I gave myself a week to think about it before writing my entry on the concert I saw last week. I did so because I wanted to make sure I wasn't just overreacting. I would hate to write an overly ecstatic entry about a concert I went to, come back to it later, and realize that I no longer felt the way I did when I originally wrote that entry. But now that it's been eight days, I think I can confidently write out exactly how I felt about last Saturday night. Last Saturday night, I saw Marillion for the first time.
About ten months ago, I saw a notice on Ticketmaster that Marillion were going to be on tour in fall of 2016, and were making a stop in Beverly Hills. I heard Marillion for the first time when I was watching performances from the 2010 High Voltage Festival. I was mainly watching that to see ELP's final performance, but one other act caught my attention: it was this band called Marillion playing this song called "Neverland." I remember really liking that performance. I was particularly struck by how much feel seemed to be put into the music. That wasn't something I saw all the time, and it actually impressed me quite a bit. My dad and I were only mildly familiar with the band's discography, but we decided to check it out. Who knows? Maybe we'll become converts. The last ten months weren't full of an overwhelming amount of anticipation for this show, to be honest. I mean, I was sure it wasn't going to be horrible since I know many people who really love this band, but at the same time, I wasn't sure if I should expect anything spectacular. The last few shows I went to for bands that I didn't really know were not particularly enjoyable. For example, I saw Katatonia in 2012, and they bored me to death. Sorry to all you Katatonia fans, but I was struggling to not doze off at some points in that show, and that's saying something, considering that I was right up front and leaning on the stage. Blue Oyster Cult in 2014 was not that much better. So, long story short, I wasn't getting my hopes up for this.
Guys, this concert left me speechless. I came in not expecting much, and boy was I wrong to think that. It didn't take me long to realize that this is a severely underrated band. Of the 46 concerts that I have been to since 2010, I can't really remember the last time I went to a show for a band I didn't really know anything about, and left the venue feeling so refreshed and excited about what I just saw. If you were to ask me to name a band or artist off the top of my head who I felt played with such sincerity and passion, I would immediately say David Gilmour. Now, after seeing this show, I would probably be inclined to name these guys too. Everything from the music to the vocals to the visuals just won my attention. Steve Hogarth (affectionately called "h." by fans) is, to put it simply,
freakin' awesome. He was so fun to watch and even more fun to listen
to. It's not often that I see a singer perform a song rather than
just sing it. It was very apparent to me that he meant every word he
sang. Watching him really feel the music was such a joy. It reminded me a
lot of why music is so important to me, and why I get joy out of
attending live music events, especially prog music events. I talked to
my dad on the way back from the show and he observed that h. had a stage
presence that reminded him a little of Peter Gabriel in Genesis.
Looking back, I think my dad has a point. Every song that was played was a musical journey. I can't remember the last time a concert went by so quickly. I think they played for about 2.5 hours, but it felt much shorter. That's what happens when I'm completely sucked in to the show. That's how I know that it was a great concert.
However, having said all of that, I do have one complaint.
Steve Rothery was really hard to hear at some points in the show. There were actually some times where I didn't realize that he was actually playing a guitar solo, and that concerns me because I think he is a very underrated guitar player. His style and guitar tone reminds me a lot of David Gilmour's. Maybe it was because of where I was sitting (front row balcony), but I'm not sure. All I know is that I had a hard time hearing him. Now the rest of the band, I heard just fine. Mark Kelly, h., Ian Mosley, and Peter Trewavas all killed it.
To sum it all up, I finally understand why everyone likes this band so much. There is a lot to enjoy about these guys. They definitely know how to connect with their fans, and that's something that I really look for when I discover a new band or artist. It's more than just going to a show and watching musicians play for 2+ hours. The worst thing a band can do is just be boring and not be fun or engaging at all. As I stated at the beginning of this entry, I've been to a few shows like that, and it's extremely painful to sit through.
