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Old 12-30-2011, 04:50 AM   #29 (permalink)
Mojo
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: England
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I've been to a few shows recentlly. Firstly I went to see DJ Shadow and the rather impressive Shadowsphere. A fully erect sphere parked centre stage from the very start of the show, and a screen behind it acting as a back drop. The show was visually very impressive and given the set-up, whatever images were being screened were being shown on the screen from left to right and also incorporating the sphere itself. The images were consistently changing, altering at a fast pace for the duration of the show. The pace at which the images were moving would give the impression the sphere was moving. At one point, for example, the sphere was a basketball and the screen a court. Then a chainsaw beamed onto the screen would slice clean through ther sphere. All very trippy. And 15 minutes or so into the show, the sphere was revolved to reveal Shadow set up inside the sphere.

Oh and he sounded great too. Or something.






Trillians is a fairly small rock bar in Newcastle. I'm not sure what the capacity is but it's far from huge. It's a basement bar, down the stairs, where you are plunged into near-darkness. Back before the smoking ban, it had a real smoky atmosphere, given there are no windows or anywhere for the smoke to escape. I've seen small local bands and tribute acts play here. The ceiling is rather low, so much so that on the rare occasion I've seen major label or "name" bands play here, the walls seem to get smaller and narrower and the floor space quickly shrink. When I saw Orange Goblin play here, the extremely tall frontman was simply too big for the venue and kept headbutting the lights.

I recently saw Napalm Death come to town and tear the place down. The stage is so close to the crowd that all seperates it from us is a small, single step. I've sat on the stage on a busy Friday night before, as it's really just a part of the furniture rather than an area of the venue made out of bounds. Napalm Death were in their element in a venue like this. It really is one of those charming venues where the band can see the whites of the audiences eyes. I've never seen the place so busy before, sweat literally running off peoples brows. Such a high energy, crazy show that I would go and see again and again and never tire of it. Beautiful.

From such a small venue to one of the biggest you will find in this country, I then went to see the Manic Street Preachers at the O2 in London, formerly the Millenium Dome. This show was hands down the biggest value for money event I have ever attended. I was so impressed and yet so disgusted watching it, thinking of how much some artists feel they can charge these days.

The band released a singles collection this year which they arent touring. They did a Greatest Hits tour a few years ago which may be why. That and it would be too much for them to do this show every night. This was a one off show for the fans. The band played EVERY song on the National Treasures singles collection. Thats 38 tracks, 3 hours on stage, and how much did I pay for my ticket? The £70+ that Coldplay are charging for their shows next year? The £80+ that Lady Gaga charged for her FIRST major tour? Hell no. £22.50. Can't argue with that at all.

The band were honest ("We're gonna play some songs many of you will fucking hate") and to their credit, put so much effort and money into the show. I have a feeling it may have been filmed for a DVD. Aswell as playing every charting, top 40 single from 1992 to the present day, they even brought out a couple of guests. Gruff from Super Furry Animals was a guest I certainly was not expecting when he came out to play Let Robeson Sing with the band and on the 6 hour drive to London me and my mate discussed if they were gonna bring out a female singer to sing Nina Persson's (from the Cardigans) part for Your Love Alone. They did. However I wasnt expecting them to actually fly the woman herself in from America to do it!

All in all, it was a lesson in how to treat your fans with respect. I particularly enjoyed Nicky Wire finishing the show the way they used to back in the day, by smashing his bass on the stage as he left, and then tweeting about it the next day. "Really wish I hadn't smashed my bass guitar in half last night - it's had it!"
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