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=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: lily1 on May 17, 2005, 10:12:00 pm
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and kraftwerk as well?
i'm mystified by this. i would think it would bring all the die hard fans out of the wood work. all those former hipsters 15-20-25 years ago that now live out in fairfax county/montgomery county won't come into the city to attend the shows! where are they and why haven't they bought tickets?
rather disappointing to see that all 3 shows haven't sold out, particularly kraftwerk.
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Originally posted by lily1:
and kraftwerk as well?
i'm mystified by this. i would think it would bring all the die hard fans out of the wood work. all those former hipsters 15-20-25 years ago that now live out in fairfax county/montgomery county won't come into the city to attend the shows! where are they and why haven't they bought tickets?
rather disappointing to see that all 3 shows haven't sold out, particularly kraftwerk.
i don't know. the fact that it was a late show almost kept me from getting gang of four tickets, but i decided to go anyway... i'm looking at being home at 4-5am or so. not as bad as the aphex twin show a few years ago.
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According to the FAQ (http://www.930.com/cgi-bin/ubb-cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=002063), there is a good chance Gang of Four will sellout by showtime.
Has anyone seen any reviews of their shows? I've heard some anecdotes on the Velvet Rope (mainly glowing), but haven't found any newspaper reviews.
I'll be there.
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gang of four would've sold out last month if they poorly ripped themselves off.
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i'm going to see gang of four tonight in nyc, will try to get a review up.
snailhook makes a very good point, as "good" as the bloc party are, in the face of a gang of four they are going to come of as a bunch of posers.
the shows most people appear to be interested these days are the ones the "cool" kids are going to or the hip show to be seen at. witness all the people wanting the presale password for the LCD Soundsystem and M.I.A. show.
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I'm definitely surprised Go4 didn't sell out. But I wouldn't expect many indie kids to be there. I mean, most of Bloc Party's fans weren't even alive before Go4 broke up. They are ancient history to them. I don't see most folks on this forum lining up to see too many classic rock bands from the 70's. I wouldn't expect today's kids to show up for 80's bands that really didn't even have any big hits. I'd expect the "college rock" crowd from the 80's to come out in force though. That's what I'm surprised about.
And Kraftwerk's too expensive, if you're not already a big fan. I certainly wouldn't pay that much to see a band I was unfamiliar with. And remember there are 2 shows for them.
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Originally posted by Bombay Chutney:
I'm definitely surprised Go4 didn't sell out. But I wouldn't expect many indie kids to be there.
i have to pick up a moving van at 6:30am on Saturday, else i would be there. actually i wanted to go to both Go4 and Dresden Dolls shows on Friday.
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I think bands such as gang of four and Kraftwerk won't sell out until very close to the night of the show because fans from the early days are at an age now that advance purchase of tickets isn't on their agenda, not knowing if they'll be working late, away on a business trip or not sure if they'll be able to get a baby-sitter etc, and the kids of today don't know who the hell they are.
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Gang of Four revives some of its old swagger
By Renée Graham, Globe Staff | May 18, 2005
Yes, every other band on alternative rock radio these days sounds like Gang of Four -- some quite convincingly so -- but here's what most of the groups never quite get right: Their music tends to be so pinched with nostalgic reverence that it never finds its own brand of the twitchy, ragged effervescence pioneered by the British quartet.
Considering that Gang of Four's original foursome -- singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bassist Dave Allen, and drummer Hugo Burnham -- hadn't played together since the early 1980s, few would have expected the band itself to resurrect that power when it reunited earlier this year. But if the packed show at Avalon Monday night was any indication, decades apart haven't eroded this band's punchy mix of rock guitar and new-wave dance beats.
With the members all settled into middle age, they're a long way from their late-1970s beginnings when they first married postpunk rage and politically radical lyrics. Yet, there's still a burnished take-no-mess swagger, which was apparent from the moment the scowling Gill took the stage.
