|
|
Post by LostCause on Oct 21, 2010 19:32:41 GMT -5
I've got an extra ticket for tomorrow night and my wife had to back out and now my friend backed out the night before (better than the night of I guess). If anyone needs at ticket PM me. I would only ask a couple beers as payment.
If anyone else is going to be there let me know.
|
|
|
|
Post by orange on Oct 23, 2010 9:27:33 GMT -5
(Delurking to add my two cents. Sorry that this is such a novel.)
I’m primarily an Isobel fan who got into Mark’s work through this collaboration. I went to the Chicago show by myself on a last minute whim, knowing I’d be kicking myself if I didn’t. With tickets less than $20, how could I resist? I knew from reading a bit about their other North American shows that they would put on a good performance, and I was hardly expecting Isobel and Mark by the end of the night to be gazing soulfully into each other’s eyes as many of the uninformed journalists seem to think they will be.
Willy Mason started bang on 10 p.m., maybe even a few minutes earlier. His voice was clear and pleasant, but while I enjoyed the songs at the time, they were unmemorable. Nice background music anyhow. The crowd was surprisingly quiet, although it was a bit sparse on the floor (I was in about the fourth row of standing people on Isobel’s side of the stage). However, it filled up a bit more when Mark and Isobel took the stage, although it never got oppressively crowded. I’ve never been to Lincoln Hall before, so I’m not sure how many people it can fit, plus I’m bad at estimating – maybe someone else can help out on that front.
Willy played maybe about half-an-hour. I didn’t really keep an eye on the time. Mark and Isobel came onstage about an hour after Willy, which was a bit annoying as all their equipment was set up already (it’s just Mason and his acoustic guitar for the opening act). Plus, Jim McCulloch (he’s the bald, Scottish guitarist who’s co-written some of the songs and been with them since “Ballad”) came out to fiddle with his guitar soon after Willy left the stage, so I’d hoped that they would soon be making an entrance.
Since I was alone (none of my friends are into either Isobel or Mark’s music) I was a bit bored. I don’t have a problem going to concerts by myself, but the standing around in silence isn’t any fun. I struck up a conversation with a nearby couple – hi Bob and Allison. They were Lanegan fans, but not die-hards.
Finally the band made it to the stage. They played the usual set. I didn’t keep track of the setlist, but it seemed very similar to what they’ve been playing on the NA and recent European tour. The crowd was respectful – I never really heard any talking, which would have been painfully obvious on the quieter numbers. Like in previous shows, Mark left halfway through so Willy could come back on and sing with Isobel for three songs (the two the from “Hawk” and one of his own). Then Isobel did the solo “Sunrise,” and then Mark rejoined her. They closed out with the usual encore. After waiting an hour for them to take the stage, we hardly waited two minutes for them to come back for the encore. I didn’t even have time to send a text message. The ended with “Wedding Dress,” as usual, and it was as fantastic as I’ve heard on bootlegs and YouTube.
For all that I was expecting Isobel and Mark to be statues during the performance, Isobel actually talked a lot more than I thought she would. When Willy was on singing with her, someone shouted out, “Why isn’t anyone smoking grass?” (Or something similar.) Isobel responded that lots of people were in Toronto (their show before Chicago) and that her bass player (one of the Norwegian Giant Sands guys) had wanted some, and had probably smoked some afterward. “I’m going to tell your mum,” she joked, but then backtracked. Apparently, the bassist has a cool mom who claims to be the first person in Norway to own a Bob Dylan record (so I guess she wouldn’t care that her kid smoked pot?). And some lady in the first row said that the Mason song Willy and Isobel sang on should have been on the “Crazy Heart” soundtrack, to which Isobel agreed (although I think she was just being polite as this lady was a bit weird). Also, earlier, someone shouted out, “Where’s your husband?” to the unmarried Campbell. “In the dungeon,” she laughed. Mark said a few mumbled words during the show, but I’m 99% sure they were directed to the crew, not the audience.
Even though many reviewers rail about the lack of interaction between the pair, it was interesting to see how they communicate in the slightest gestures – nodding, widening eyes, etc. – to indicate when a song should stop or start.
