process.
The live shows have everything to do with the songwriting process, and the varied setlists are a major component of what categorizes the live show. Songs like UK and LB are written to be performed live. The band has said themselves that when they write songs these days, a big thing on their mind is how they'll play live.
All I'm saying with the varied setlists is it gives a false sense of trying new things, when in reality it has them cemented in place as to what they do as a band. They change the setlists, the crowds go nuts despite how well the songs are actually played, and Pearl Jam then sees themselves as continuing to be one of the best live acts of their generation. That's the attitude they take into the song writing process and you get a song that starts out with some palm muting or other quiet type of playing and Eddie singing, then the drums kick in and a layered guitar part plays underneath, and then the chorus explodes in anthemic fashion. Except we already have that song over and over again, and this feeling of "variety" has ultimately led to creative stagnation.
Also the feeling of being creative and/or challenged musically seems to come from playing obscure tracks. Perhaps if they had a settled 40 tracks to choose from every night then the need to jam or write together may be greater. (with the added benefit of playing those 40 odd tracks really well).
OK, but how a song will be played live doesn't have anything to do with varied setlists. Regardless, if they Black, Red, Yellow and Strangest Tribe, won't Sirens still be Sirens.
emanon wrote:I think I either need to drink less to become more alert, or more so as not to care.
lowlight79 wrote:Starting Dallas this morning. Can we just all chip in and buy Ed a teleprompter at this point?
I hope Stone yells at him after he fucks up a lyric.
I sat behind the stage and could see that he has plenty of lyric cards already. Plenty. He just needs to use them. The box that's front and center that looks like a speaker is actually hollow. It's full of them.
emanon wrote:I think I either need to drink less to become more alert, or more so as not to care.
Just listened to Buffalo... now I understand what all the complaints are about. That was pretty rough. However, that's the first one I've listened to that is noticeably really bad, "unlistenable" territory. I still stay Brooklyn, Philly and Charlottesville sound pretty god... and even on Buffalo, the band is still tight as hell.
theplatypus wrote:A solo is when the guitar goes twiddly diddly
The last four shows from 2013 are up. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess one or multiple of them are going to be fucking awesome. My money's on Calgary, but I know Vancouver was excellent from the audience recording.
EDIT: Judging by the samples on Nugs, Calgary is DEFINITELY the show. Everything sounds dead on, Ed sounds pretty good and the band is really tight.