He and his bandmates opened with a dynamic ''Return the Gift." King, the long-limbed frontman, sang, whipped his arms above his head in a spastic dance, and leaped about like a deranged frog. Occasionally, he crawled on the floor, even doing a backwards somersault. On ''He'd Send in the Army," he even turned what resembled a battered microwave into a percussion instrument with whacks from an aluminum bat.
From ''At Home He's a Tourist" to ''To Hell With Poverty," through two encores featuring ''Damaged Goods" and ''I Found That Essence Rare," the music was textured and intense, often achieving a kind of disco dissonance, especially when Gill was punishing his guitar. At the same time, the band also seemed to relish the moment -- Allen even took photos of the crowd with a digital camera. And what a crowd it was as they danced, sang along, even indulged in a bit of crowd-surfing. From middle-aged men with comb-overs to college kids with pierced eyebrows, from graybeards to some who looked barely old enough to shave, this was truly an all-ages show.
http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2005/05/18/gang_of_four_revives_some_of_its_old_swagger/ (http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2005/05/18/gang_of_four_revives_some_of_its_old_swagger/)
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I think one of the reasons Kraftwerk hasn't sold out yet is because the shows are on a monday and a tuesday which, as noted before, are usually days that people are often unsure about. Do you all think the same thing will happen with the Devo shows?
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I don't know if the Gang of 4 sold out the old club when they played there. I mean they are great and I will be there, but they are not necessarily the band every hipster wants to see, just the one they want to say they know of.
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Umm, a lot of more serious retro acts have not sold out the 930 club, Sex Pistols and Buzzcocks, wheras some cheesy past it acts have, Berlin and Modern English.
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Yeah...further proof that there are fewer people out there with good taste, or who are just clueless.
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Originally posted by Sir HC:
I don't know if the Gang of 4 sold out the old club when they played there. I mean they are great and I will be there, but they are not necessarily the band every hipster wants to see, just the one they want to say they know of.
I'm pretty sure the last time Go4 played on F St it was during a blizzard. I think one of my all-time favorite bands was opening too, Thin White Rope. I was scheduled to DJ and couldn't make it out of my neighborhood so I gave up. And then both bands broke up for good shortly thereafter.
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Hmm, this was around 95 I think, Gwen Mars opened up IIRC. No blizzard. Was a great show. When they restarted with the album Mall.
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must've been before that then. I'm thinking '92 or '93, but it's a long time ago and I may be confused. Don't have time to really look it up now anyway.
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I think one of my all-time favorite bands was opening too, Thin White Rope.
twangirl, stoo odom from thin white rope played the warehouse on saturday with his band, the graves brothers deluxe. they sounded like pere ubu. apparently, there aren't many thin white rope fans anymore as only three people paid to see them.
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Originally posted by twangirl:
I was scheduled to DJ and couldn't make it out of my neighborhood so I gave up. And then both bands broke up for good shortly thereafter.
Are you implying that it was your failure to DJ that caused them to break up?
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<img src="http://www.boners.com/content/792594.1.jpg" alt=" - " />
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Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
Originally posted by twangirl:
I was scheduled to DJ and couldn't make it out of my neighborhood so I gave up. And then both bands broke up for good shortly thereafter.
Are you implying that it was your failure to DJ that caused them to break up? [/b]
No, just my disappointment at not getting to see them both one last time.
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Originally posted by snailhook:
I think one of my all-time favorite bands was opening too, Thin White Rope.
twangirl, stoo odom from thin white rope played the warehouse on saturday with his band, the graves brothers deluxe. they sounded like pere ubu. apparently, there aren't many thin white rope fans anymore as only three people paid to see them. [/b]
I know, wish I could have made it out to see them. Although it's the Guy Kyser/Roger Kunkel guitar interaction in Thin White Rope that really does it for me and probably always will. And Guy's surrealist lyrics. I love his voice too.
But FYI even when Thin White Rope was most active in the late '80s-'91, they were lucky to pull 50 people in DC. So 3 people nearly 15 years later is not a surprise.
