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Post by bambooflute on Oct 17, 2014 17:28:40 GMT
There are some moments in each and every one our lives when Tull made the hairs on the back of the neck stand on end. Such moments see us forgetting the problems of our daily lives and we are transported by Tull music, when the sounds made by the group just make life better. It's when our critical analyses drop away, and all is right with the world.
What are yours? Here is one of mine:
November 1995: I had tickets to both nights of Jethro Tull's stint at the Orpheum Theater in Boston, Massachusetts. I was in love with the then-new album, "Roots to Branches," and am still devoted to that album to this day. Anyway, the concerts began in a most unusual manner, with the band (sans IA) playing an instrumental medley (from the "A" album, of all things!). One of my friends said, "They are their own opening act!" Well, the magic moment came when the band segued into the opening riff of "Roots To Branches," and, off-stage, Ian Anderson began playing the haunting bamboo flute line. It came out of nowhere and cut through the mix, and then IA strode onstage, playing the flute into his wireless microphone.
During the 1990s, superstar bands like the Rolling Stones and U2 were making headlines with massive stadium tours featuring huge stage sets incorporating giant stuffed olives and so on. David Lee Roth opened one concert tour by standing on a surfboard, suspended by wires, that flew in over the crowd to deliver him to the stage.
Well, those are just gimmicks.
Ian Anderson's entrance to the RTB shows was simple, dramatic, and, most importantly, relevant to the music.
It's an opening to a concert that I will never forget. And, the best part was, I got to see it all again the following night!
David
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Post by Quizz Kid on Oct 17, 2014 22:53:02 GMT
Nice post David,
For me, in terms of live shows, there were three moments, three different gigs, but three shows that cemented Tull as my No. 1 band.
They were all concerts that I shared with friends, most of whom have been friends for life, and that seems appropriate since the memories of those gigs and Tull music have stayed the course as well.
The first was TaaB at the RAH. It was the first gig where a whole bunch of us from school went along. It was a great laugh and involved me and my mate Jim being locked out after Tir Na Nog having gone to the bar late. We clamboured back to our seats after traversing the outside of the boxes to get back to out seats next to the wings, amidst cheers from the rest of the crowd.
The opening acoustic passage of TaaB was great, but those first electric chords that cracked through REALLY DID make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. They still do.
The second was APP, the whole opening, just surreally brilliant, the atmosphere in Wembley, the whole electric anticipation as it built up to the Ian's thunder flash entrance. Bigger, flashier and louder than TaaB and undoubtedly something I wouldn't forget for a long time. It was great to relive that in part watching Darin's recreations of that opening.
Last of the live trilogy for me was, Warchild, The Pan's People opening was a surprise bonus, but the hairs on the back of the neck moment was Martin's blistering opening guitar work. It was then I realised how subtlety brilliant he was within the band.
If I had to pick out one, it would be APP.
If I had to pick out one single recorded piece, one song, it would possibly be Life's a long song, but there's so many more moments that make Tull special
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Post by tootull on Oct 18, 2014 13:37:27 GMT
Captured by the Tull magic - I thought they were the ultimate hippies. My magic Tull moment was my first time watching the band. I received a free ticket from a friend of mine (a trick of magic ). I'll never forget the first time Ian Anderson appeared on stage. That's why I'm still here today posting about this amazing band. It's MAGIC! www.ministry-of-information.co.uk/setlist/72b.htmThe magic act; 4/6/72 Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Canada Flute-topia or The First Half Support: Claire Hamill. Thick As A Brick Pt.1/ Flute Solo (incl. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Bourée (fragment))/ Thick As A Brick Pt.1 contd./ News & Weather/ Thick As A Brick Pt.2/ Drum Solo/ '218 Babies'/ Thick As A Brick Pt.2 contd., Cross-Eyed Mary, A New Day Yesterday, Aqualung, Wind-Up/Guitar Solo/Locomotive Breath/Hard-Headed English General, Wind-Up (reprise)
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Post by Quizz Kid on Oct 18, 2014 14:05:47 GMT
Can you imagine what that gig would have been like if Ian had access to today's technologies of sound, lighting and visual media.