I had a great time. The songs were different enough from the records so you didn’t feel like you could have just stayed home and listened on iTunes. The backing band did a great job and it didn’t feel like they were just going through the motions, and I thought Isobel and Mark gave a lovely performance.
|
|
|
|
Post by Grumpella on Oct 23, 2010 10:58:14 GMT -5
Cool read, orange, thanks for the post.
|
|
|
|
Post by LostCause on Oct 23, 2010 11:45:33 GMT -5
Guess everyone had tickets. Missed a great show. Only complain are the nearly two fights that were escalating around me by the third song. Saw band members looking up from all of the noise mid song. I will write a more complete review in a little.
|
|
|
|
Post by LostCause on Oct 23, 2010 11:52:37 GMT -5
Mark was not a statue either really swaying with the music tapping is fingers especially as the night went on. When he was not on stage I notices a lull in the energy level still nicely played music but the crowd seemed to me more Lanegan intensive. He seemed to really draw the audience in by his commanding performance. I really liked the use of dynamics to really raise the intensity of the parts of the songs. This is lost on a lot of bands (not loud soft loud soft but crescendo and decrescendo). I enjoyed Isabel a bit more than I would have thought. It really worked well. I can see why Mark enjoys it. It really showed.
|
|
|
|
Post by barriers on Oct 23, 2010 12:18:44 GMT -5
Cool review orange. I was in Toronto and toward the end of Cool Water she turned to Willy and asked if that was weed she smelled. I didn't hear the bass player ask for any.
Also, it sounds like you may have gotten the first set change of the tour Sunrise instead of To Hell & Back/Saturday's Gone.
|
|
|
|
Post by orange on Oct 23, 2010 13:49:44 GMT -5
Also, it sounds like you may have gotten the first set change of the tour Sunrise instead of To Hell & Back/Saturday's Gone. Now that I think about it, she sang "Saturday's Gone" too. And now you have me doubting if I heard "Sunrise" or "To Hell and Back" -- I haven't gotten into "Hawk" as much as the previous two, so I'm still a bit shakey on the songs. |
|
|
|
Post by LostCause on Oct 23, 2010 15:27:51 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Grumpella on Oct 23, 2010 16:27:44 GMT -5
"Still, there was no substitute for Lanegan. His natural friction with Campbell peaked on "Back Burner," where his brooding expressiveness melted into her delicate murmur."
Oh, how I am looking forward to Tuesday night!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by LostCause on Oct 23, 2010 17:07:28 GMT -5
Back Burner was my favorite song of the night. Totally smoldering.
|
|
|
|
Post by LostCause on Oct 23, 2010 17:47:59 GMT -5
My review.
I was not sure what to expect since I was not in rapture with all of the Ic & ML material but liked enough and have enough desire to see him work his vocal magic to take in almost anything. First I think that IC has put together some great material that totally holds up in this context. Small venues, crowd that for the most part will listen intently and enjoy the ride. As the show went on I realized that of all of the collaborators that Mark works with she is the one that most effectively uses his lower register without it being just a low growl effect. His lower register was filled with great vibrato and feeling.
The songs all seemed to come together incredibly. I do not know what song was played when or what the did and didn't play. This evening was about the feel of the music and what the musicians gave. They gave it all. At the beginning of the show Mark was a little stoic but as the show went on he seemed to get very into it. He was swaying and almost gyrating and taping his fingers on the mic stand to the beat. The whole thing was pretty mesmerizing. I really enjoyed every part of the evening. When Mark came back on for Back Burner the show really turned a\ corner and really maintain a high musical emotional and energy level.
The guy next to me was a Trees fan and knew some of the ML since then but was more aware of the past Mark and not this one and he was blown away by the evening. I think for a while he did not know what to think since he was so used to the rocking Mark.
Only non musical notes from the crowd were two near fights one between two drunk guys who got noticed by the band when it started getting loud and a clown near my that nearly got into it with the trees guy I was talking. He leans over and says "are you going to be a douche bag all night" meaning are you going to scream jump around and sing over every word that they are singing? The guy behind me says "wow who would have thought two fights at an Isobel Campbell show."
