Topic: Do you expect a band at a concert to sounds like the CD or something different?

[Halloran]

I actually like the Nirvana Unplugged version of most of thier songs over the originals.  That wasa fantastic set.

Generally, I like a song to be recognizable, at least when played live. I dont mind long guitar solos, or some variants on the songs theme, but sometimes it's like they're just playing something that no fan has heard (yet).

[Eternally Learning]

I wonder where that line is that bands sometimes cross which separates artistic freedom from letting your fanbase down?  Linkin Park is a good example of this.  My best friend was a rabid fan, but totally jumped ship after Minutes to Midnight came out.  Sure, it's their perogative to change their sound, but to me it seemed like they went to far and alienated some of their most loyal followers. 

This ties into live concerts when bands change their songs so much it's unrecognizable.  Sometimes the changes are fully acceptable, regardless of how radical.  Other times, it feels like they're trying too hard.

[Halloran]

I wonder where that line is that bands sometimes cross which separates artistic freedom from letting your fanbase down?  Linkin Park is a good example of this.  My best friend was a rabid fan, but totally jumped ship after Minutes to Midnight came out.  Sure, it's their perogative to change their sound, but to me it seemed like they went to far and alienated some of their most loyal followers. 

This ties into live concerts when bands change their songs so much it's unrecognizable.  Sometimes the changes are fully acceptable, regardless of how radical.  Other times, it feels like they're trying too hard.

Seems like that is the enternal struggle between fans and bands.

Fans get into the band because they like the style. Bands eventually get sick of what they are doing and want to grow/evolve/try something new, which in turn pisses off the (older) fans because they got into them for a specific sound.  Maybe an extreme example would be if your favorite rap group decided one day to put out a jazz album (or vice versa). I'm guessing most of the fans there would just be scratching thier heads.

[Eternally Learning]

I think in the case of Linkin Park at least, it was probably a matter of their new style sounding a lot like everything else on the radio.  Maybe the line not to cross is in switching from your style to one that's been done to death or is at least not unique.

[Halloran]

Part of that line probably gets crossed when they band members go on stage hammered out of their heads. I dont care about drinkin or booze, but man, dont get effed up BEFORE you go on state. Do it during or after teh show. Sheesh,

[GodSlayer]

I just realized that there's another kind of modification I sometimes prefer over the studio albums; when a rock band goes acoustic.  Nirvana unplugged is a great album, Korn unplugged wasn't too bad either, and while I cannot stand Godsmack in general their acoustic version was pretty good (though it was still in a studio).  Sometimes the overly-produced bands really shine when they don't have 10 layers of the lead singer's vocals on top of each other.

Alice in Chains unplugged is a classic, too.

just found out yesterday that the new Folkodia album is an acoustic remake of their old songs.

[T.A.P.O.R.]

Part of that line probably gets crossed when they band members go on stage hammered out of their heads. I dont care about drinkin or booze, but man, dont get effed up BEFORE you go on state. Do it during or after teh show. Sheesh,

I saw Bright Eyes years ago, Connor got so smashed on stage that he played a decent portion of the set laying on the floor.
His playing and singing were still good though.

The man was chugging red wine from a bottle. Real classy

Also the mountain goats are better live.

[Halloran]

Part of that line probably gets crossed when they band members go on stage hammered out of their heads. I dont care about drinkin or booze, but man, dont get effed up BEFORE you go on state. Do it during or after teh show. Sheesh,

I saw Bright Eyes years ago, Connor got so smashed on stage that he played a decent portion of the set laying on the floor.
His playing and singing were still good though.

The man was chugging red wine from a bottle. Real classy

Also the mountain goats are better live.

Peter Steele, lead singer of Type O Negative, always drank red wine during his shows because beer made him burp from the carbination.  Where there's a will, there's booze. 

[T.A.P.O.R.]

Part of that line probably gets crossed when they band members go on stage hammered out of their heads. I dont care about drinkin or booze, but man, dont get effed up BEFORE you go on state. Do it during or after teh show. Sheesh,

I saw Bright Eyes years ago, Connor got so smashed on stage that he played a decent portion of the set laying on the floor.
His playing and singing were still good though.

The man was chugging red wine from a bottle. Real classy

Also the mountain goats are better live.

Peter Steele, lead singer of Type O Negative, always drank red wine during his shows because beer made him burp from the carbination.  Where there's a will, there's booze. 

Damn straight!

I do like being civilised. Drinking wine from a glass is way easier on the wrist

I love beer, but most drinks with bubbles give me the hiccups after a couple.

[seamas]

Once upon a time I expected a band to sound identical to the studio recording.

Now I generally go to shows of bands that make the live performance the priority, rather than the recording.

I like improvisation, and I like when bands don't treat their recordings like holy relics.


I've seen Bob Dylan 6-8 times. He is always messing with his arrangements. Sometimes the fail terribly, but when he does them well they are often MUCH greater than the studio recording.

[seamas]

I like live music, booth "live live" and recorded live that is. But sometimes if the artist tries to do something different it just doesn't work. I have this fantastic Zappa bootleg (1973-06-25 Sydney) in which they completely mess up Inca Roads, if I had gone to that concert I would have been so disappointed.

Considering how disciplined Zappa's bands are, I would consider being able to actually witness them screwing up as being able to see an historic event.

[Halloran]

Part of that line probably gets crossed when they band members go on stage hammered out of their heads. I dont care about drinkin or booze, but man, dont get effed up BEFORE you go on state. Do it during or after teh show. Sheesh,

I saw Bright Eyes years ago, Connor got so smashed on stage that he played a decent portion of the set laying on the floor.
His playing and singing were still good though.

The man was chugging red wine from a bottle. Real classy

Also the mountain goats are better live.

Peter Steele, lead singer of Type O Negative, always drank red wine during his shows because beer made him burp from the carbination.  Where there's a will, there's booze. 

Damn straight!

I do like being civilised. Drinking wine from a glass is way easier on the wrist

I love beer, but most drinks with bubbles give me the hiccups after a couple.

Oh right, civilized. Well, he always drank straight fron a huge bottle. But he was a 'larger than life" kind of guy.

[Peace Bunny]

Genre plays a huge role in this I think, for example, any electro fan would be bitterly disappointed if a dance artist just regurgitated CD stuff. The magic of a Daft Punk set is seeing them mix in a unique way, it adds to the 'special moment' feel of a gig.

[Green Ideas]

Just remembered one of the best concerts I've been to: The Fall, when they played in Rio back in the late 80's. Their performance was amazingly close to what I had heard on their LPs (apparently their creative process is much less chaotic than it sounds). And yet it was a tremendously enhanced experience, perhaps somewhat like finally being in front of a sculpture you had always admired in pictures...

[stonesean]

Rio is great for concerts, I think the fans being so used to football chants really helps them create atmosphere...