Overall, this was practically concert perfection. My expectations were more than exceeded. I was not bored at any point in this show. In fact, I was grinning for most of it. I think I can confidently say that this show was one of the best I have ever been to. Everything that I think makes up a good prog concert was present the entire time. It was engaging, fun, and truly remarkable. I hope it is not long before I see these guys again.
9.5/10
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Sunday, October 23, 2016
10/23/16
A lot has been happening lately. First off, I finally got a part time job on campus. I work Tuesday afternoon, and Thursday and Friday evenings. I've already worked two shifts and I really enjoy it. I'm responsible for custodial tasks, so that means I do things such as cleaning tables, doing dishes, or vacuuming. Doesn't sound like much, but it's a good start. It would be cool if I could upgrade to a position like student manager eventually.
Second, this week I saw not one, but TWO concerts. I'll talk about the first one in this entry and then the second one in the next entry, since I have much to say about the second show I saw. The first show I saw was right in Riverside: Jethro Tull the Rock Opera, performed by Ian Anderson. I had been waiting to see this show for a long time and honestly wasn't quite sure what it was going to be like. From the reviews I heard, it seemed like people either loved it or hated it. Many of the bad reviews were from people who were disappointed that this show was not Jethro Tull (meaning it was not Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, Doane Perry, John O'Hara, and David Goodier together). After going to the show, I think I have a better understanding of why those people were disappointed. This show was, for the most part, advertised as Jethro Tull. That was what the marquee outside the venue said and that was what was printed on my ticket, so I can see where people are coming from when they mention misleading information. The show isn't advertised as "Jethro Tull: The Rock Opera" or "Ian Anderson plays the music of Jethro Tull."
The show itself was interesting. First off, it didn't take me long to realize that there was some sort of story line accompanying the music. However, I had no idea what it was, and I still don't really know. I meant to get a tour programme at the merchandise stand, but couldn't since it was cash only. Next, I figured out that there was a story line to the show when they featured "virtual guests" on the screen behind the musicians. They were in costumes, so I figured, "Oh, so this show must be about something."
Another common complaint I saw from people online was the quality of Ian's voice. Overall, he did great. As a musician he's still got it and he also still has a tremendous amount of energy for his age. However, I can sort of see what people mean when they say his voice is lacking. I won't lie. There were times where he didn't sound too great. But, having said that, I will give him props for not trying too hard and not pushing himself beyond his limits. I am glad he didn't do a Geddy Lee and attempt to hit notes he clearly couldn't reach or keep the songs in their original keys. That would have made matters much worse, in my opinion.
I didn't recognize every song but I knew a good number of them. I consider myself a very casual Tull fan. Even though I love Thick as a Brick to death, I'm pretty neutral on the rest of their albums. The rest of them seem to be hit-and miss, meaning there are some tracks that I like more than others.
Overall, this show was a lot of fun. I had a great time, but I don't think it's a show I would recommend to someone who knows nothing about Jethro Tull. I just think that the story line and all the puns and references throughout the show may confuse newbies. It's a show that seems to be targeting either longtime fans or people who are pretty familiar with the band's discography. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must finish my history homework.
7/10
Second, this week I saw not one, but TWO concerts. I'll talk about the first one in this entry and then the second one in the next entry, since I have much to say about the second show I saw. The first show I saw was right in Riverside: Jethro Tull the Rock Opera, performed by Ian Anderson. I had been waiting to see this show for a long time and honestly wasn't quite sure what it was going to be like. From the reviews I heard, it seemed like people either loved it or hated it. Many of the bad reviews were from people who were disappointed that this show was not Jethro Tull (meaning it was not Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, Doane Perry, John O'Hara, and David Goodier together). After going to the show, I think I have a better understanding of why those people were disappointed. This show was, for the most part, advertised as Jethro Tull. That was what the marquee outside the venue said and that was what was printed on my ticket, so I can see where people are coming from when they mention misleading information. The show isn't advertised as "Jethro Tull: The Rock Opera" or "Ian Anderson plays the music of Jethro Tull."