I am not sure if you can tell from my review but I really enjoyed. I think that Mark could play solo shows like this for a long time and go a long way with it. Mix the Americana,soul, blues,folk, bluegrass type with the rock and it would be a hell of a great show.
|
|
|
|
Post by caitlin on Oct 23, 2010 17:55:54 GMT -5
Back Burner was my favorite song of the night. Totally smoldering. It's my favourite of these shows, it smoulders so much it's been positively indecent. |
|
|
|
Post by orange on Oct 23, 2010 19:23:14 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by wheels132 on Oct 25, 2010 6:20:50 GMT -5
Orange, you should post here more often. Great review. Glad you all had a great time!
And I agree LostCause, Mark has appeared to be much more "into" the show than past shows. Not that he was never into his shows before, but (by Mark standards) he's been showing a lot more emotion this year (the smirks, smiles, very friendly meetings/signings, swaying to the music, tapping the mic, etc.). Granted I haven't seen him live as much as you all, but to me it's different and nice to see.
Mark's still not smoking, right? Because it definitely shows. His voice has been absolutely incredible all year; probably some of the best live vocals I've ever heard from him.
|
|
|
|
Post by LostCause on Oct 25, 2010 12:29:11 GMT -5
I have totally been wondering about the smoking thing. The smoking was kind of a big part of him and smoking could go on anywhere. Now you cannot smoke in most public places. When I mentioned the not smoking thing to the big trees fan he looked at me and responded like it would never happen in a million years. I was hoping to meet him like those bastards in the twin cities and ask actually.
|
|
|
|
Post by SheBangsTheTrums on Oct 25, 2010 16:17:48 GMT -5
I thought he gave up smoking a couple of years back - his voice is defo much better!
On the other hand I have seen other artists who dont care about no-smoking rules and just light up!
|
|
|
|
Post by LostCause on Oct 25, 2010 20:17:39 GMT -5
They gave it up on the end of the gutter twins tour as a group. Not sure how everyone is doing since I have not listened to Scott Ford radio in ages.
|
|
|
|
Post by orange on Oct 25, 2010 23:15:09 GMT -5
Wow, wheels132, that's super sweet of you. However, I'm much more of a lurker at heart (she said as she posts once again). Maybe if a Lanegan/Campbell fourth album appears ...
But I will say this: as much as the Mark/Isobel collaboration gets put down (and sometimes quite justifiably/rationally) on this board, if it weren't for their duets, I'd never have gotten into Mark's music, or that of his frequent partners in crime, at all. I like a fair amount of Mark's music, but I'd never have sought it out without the Campbell connection. Now I've added most of his solo stuff, Gutter Twins/Twilight Singers, QotSA, Soulsavers, etc to my collection. (Just can't get into the Trees though.)
|
|
|
|
Post by wheels132 on Oct 26, 2010 6:56:11 GMT -5
Give the Trees some time and they'll grow on you  . I'm actually from the opposite end of the spectrum--listening to the Trees got me into Mark. I think they're probably the most underrated band of the 90s! I was a long time onewhiskey lurker too, no worries. I remember hearing about Mark giving up smoking at the end of the GT tour. I could be mistaken, but I think it was either 'Lonely Light' (Creature With the Atom Brain collabo) or Soulsavers 'Broken' where he recorded smoke-free for the first time in years. IMO, he sounds as if he's quit; his studio vocals and live work over the past year or two have been undoubtedly stronger than anything in the early-mid 2000s. I say more power to him! Sorry to highjack the thread, carry on. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2010 19:29:08 GMT -5
Hi all, I've been lurking for a while. I know I'm late on this thread but...oh well! I was at the Toronto show & someone, or a few someones were definitely smoking something inside Lee's Palace lol I am a die hard Trees fan & of course Mark's solo stuff too but not until very recently have I listened to Isobel & Mark. I read a nice review of the Chicago show & also read a review of the Toronto show that I disagreed with. I will say that fans in Toronto need to be more respectful. I came very close to telling a few people to shut the f*(k up!
Orange, Screaming Trees are the most under-rated band of all! There is so much talent with these guys....each one of them is genius on their own! To me, they are timeless & sound just a good today as they did 20 years ago. I like all their albums & maybe leaning more to their early stuff but give Dust a try. It's a masterpiece.
|
|
. I'm actually from the opposite end of the spectrum--listening to the Trees got me into Mark. I think they're probably the most underrated band of the 90s! I was a long time onewhiskey lurker too, no worries.