Recent Concerts You've Enjoyed

Thought this might be a fun thread and a way to find out about acts on tour.

My wife and I saw the Smoke Fairies at the Tractor Tavern last evening as the opening act for Rasputina. The Smoke Fairies are a 'folk blues' duo from Wales and have been described as "Bob Dylan's dream." I thought that their debut release "Through Low Light and Trees" was one of last year's best. It was just the two principles singing and playing guitar. Really terrific concert with excellent acoustics and thankfully not too loud.

If you are ever in Seattle, the Tractor Tavern is a great venue in the Ballard neighborhood. Very fun people watching...I think my wife and I were the only ones without tattoos! I got to chat with them after their set and had my LP signed. I love the lilting Welsh accents!

Here's a video of "Hotel Room" from their debut LP:

[video]

concert3.jpg
 
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Karrin Allyson at South in Philly on April 21, 2018. She is sensational live. If you enjoy female jazz singers, you really should see her live. Her records are great but she is so much better live. She is a fine pianist too.


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Tonight we are at Walt Disney Concert Hall for Dudamel conducting Beethoven 9.


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That performance was absolutely amazing! The LA Phil harmonic have to be one of the very best s in the country in the world!

How do a hundred voices and a hundred instruments stop at exactly the same nanosecond?

Ron, Interestingly enough, a lot of times they actually do not stop exactly at the same time!! Many times there are a few members of the band or orchestra that fail to get the tempo exactly right, or are not playing at all. So long as the instruments are not percussion based or the player is not a solo ( although sometimes even this can be hard to hear), the sound ---or lack of, is actually unheard in the total output. If this makes sense. The larger the number of instruments on the stage and in some cases the larger the venue, the more this aspect becomes unheard. Oddly enough, it is far easier to hear a mistake in tempo with a small ensemble or group than it is with the large band/orchestra or symphony. The larger the more difficult it is to hear. Mainly due to the fact that the numerous other members are getting the tempo correct, and your ear is not going to hear the slight timing error of one or two mistakes ( made by one or two players--obviously not the whole ensemble/group-- and obviously if that one error prone person is NOT grossly out of tempo).
One of the things that we teach in music, is that if you make a mistake, continue playing on. Stop playing and the mistake becomes VERY evident to all, continue playing and you will probably get away with it.:D
 
I saw Christoph Eschenbach conduct the NY Phil last night at Geffen Hall in Lincoln Center. The Mozart Piano concerto #22 was pleasant enough (as my wife says, Mozart never has "angst") but I really went to hear Bruckner's 9th. It was a tough listen, not only because of Bruckner's eccentricities and the conductor's tempi but because a big piece like that in a bad hall is no bueno. Eschenbach is a tough dude to watch. He was brought to Philadelphia (2003-2008) by Roberto Diaz who at the time was principal viola. He previously had the same position in Houston. Diaz is now head of the Curtis Institute. Eschenbach lead the Houston Symphony from 88-99 and is a terrific pianist but apparently was not well liked by his colleagues as he is all intellect and had a reputation for conducting erratically. Not sure why I wasn't more receptive to this Bruckner's 9 (played only with the 3 movements he finished before his death), but I was not impressed.
 
I went to see Steven Wilson last night. Absolutely fantastic show. Steven’s live performances have continued to be at an incredibly high level. Can’t wait for tonight’s show!

Steven Wilson - The Vic Theater Tuesday May 1 2018

Set 1:
Nowhere Now
Pariah
Home Invasion
Regret #9
The Creator Has a Mastertape
Refuge
People Who Eat Darkness
Ancestral

Set 2:
Arriving Somewhere but Not Here
Permanating
Song of I
Lazarus
Detonation
The Same Asylum as Before
Heartattack in a Layby
Vermillioncore
Sleep Together

Encore:
Even Less (SW solo)
Song of Unborn
 
Saw and stealth recorded 24/48 Leo Kottke this past Sunday. Interesting performance. Almost talks (tells stories and jokes) more than he plays songs. 1 hr 47min set.
 
I went to see Steven Wilson last night. Absolutely fantastic show. Steven’s live performances have continued to be at an incredibly high level. Can’t wait for tonight’s show!

I'm debating seeing him this time around.

I am not a huge fan of his latest release. But then, his set list looks pretty strong.

And his band is made up of world class musicians.

My last concert was OHM at the jazz club, The Baked Potato here in LA, a couple of weeks ago.

World class fusion trio with Chris Poland on guitar.
 
Can you outline your recording kit?

while I would prefer to use my Sound Devices 702 and schoeps MK4's...that is not stealth enough. Since everyone screws around with their phone at the show...why not record with it and make a professional quality live recording to cherish on your home system ? If you sit where the sound is good, the recording will blow you away...I use an extender cable and use the black foam ball windscreen. Wearing a black shirt, it's invisible. App through iPhone only...no android support. I did Dixie Dregs in March...loud rock recording..left the limiter off and used light compression and recorded 24/48...max resolution. It's amazing what $150 buys you in sound quality. Easy to bring into a concert.
http://www.shure.com/americas/produ.../mv88-ios-digital-stereo-condenser-microphone

upcoming shows for me this year...Al Dimeola Electric, Hot Tuna Acoustic, America....so far. Perhaps I will try some chamber music recitals too.
 
I'm debating seeing him this time around.

I am not a huge fan of his latest release. But then, his set list looks pretty strong.

And his band is made up of world class musicians.

I’m tremendously biased of course because I *love* his music. And I do actually like his new album a lot. But it’s the incredibly high level of musical performance that makes it worth going, IMO.
 
Went to see Sons of Apollo last night. They were very impressive. All 5 members are incredible musicians, but they played together extremely well as a band, which is quite something given that they have only been a band for about a year. Jeff Scott Soto is an incredible singer and a very dynamic frontman, but he doesn’t steal the show from the rest of the incredible talent they have. Mike Portnoy, arguably the most famous/accomplished player in the group, was the only one who didn’t do a solo - and certainly he can drum solo like few others - but I’m sure he did that because he didn’t want Sons of Apollo to be about him.

Great, great stuff.
 
Get to see Ricky Skaggs here in a few weeks...looking forward to it!

On another note...5th row for Joe Bonamassa this past week. Big fan but I hadn't seen him live. Absolutely terrible.......WAY too loud...just a huge wall of distorted, garbled sound. Couldn't understand a single lyric. Not musical at all. What a disappointment....
 

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