The show itself was interesting. First off, it didn't take me long to realize that there was some sort of story line accompanying the music. However, I had no idea what it was, and I still don't really know. I meant to get a tour programme at the merchandise stand, but couldn't since it was cash only. Next, I figured out that there was a story line to the show when they featured "virtual guests" on the screen behind the musicians. They were in costumes, so I figured, "Oh, so this show must be about something."
Another common complaint I saw from people online was the quality of Ian's voice. Overall, he did great. As a musician he's still got it and he also still has a tremendous amount of energy for his age. However, I can sort of see what people mean when they say his voice is lacking. I won't lie. There were times where he didn't sound too great. But, having said that, I will give him props for not trying too hard and not pushing himself beyond his limits. I am glad he didn't do a Geddy Lee and attempt to hit notes he clearly couldn't reach or keep the songs in their original keys. That would have made matters much worse, in my opinion.
I didn't recognize every song but I knew a good number of them. I consider myself a very casual Tull fan. Even though I love Thick as a Brick to death, I'm pretty neutral on the rest of their albums. The rest of them seem to be hit-and miss, meaning there are some tracks that I like more than others.
Overall, this show was a lot of fun. I had a great time, but I don't think it's a show I would recommend to someone who knows nothing about Jethro Tull. I just think that the story line and all the puns and references throughout the show may confuse newbies. It's a show that seems to be targeting either longtime fans or people who are pretty familiar with the band's discography. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must finish my history homework.
7/10
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
10/4/16
The first quarter of my sophomore year is going pretty well. I'm taking four classes, a total of 17 units. I'm taking two English writing classes, a computer science class, and a world history class. There's lots of reading and writing to do, as you can imagine, but I think it's doable.
My tattoo is healing very nicely. A new layer of skin has formed over it, so it is officially a part of me now. I can wear tank tops now so people can see it. So far, I've received quite a few compliments. I feel very proud of it.
On September 24, I saw Al Stewart for the second time in Thousand Oaks. One of the guys that ran the merchandise stand recognized me from the show I went to back in February. The venue for this show was much better than the first one. It was bigger and the sound was better. Al was accompanied by more people on stage this time around. I stayed after to say hi to him. Sadly, I don't think he remembered me from February, but I told him that I thought the story he told about taking guitar lessons from Robert Fripp was interesting. The funny thing is, I remember reading an interview with Robert Fripp a while ago in PROG magazine. There was a part where he talked about the days when he gave guitar lessons, and he said that, of all the students he had, the only one who went on to become successful was Al. He said that the reason for this was because Al never took any of his advice. I always found that interesting.
I deactivated my Facebook again. I think this time I will keep it that way until after the presidential election. There's so much negative energy on Facebook right now because of it, and I only expect it to get worse as the election gets closer. However, I still plan to update this blog during my time away from Facebook. Stay tuned...
My tattoo is healing very nicely. A new layer of skin has formed over it, so it is officially a part of me now. I can wear tank tops now so people can see it. So far, I've received quite a few compliments. I feel very proud of it.
On September 24, I saw Al Stewart for the second time in Thousand Oaks. One of the guys that ran the merchandise stand recognized me from the show I went to back in February. The venue for this show was much better than the first one. It was bigger and the sound was better. Al was accompanied by more people on stage this time around. I stayed after to say hi to him. Sadly, I don't think he remembered me from February, but I told him that I thought the story he told about taking guitar lessons from Robert Fripp was interesting. The funny thing is, I remember reading an interview with Robert Fripp a while ago in PROG magazine. There was a part where he talked about the days when he gave guitar lessons, and he said that, of all the students he had, the only one who went on to become successful was Al. He said that the reason for this was because Al never took any of his advice. I always found that interesting.
I deactivated my Facebook again. I think this time I will keep it that way until after the presidential election. There's so much negative energy on Facebook right now because of it, and I only expect it to get worse as the election gets closer. However, I still plan to update this blog during my time away from Facebook. Stay tuned...
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