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Saw them the first week of May. Absolutely fantastic. Totally blew me away.
I can't recommend the show enough.
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But FYI even when Thin White Rope was most active in the late '80s-'91, they were lucky to pull 50 people in DC. So 3 people nearly 15 years later is not a surprise.
i'm not surprised at all. they've always been a cult band and still don't get their due credit. i agree about the guitar interplay...they were one of the great guitar-rock bands of the '80s, along with dream syndicate, rain parade, savage republic, etc.
actually, i think roger kunkel has guested on some GBD, but i'm not sure.
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Gang of Four part of my DNA.
Like Television I haven't listen to much of the Gang of Four lately. Trapped on the vinyl which doesn't get pulled out and out of print CDS being the reason. However all songs but the new one were instantly recognizable with lyrics flooding back like I'd been listening to the records everyday. For instance all it took was the single rimshot at the beginning of "Paralysed" to know what came next.
Despite a few grey hairs this is no nostalgia act, like the Pixies, this band is a relevant today as they were the 20+ years ago when they formed. The setlist starts strong and only get more powerful. Don't know all the songs played by the the one/two punch of "Anathrax" and "At Home He's A Tourist" midset is indication of how WOW the show is.
Jon King is a kinetic front man often moving between the his and the other microphones setup for his band mates. Andy Gill is quite possibly the best rhythm guitarist ever. Hugo Burnham and Dave Allen are about as purpolsive and rock steady of a rhythm section as you'll ever find.
I hope who ever wrangles the microwave finds the band a good one ;)
Most disappointing part of the show was I didn't hear until the encore what city I was seeing the show in.
Worst part of the show was the no smoking rule.
Weird part of the show was watching between sets the movie "The Birds" with no audio and Television providing the soundtrack.
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Originally posted by Bombay Chutney:
I'm definitely surprised Go4 didn't sell out. But I wouldn't expect many indie kids to be there. I mean, most of Bloc Party's fans weren't even alive before Go4 broke up. They are ancient history to them. I don't see most folks on this forum lining up to see too many classic rock bands from the 70's. I wouldn't expect today's kids to show up for 80's bands that really didn't even have any big hits. I'd expect the "college rock" crowd from the 80's to come out in force though. That's what I'm surprised about.
And Kraftwerk's too expensive, if you're not already a big fan. I certainly wouldn't pay that much to see a band I was unfamiliar with. And remember there are 2 shows for them.
Well I'm not going to be caught at many 70's rock shows because many of those bands are down to very few orginial members i.e. Chicago, Styx, Boringer and can't possibly be putting on that great of a show. Plus, I'm not real keen on the hanging with that fanbase. Cheap Trick maybe, AC/DC possibibly, Kiss doubtful, you get the picture.
And yes the GOF is ancient history, besides bloggers can't claim to have discovered them first
;)
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argh, i can't go tommorow night. someone, please take my ticket. cheap money! just pm me.
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Originally posted by vansmack:
I can't recommend the show enough.
you can if you buy my ticket and help me move at 7am the next morning ;)
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Originally posted by Sir HC:
Hmm, this was around 95 I think, Gwen Mars opened up IIRC. No blizzard. Was a great show. When they restarted with the album Mall.
I still have the ticket stubb from that last show at the old 930. They toured for the Shrinkwrapped album. The date was Saturday, Oct.7, 1995. I had tickets for that show in 1992 but couldn't make it because of the blizzard but still have the used tickets.
I just saw them in Manchester earlier this year. The venue didn't sell out until the night of the show here either. But all who go are in for a great night of Entertainment.
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and Entertainment! is what you will hear...
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Originally posted by kosmo vinyl:
Worst part of the show was the no smoking rule.
Will that be the case for the show tonight?
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can't say, because the no smoking rule is an nyc law... and it was a scarastic remark because no smoking show rule.
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Oh, that's right - I forgot that it was a NY show. And I completely agree about no smoking shows. The no smoking policy for the Arcade Fire made for an even more enjoyable show.