We were blown away by the dynamics of the band then, the music was enough, but they were approaching the heights of their creativity, and were a band who would have gone with the best technology around. It could have been really spectacular. Couldn't it?
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Post by tootull on Oct 18, 2014 15:01:22 GMT
Can you imagine what that gig would have been like if Ian had access to today's technologies of sound, lighting and visual media. We were blown away by the dynamics of the band then, the music was enough, but they were approaching the heights of their creativity, and were a band who would have gone with the best technology around. It could have been really spectacular. Couldn't it? I get your point -but- it was really spectacular. I've been to a few really spectacular Pink Floyd concerts-Tull still rules here though.
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Post by Quizz Kid on Oct 18, 2014 15:23:05 GMT
I agree totally, by far the most spectacular shows of their time. I was lucky enough to have seen most of the big acts of the time and Tull knocked them all into a cocked hat, the band worked harder than most to make that happen., Floyd's light show didn't come near Tull's more dynamic show. Same goes for Gabriel era Genesis, great music, but even with fox heads and Ossie Clark dresses Gabriel didn't have the front man charisma (excuse the pun) that Ian had.
But move on a few years and the scale and technology of shows like Floyd's and Water's 'The Wall' and Peter Gabriel's original 'So' shows were surpassing Tull's sets and overall shows. I wasn't trying to compare, just speculating on what might have been if Ian and the band had that level of reliable and affordable technology for the visuals that could have accompanied TaaB and APP.
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Post by tootull on Oct 18, 2014 15:33:25 GMT
Incomparable Tull. I should never compare...to Tull. I have no time for Genesis. Never clicked for me.
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Post by Quizz Kid on Oct 18, 2014 15:53:46 GMT
Without doubt :-) No-one should! They were in a class of their own, I cannot think of a single comparable band. I like plenty of others but the Tull collection sits on the top shelf. Always had a soft spot fir a bit of Genesis. Early PG stuff, lost it with 'Lamb'. Some later Genesis was OK but the albums are relegated to the lower shelves, kept strictly in the G section!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2014 21:11:54 GMT
Without doubt :-) No-one should! They were in a class of their own, I cannot think of a single comparable band. I like plenty of others but the Tull collection sits on the top shelf. Always had a soft spot fir a bit of Genesis. Early PG stuff, lost it with 'Lamb'. Some later Genesis was OK but the albums are relegated to the lower shelves, kept strictly in the G section! Well there IS no doubt that Tull were/are in a class by themselves. BUT one of the reasons that Tull, ELP, Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Zappa, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues and others had a shelf life that have passed the test of time, is that they all created their own niche. They were very creative original bands that did not rely on each other for ideas and style. It was as though they developed their particular identity in a vacuum. That is more apparent with Tull, they started out with the tried and true blues and were able to change in the face of their own audience and grow more and more successful as they did. Ian Anderson seemed to be able to read and predict what his audience was excited about in real time. If you listen to the first five albums in a row, you have to wonder how on earth he/they arrived at TAAB! Bill Bruford once said that bands in the late 60s and early seventies were successful obtaining record contracts and support by being different, where as in the 80s (when he said it) that bands were succeeding by mimicking a certain sound (The New Wave) that became mostly forgettable with the exception of a few. The Classic Progressive Era, as it is now referred to, was mainly an underground development when it was happening and was not refered to as such or really ackowledged. The fact that they put on a spectacular show (which for me started in 71) was the word on the street and not so much that they played such a different KIND of music. All you had to say was it's Tull! (Just wasn't anything like it). Everytime Ian burst, snuck, jumped out onto the stage was hair raising for me. He still has his moments. Darin
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Post by Gerrald Bostock on Oct 20, 2014 15:16:42 GMT
When I look at my collection and say... WTF .. I could of bought a house with what I spent on this
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Post by Quizz Kid on Oct 20, 2014 21:33:42 GMT
When I look at my collection and say... WTF .. I could of bought a house with what I spent on this Ian has said something similar
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