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I thought TG might post this first, but hasn't, so here I am. I was sort of considering seeing this show in November when they come back around, but TG's friend couldn't make it so I took the ticket for this one.
It was half of an 80s King Crimson reunion - Tony Levin and Adrian Belew, but Steve Vai in the Robert Fripp spot and the drummer from Tool in the Bill Bruford spot. (Bruford retired from playing drums in 2009, and I imagine Fripp just didn't want to do it.) They played songs from all three of the albums with that original lineup, both vocal and instrumental numbers. It was impressive, particularly Tony Levin playing two lines on the Stick and singing at the same time. (He's in great shape and still has a pretty good voice at 78.) The drummer handled his part well and Steve Vai mostly did, but you could tell he didn't quite have some things down, and on one song he seemed to sit out most of it. His style is different from Fripp, so there was a bit more whammy bar in there as well. And quite a different wardrobe. I thought the instrumental numbers might have been the best part, but "Three of a Perfect Pair" was amazing too. And a couple of the songs with more unusual drum parts, "Waiting Man" and "Two Hands" were stunners.
The sound was good, but better in the second half than the first. I thought Belew was often a bit too close on the mic, and his guitar was often a bit too dominant, but TG would likely disagree on the latter.
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You beat me to it (her har...see what I did there!)
I was wearing airpods to protect the hearing all thru the first set, so I didn't catch the poor sound quality. After the intermission, I forgot to put them back in at first and I thought the main vocal was a little too loud, but all in all, it was pretty good.
This was the first show of the tour, and they'd only been practicing the material for a few weeks. Granted Tony Levin and Adrian Belew wrote much of the original material, but drummer Dana Carey and Steve Vai had a lot to learn in a short time. For Vai, it's particularly hard because aside from the unusual time signatures and constant cross-picking, the 2 guitars and the stick often have melody lines that intertwine, so determining who is playing what is difficult.
I saw Steve Vai often shaking his picking had after songs. I hope he makes it thru the tour...Note: He's not one of my favorite guitarists. He's usually very flashy and show-offy which is totally out of place for this ensemble. But outside of his (my friend said "witch" or "Yoko Ono") costume, he, I think was too busy trying not to fuck up complicated parts.
He did alright. I know all of those albums by heart, so it was really great to see the played live. I think the only songs they didn't play were "two hands" "requiem" and "the howler" from beat and "nuages" and "no warning" from 3 of a perfect pair. They could have tossed in "dinosaur", "walking on air", "one time", and sex sleep eat drink dream" IMHO, but it was a great set regardless. So much guitar synth! Opening with Neurotica was pretty bold. Following Industry with Discipline was also pretty bold. Really great to hear these songs live. Hard to watch Tony use the funk-fingers without thinking of everything everywhere all at once. https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/everyt...iverse.jpg
They've added a second show at the SJ Civic, but in November, so it might be interesting to see it again then and compare after they've have a bunch of shows under their belt.
--tg
PS: Also, no band members punched each other!
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I thought Steve Vai was on tour with Hagar. Much was made about how difficult it was for him to be able to play the Eddie Van Halen parts.
The Van Halen boys would definitely punch each other.
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They did play "Two Hands" - I remember thinking that I liked it more than I used to.
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Went back for the second round at the civic on 11.20. Steve Vai seems much more comfortable with the material, tho he was dressed as the Shakedown Street pimp for some unknown reason (including chains).
Great show. I ate at Joe's across the street before the show. I hadn't been in there since my boss took me there on my 21st b-day for my first legal beer (the boss from the Special Collections library at SJSU, where I worked with Craig van den Voorhen...she was cool...)
I had 2 gin martinis (dirty) with a burger and fries. It was great...
--tg
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As I was driving home past the venue last night I remembered it was the night of the show and wondered if you'd be there.
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I was downtown and bought a ticket from the box office on impulse...
--tg
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(11-21-2024, 03:53 PM)thatguy Wrote: I was downtown and bought a ticket from the box office on impulse...
--tg
Good for you. You deserve to indulge some impulses. Especially when dirty martinis are involved.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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And Original Joe's. So good. Although not quite as classic since the waiters don't wear tuxes any more.
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I don't think I've been in OJs since my SJSU daze.
So like mid 80s...
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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Never been to OJ's, even though there was right across from my Daly City apartment. (Not to be confused with the missing Highland House)
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
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Woah.. really? It’s your kinda place. You’d enjoy it.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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Tuesday lunch at SJ OJ's?
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I won’t be around. But you can go stag. Get the dirty martinis.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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Greg I thought you went home.
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