“This is the splash zone…”
I really hate to say this because I adore him/them, but Assemblage 23. I have all his/their (A23 is essentially Tom Shear–he adds some musicians for live shows) CDs and they’re some of my favorites of all my music. But we went to a live show a few years back, and it was terrible. We left early. I’m not sure if they were having a bad night or what, but the music was too loud, very distorted, the vocals weren’t even on the melody of the songs…so yeah. I’ll continue to support the band by buying CDs because I love the music, but no more live shows for me!
Well, no, they toured behind the first two albums, IIRC, and I believe one can find a live TV performance from around the time Can’t Buy a Thrill was released (everyone looking stiff and nervous, and David Palmer’s teeth were in severe need of dental attention) on YouTube.
My vote: ZZ Top. Saw them twice, twenty-odd years apart, and they were appallingly shambolic both times. Those studio albums must have been massaged to a fare-the-well to get them to sound like a simulation of a tight band.
I was never a big fan but went to see The Moody Blues back in the 80s because I wanted to see all the big ones when I had the chance. Most of them were at best passable musicians. The drummer in particular had to be propped up musically by a drum track.
I don’t care for Iron & Wine live, but I love his studio albums. He’s not excessively produced, but I guess the touches are what really grab me, so when I hear him live (three times so far, each at a different Bonnaroo), I am pretty underwhelmed.
I was also incredibly disappointed by Florence + the Machine, but for a different reason. She sounded TOO much like her albums. I want some differentation. I wound up leaving her show early when I saw her last year because it was pretty much like listening to an album at max volume, and instead of dealing with the crowd, I just went back to my tent.
I saw New Order many years ago, and they sounded fine, but they were really boring. It was just this side of watching them cue up their record and standing there.
Last time I saw Clapton, it was the most boring show ever.
Similar with Sisters of Mercy. Combined with the blindingly thick fog machines, it was pretty much a waste of an experience.
Seconded. Its always nice if a band would at least acknowledge the presence of the audience in some way when performing live. A simple thank you after the applause would have been nice. The Cars were not able to do so once in 2 hours.
I saw an Aerosmith concert probably, oh, nine years ago, and I was not blown away. I was way more impressed with the other act - K.I.S.S. - which isn’t even a band I’m into.
True enough, Graeme Edge was never a great drummer, and by the Eighties he needed a younger drummer alongside him to do much of the real work.
And John Lodge’s voice was iffy.
However, I saw the Moodies severl times in the Eighties (twice with the Austin Symphony Orchestra) and every time, Justin Hayward was wonderful. And Ray Thomas sounded great on the few numbers he sang lead on (like “For My Lady” and “Legend of a Mind”).
Now, I always loved the Cars’ recordings, but even at their best, they were an uninspired live band.
And Van Morrison is an incredibly bad live performer.
I’m not too big on Dragonforce, but they can be okay sometimes. A few friends have told me to NEVER go to a live show, though, since they actually, legitimately fail at their songs and have to stop mid-riff and either start over, resync, or go to the next song.
Not disputing you, but I would have thought Aerosmith would have been great live. Good to know. (I have always suspected that KISS would be great live.)
I saw Rob Zombie in concert and he was awful. Just awful. Now, I know his songs are repetitive and often sound the same, and actually he’s pretty much a cookie-cutter “dark person” (I want to say poser but I won’t since I like numetal) but I do like the sound of him (and White Zombie).
The show itself was awesome. Lots of video backgrounds, theatricality, etc. But either he couldn’t hear the band at all or he just sucks live. He was never on key the entire time and being on key is one of the things I must insist upon. It just makes me cringe otherwise.
Edit upon seeing the above: KISS, on their first reunion tour, where they exercised and got back to the way they used to look and play – awesome!
Edit 2: would have seen Dragonforce but they delayed for about 2 hours even though they weren’t even the opening band (who fled the stage after about 6 songs due to the harrassment from the fans there to see Dragonforce). We walked out.
The band who fled was Lacuna Coil and I felt really bad for them because they are great.
Two of my heavyweight favorites, Led Zeppelin & Def Leppard, are both shall we say decidedly ‘studio’ bands. Never got to actually see either of them ‘live’ live, just live recordings of them. Course that’s why I like them. I like fine, polished, meticulously produced sound more than raw garage band stuff (can only take black album or later Metallica!)
But if he meant to say Rihanna used to suck live…well, I might have gotten tickets for that.
If I remember correctly, they aspired to be a studio band :D. Or at least Fagen and Becker did. It was annoyance with the band’s lack of interest in live performances that eventually drove guitarist Jeff Baxter to quit.
Interesting. Is that period specific in your opinion? Because I think this live album is excellent.
I will acknowledge that some of Van’s biggest fans say he’s genuinely erratic- magnificent and inspired some nights, but very weak others.
All I know is, when I saw him, he was cold and taciturn, and raced through all his songs as if he couldn’t wait to get off stage and get back to the hotel.
Cold Play sucks live.
Just my opinion.
Gomez, love their recordings but live they were just meh.