So what's your concert schedule looking like?

[JennyB]

VH and I are going to see a Specials, Clash and Ramones cover show this Friday. It could be really fun or really awful.

Evidently, Journey and Def Leppard played a sold out Busch Stadium the other night. I hate this goddamn town.

[Spiff]

Saw Jack White last night (with opener Tyler Childers, who was decent but these days fairly standard-issue rockin' Americana). Incredible show. One of my major concert regrets is not seeing The White Stripes in Denver circa 03-04. It was not convenient to go to (despite a bunch of friends attending) and I figured I'd catch 'em in Boston or back in Denver another time, blah blah blah. Of course, as these things happen, by happenstance I never had the right opportunity to see what was, through high school and college, consistently one of my favorite bands for close to a decade. So, this was at least to some extent making up for that (even if a Jack White solo show isn't the same thing as a White Stripes concert).

And, well, I was blown away. I have probably a majority of Jack White's major works (all the white stripes and solo records, all the not-that-great dead weather and raconteurs records, a bunch of various singles across all categories) and I really never got why he was so respected as a guitar player. It just doesn't translate in the studio properly. Especially when White's tunes get subjected to the Third Man Records house sound. Fortunately, a lot of what can be a bit offputting and pretentious about the Third Man Records set-up melts away in the Jack White live environment where his massive, massive guitar sound overwhelms everything else (in the best way possible). White may not be the most technically proficient guitarist ever, but on-stage it becomes blindingly obvious the pure love he puts into guitar playing and the way he gives the instrument a life of its own. Songs were close to 50/50 covers of his various bands' works (tons of White Stripes songs, given much heavier interpretations than the relatively sparse original recordings) and solo stuff (half a dozen or so track from the new record, which translates much, much better live and a few from previous albums). Highlights included a very playful runthrough of Hotel Yorba, a ripping runthrough of new singles The Corporation and Ice Station Zebra, a gritty, thunderous Cuts Like a Buffalo and a fuzzed out, jamming take on I'm Slowly Turning Into You.

The encore was more "okay, now to play the hits more-or-less as you remember them" which was also fun (I mean, ain't nothing wrong with seeing Jack White rip through Steady As She Goes -> The Hardest Button to Button -> Connected by Love -> Seven Nation Army). Great show, highly recommend seeing him if you get a shot. Helped make up for one of my big concert mistakes some years ago.

Oh, and as a side note, the concert was a no cell phone affair. A pouch was provided you put your phone into and you can only open it up at designated spots. It was completely great. I've always fallen on the "whatever, people should do what they want" side of the phone/no phone debate at concerts, but my mind is completely changed. There were at least half a dozen times I just, with no thought, instinctually reached for my phone and was so glad it wasn't there and I could just remain absorbed in the concert. And if you looked around, everyone else was fully engage too. No sidebars, no screwing around, just total concentration on the music from everyone in the building. And not having a zillion screens popping up during the concerts Big Moments literally made it easier to see what was going on up on stage, with richer color contrasts between the darkened audience and the stage lighting (which was excellent at the show, stage presence was definitely considered with care) and kept the crowed energy up very nicely. Lots of great crowd sing a longs/calls and responses/etc. that were more on-point from the crowd than I remember in a long time. I'm totally converted, the concert experience is so much better when no one has access to their goddamned phones. I hope more artists use the pouch thingy in the future.

Hello,

I quite agree with you regarding the phone in the pouch idea on a couple of points. Firstly, people attempting to tape the show on their phone eventually watch their phone taping the show rather than watching the show. Secondly, do the people who tape the show on their phone actually enjoy watching the show on their phone (a crappy shoot/perspective of the show at best)? Finally, there's a lack of focus one the performance when trying to get your phone to view the show. Some of the points are pretty obvious, so I guess I'm just venting/supporting your thoughts. Given technology advancements, artists should prohibit phones while offering a better download of the show for a few bucks.

Agree. Nothing worse than being at a show and having to watch through a sea of mobile phones showing you what you can’t see in front of you. Let’s face it if you record sny footage on your phone it is crap anyway and usually consists of footage of other people’s phone screens and crap sound.
Rant over.

On the other hand, I am eternally grateful for the tapers and videographers who captured performances by The Clash and other punk acts way back in the day.

[Flex]

On the other hand, I am eternally grateful for the tapers and videographers who captured performances by The Clash and other punk acts way back in the day.

There's a pretty substantial quality difference between even relatively modest live taper rigs and what you get from even pretty nice cell phones. I've never encountered any live shows recorded from a cell phone that would be tolerable to listen to for more than a song or two.

[Wolter]

On the other hand, I am eternally grateful for the tapers and videographers who captured performances by The Clash and other punk acts way back in the day.

There's a pretty substantial quality difference between even relatively modest live taper rigs and what you get from even pretty nice cell phones. I've never encountered any live shows recorded from a cell phone that would be tolerable to listen to for more than a song or two.

Yeah. It’s borderline pointless. Take a few pictures and put it down.

[BR16ADE_R055E]

On Saturday, I saw Calpurnia in SF. Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler on Stranger Things, is in the band. Awesome show. The kids are alright.

[Kory]

I wasn't sure the best place to put this, so here it is: I think I might be having some enhanced hearing damage lately and I was looking for the earplug thread to see if there was any actual useful advice in it, but I can't find it with search, only other threads referencing it. WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT EARPLUGS in here, does anyone have a link to that thread?

[Chuck Mangione]

I wasn't sure the best place to put this, so here it is: I think I might be having some enhanced hearing damage lately and I was looking for the earplug thread to see if there was any actual useful advice in it, but I can't find it with search, only other threads referencing it. WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT EARPLUGS in here, does anyone have a link to that thread?

Try tinnitus as the search term.

[Kory]

I wasn't sure the best place to put this, so here it is: I think I might be having some enhanced hearing damage lately and I was looking for the earplug thread to see if there was any actual useful advice in it, but I can't find it with search, only other threads referencing it. WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT EARPLUGS in here, does anyone have a link to that thread?

Try tinnitus as the search term.

No dice. When was the board crash? Was it before that?

[Dr. Medulla]

I wasn't sure the best place to put this, so here it is: I think I might be having some enhanced hearing damage lately and I was looking for the earplug thread to see if there was any actual useful advice in it, but I can't find it with search, only other threads referencing it. WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT EARPLUGS in here, does anyone have a link to that thread?

Try tinnitus as the search term.

No dice. When was the board crash? Was it before that?

I think so. Earplug discussion evolved into earplug discussion in-joke/mockery. But if you use esrplug as the search term and Briggy as the author, that might improve the odds.

[Kory]

I wasn't sure the best place to put this, so here it is: I think I might be having some enhanced hearing damage lately and I was looking for the earplug thread to see if there was any actual useful advice in it, but I can't find it with search, only other threads referencing it. WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT EARPLUGS in here, does anyone have a link to that thread?

Try tinnitus as the search term.

No dice. When was the board crash? Was it before that?

I think so. Earplug discussion evolved into earplug discussion in-joke/mockery. But if you use esrplug as the search term and Briggy as the author, that might improve the odds.

No luck again, looks like it's gone.

[Spiff]

Some friends and I went to see New Order last Thursday.

The show lasted more than 2 hours, and 3 Joy Division songs for an encore.

It was a very good concert.

[Spiff]

More pics:

[Spiff]

More pics:

[Spiff]

Pics:

[101Walterton]

Did John Barnes join them on stage for a guest spot.