I had to post a thread about this band. I’ve loved them for awhile now, and I finally got to see them live on Monday.
You know when you really dig a band’s records but then you see them live and they are just 283488x better?
Yeah, totally happened.
They are just awesome - their recordings are sort of mellow, but live they are so powerful. And it’s a kick to watch their drummer beat the crap out his bongos (yes bongos, just trust me) and cymbals with his hands. I’ve never seen anyone smash on cymbals with their bare hands before. And they guys are fun in between songs. They also came out for the encore wearing: a milk carton costume, a chicken costume, a shark costume, and I forgot the other (oops) and played a completely acoustic version of one of their songs. No amplification, asked us to be quiet, and played acoustic guitars/bass and a banjo. Awesome stuff.
So if you like Guster, talk about how sweet they are here. If you’ve never heard them, head to one of these places to check them out:
The best part about Guster? If you go to www.archive.org and search for Guster, you can download tons of their concerts for free. You just have to keep them in their original (loss-less) format.
I’ve seen Guster twice in concert and they rocked both times (the first time, the opening act for Guster was Guster in disguise as a Christian rock band. )
The second time I saw them they ended with a cover of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” sung by the drummer…who can’t sing and who’s voiced cracked the whle time. Best version I’ve ever heard.
Yeah, I love how Guster fans are really into recording and tape-trading. And the band encourages it as long as no one exchanges money. I’m not even that into live recordings, but it’s still really cool.
I [Heart] Guster! I first saw them when they opened for the Bare Naked Ladies in Detroit about 4 years ago. Actually we have a horse on the farm whose show name is “Guster” in their honor – true fact!
<dorking out>
One time, I saw them (at Clutch Cargo’s in Pontiac, MI) and they had a break, and I shouted, “Play ‘Medicine’” and they looked at each other, and did, and kind of badly, because clearly they hadn’t played it in a long time, but its my favorite song from Goldfly, and I was psyched.
</dorking out>
I love all the little fun things Guster fans do during shows - like the shouting and ping pong ball throwing during Airport Song, and everyone counting during Barrel of a Gun.
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