Post by Gerrald Bostock on Nov 9, 2015 15:04:37 GMT
My take on the Wang Theater Show !!!!......
Oprea is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text (libretto) and musical score usually in a theatrical setting....Well with that said the Ian Anderson show was that, it combined musicians and singers in a theatrical manner. The video playing the entire time was trying to help the story line and attempted to let the audience follow along the tale of the modern "Jethro Tull". Although a valiant effort I found the video somewhat a distraction at times and took away from the band performance. The band played very well but to me it seemed almost sterile especially without the usual banter and wit of Ian nowhere to be found. It still amazes me that Ian can still deliver the goods and the MU (Musician Union) on his passport is and has been safely stamped. Ian shows is still full of motion and gesture that we all have come to know over these past 47 years. It's been heard a million times about his voice .."it is what it is".
I think we as fans have to get over that fact, so I thought it good he had others to help him out. However I would rather of seen them playing live also it would of have made for a better show. To me it seems strange to watch them on a screen instead of singing it live, I guess the old Memorex phrase can be used here "Is it live or is it Memorex". I found Unnar Birna Bjornsdottir's vocals at times where overpowering. While I liked her voice found it strange to hear her in some of Ian's classic Tull songs. It was great to have her to assist in those songs but found it a hard adjustment because I am so used to Ian signing them. The roll Ryan played was easier for me as I am used to Ryan assisting in the vocal department for a few years now. He compliments Ian fairly with his vocals. David Goodier makes also assisting in the vocal department and has a major roll on the video. The video was the undertaking of James Anderson, an interesting video shoot, while a major under taking I think the story line gets lost because there is almost too much going on, I know I am more inclined to watch the musicians and not pay a lot of attention to any video and the video which tells a story gets lost and once you lose your place it makes it even harder to follow the theme.
It was too bad that a lot of the small passages between songs were barely audible and very hard to make out and understand, I think if those were a bit easier to hear and understand it would of helped the flow, especially in the first half. The other inconvenience was that Ian changed the lyrics to so many songs it made those lyrical changes almost over shadow the entire song. Most fans know Ian's lyrics and when he changed them it kind of changed the entire flow of the song. Especially in songs like "Back To The Family", a song that rarely is ever played live. The new lyrics kind of put a different spin to the song and changes it completely. There are other minor alterations of lyrics throughout the entire show that disturb the natural flow in my head. Some of the new songs, to me seem like outtakes from HE, and found it hard to understand and hear them. I think when they release a the DVD/CD release ( I am speculating) of the show it might be nice to have all the lyrics included, even the passages between the songs. That might make it easier for people to follow the story..just my opinion. To me the first half drag along not terrible but a bit stagnant I thought that Farm On The Freeway and With You There To Help Me were the solid points of the set but I guess it was building momentum to the second set which I thought saved the day. Having the opening set end with 2 new songs "Prosperous Pasture", "Fruits Of The Frankenfield " and "Songs From The Wood" , I thought it just ground to end and lost the momentum that Farm On The Freeway seemed to start. The second set started with another new song, of all of them this one to me was the best "And The World Feeds Me" It started a solid second set with great versions of Living In The Past, Weathercock, A New Day Yesterday. The absolute highlight s for me were A Cheap Day Return and the final song Requiem, Ian at his absolute best.
The show overall I thought was a lot better than I thought it would be. I went in with an open mind as I always try to do. I will say I would give it a solid B- not bad for a show I had serious reservations about. Again Ian always has a surprise for us and in this show it was Cheap Day return and Requiem.
The band is solid from start to finish, I have said it a million times Ian Anderson is one the most gifted musician. I love hearing Ian on any acoustic instruments and flute. He has such a unique mastery of these instruments, it virtual can send shivers up your spine. Ian voice is no longer his strongest asset we all know this, so we have come to accept that that. I thought it was a good idea to have others pick up some of the vocals to help Ian out. Which for the most part worked. The band was solid John Ohara on keyboards did a wonderful intro to Locomotive Breath. Florian played solid, and had some nice solo work in Locomotive Breath. Scott Hammond well he just plays and does a great job not over powering but spot on. New bass player Greg Robinson does a great job subbing for David Goodier.
I will say this about any time I go to an Ian show or in the past a Jethro Tull show, the people you run into and chat with along the way make it exciting. It is great to see old friends and make some new ones, and that is how an Ian Anderson show has always been. It brings us fans together and brings new fans into the circle of this family we call "Jethro Tull" or "Ian Anderson"...It is only giving that makes you what you are..
Oprea is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text (libretto) and musical score usually in a theatrical setting....Well with that said the Ian Anderson show was that, it combined musicians and singers in a theatrical manner. The video playing the entire time was trying to help the story line and attempted to let the audience follow along the tale of the modern "Jethro Tull". Although a valiant effort I found the video somewhat a distraction at times and took away from the band performance. The band played very well but to me it seemed almost sterile especially without the usual banter and wit of Ian nowhere to be found. It still amazes me that Ian can still deliver the goods and the MU (Musician Union) on his passport is and has been safely stamped. Ian shows is still full of motion and gesture that we all have come to know over these past 47 years. It's been heard a million times about his voice .."it is what it is".
I think we as fans have to get over that fact, so I thought it good he had others to help him out. However I would rather of seen them playing live also it would of have made for a better show. To me it seems strange to watch them on a screen instead of singing it live, I guess the old Memorex phrase can be used here "Is it live or is it Memorex". I found Unnar Birna Bjornsdottir's vocals at times where overpowering. While I liked her voice found it strange to hear her in some of Ian's classic Tull songs. It was great to have her to assist in those songs but found it a hard adjustment because I am so used to Ian signing them. The roll Ryan played was easier for me as I am used to Ryan assisting in the vocal department for a few years now. He compliments Ian fairly with his vocals. David Goodier makes also assisting in the vocal department and has a major roll on the video. The video was the undertaking of James Anderson, an interesting video shoot, while a major under taking I think the story line gets lost because there is almost too much going on, I know I am more inclined to watch the musicians and not pay a lot of attention to any video and the video which tells a story gets lost and once you lose your place it makes it even harder to follow the theme.
It was too bad that a lot of the small passages between songs were barely audible and very hard to make out and understand, I think if those were a bit easier to hear and understand it would of helped the flow, especially in the first half. The other inconvenience was that Ian changed the lyrics to so many songs it made those lyrical changes almost over shadow the entire song. Most fans know Ian's lyrics and when he changed them it kind of changed the entire flow of the song. Especially in songs like "Back To The Family", a song that rarely is ever played live. The new lyrics kind of put a different spin to the song and changes it completely. There are other minor alterations of lyrics throughout the entire show that disturb the natural flow in my head. Some of the new songs, to me seem like outtakes from HE, and found it hard to understand and hear them. I think when they release a the DVD/CD release ( I am speculating) of the show it might be nice to have all the lyrics included, even the passages between the songs. That might make it easier for people to follow the story..just my opinion. To me the first half drag along not terrible but a bit stagnant I thought that Farm On The Freeway and With You There To Help Me were the solid points of the set but I guess it was building momentum to the second set which I thought saved the day. Having the opening set end with 2 new songs "Prosperous Pasture", "Fruits Of The Frankenfield " and "Songs From The Wood" , I thought it just ground to end and lost the momentum that Farm On The Freeway seemed to start. The second set started with another new song, of all of them this one to me was the best "And The World Feeds Me" It started a solid second set with great versions of Living In The Past, Weathercock, A New Day Yesterday. The absolute highlight s for me were A Cheap Day Return and the final song Requiem, Ian at his absolute best.
The show overall I thought was a lot better than I thought it would be. I went in with an open mind as I always try to do. I will say I would give it a solid B- not bad for a show I had serious reservations about. Again Ian always has a surprise for us and in this show it was Cheap Day return and Requiem.
The band is solid from start to finish, I have said it a million times Ian Anderson is one the most gifted musician. I love hearing Ian on any acoustic instruments and flute. He has such a unique mastery of these instruments, it virtual can send shivers up your spine. Ian voice is no longer his strongest asset we all know this, so we have come to accept that that. I thought it was a good idea to have others pick up some of the vocals to help Ian out. Which for the most part worked. The band was solid John Ohara on keyboards did a wonderful intro to Locomotive Breath. Florian played solid, and had some nice solo work in Locomotive Breath. Scott Hammond well he just plays and does a great job not over powering but spot on. New bass player Greg Robinson does a great job subbing for David Goodier.
I will say this about any time I go to an Ian show or in the past a Jethro Tull show, the people you run into and chat with along the way make it exciting. It is great to see old friends and make some new ones, and that is how an Ian Anderson show has always been. It brings us fans together and brings new fans into the circle of this family we call "Jethro Tull" or "Ian Anderson"...It is only giving that makes you what you are..