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Originally posted by Mr Dodgy Slapper:
Originally posted by Sir HC:
Hmm, this was around 95 I think, Gwen Mars opened up IIRC. No blizzard. Was a great show. When they restarted with the album Mall.
I still have the ticket stubb from that last show at the old 930. They toured for the Shrinkwrapped album. The date was Saturday, Oct.7, 1995. I had tickets for that show in 1992 but couldn't make it because of the blizzard but still have the used tickets.
I just saw them in Manchester earlier this year. The venue didn't sell out until the night of the show here either. But all who go are in for a great night of Entertainment. [/b]
I was at the old club for that show for Shrinkwrapped in '95! I can't wait for tonight! Got some folks going with tonight and it looks like I'll be in Philly tommorrow night as it's not sold out there either! Last show of the tour. Andy is a guitar god...plain & simple.....I bet Ian and the Fugazi boys are there tonight.....
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so did this show end up selling out? it was rather packed tonight.
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I don't know if it was sold out or not, but it was the best show ever.
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i don't think it ended up selling it out, but it was close.
i also don't think it was the best show ever, but it may have been the best show of the year so far. andy gill is definitely a guitar god, and jon king was, surprisingly, fascinating to watch. in fact, they all were. my only complaint is that i could have used five or six more songs from "entertainment" and "solid gold" (they played about 70 minutes including the encore).
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I think I smoked half a pack just from breathing at the Go4 show Fri night. Have people in DC not figured out that smoking is bad for you? Jeez, even folks my age (old enough to know better) were blazing away. Cat's Cradle here in N.C. went smoke-free a year or so ago and attendance at their shows seems unaffected. I dunno if I'm coming back to the 9:30 until they do the same...at least it's going to have to be someone I really really want to see.
dj golf
in the woods near chapel hill
Originally posted by Jonas Grumby:
Originally posted by Mr Dodgy Slapper:
Originally posted by Sir HC:
Hmm, this was around 95 I think, Gwen Mars opened up IIRC. No blizzard. Was a great show. When they restarted with the album Mall.
I still have the ticket stubb from that last show at the old 930. They toured for the Shrinkwrapped album. The date was Saturday, Oct.7, 1995. I had tickets for that show in 1992 but couldn't make it because of the blizzard but still have the used tickets.
I just saw them in Manchester earlier this year. The venue didn't sell out until the night of the show here either. But all who go are in for a great night of Entertainment. [/b]
I was at the old club for that show for Shrinkwrapped in '95! I can't wait for tonight! Got some folks going with tonight and it looks like I'll be in Philly tommorrow night as it's not sold out there either! Last show of the tour. Andy is a guitar god...plain & simple.....I bet Ian and the Fugazi boys are there tonight..... [/b]
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Originally posted by DJ Golf:
I think I smoked half a pack just from breathing at the Go4 show Fri night. Have people in DC not figured out that smoking is bad for you? Jeez, even folks my age (old enough to know better) were blazing away. Cat's Cradle here in N.C. went smoke-free a year or so ago and attendance at their shows seems unaffected. I dunno if I'm coming back to the 9:30 until they do the same...at least it's going to have to be someone I really really want to see.
i haven't been back to the cat's cradle since they stopped allowing smoking.. i'm very curious to see how different it is there... because every time i've been there it's been practically a wall of smoke. looking forward to it though, just haven't made my way down to chapel hill since explosions in the sky @ local 506.
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yeah the set was a bit short there are still several classics left from the first two records, which of course didn't matter because i had a great time. a couple even from hard, but that was a different line-up
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Great show - though it did seem alot smokier than usual...
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interesting show, I didn't know what to expect
they were quite entertaining and the bass player and drummer were tight (as an aside, the drummer was about as un rock n roll as you can get, he looked like one of my uncles!)
they were also fairly intense, staring into the crowd - the whole microwave thing must have had Seth cjecking out his insurance policy as bits of microwave started flying into the front row :roll:
also quite an aging laddish element up front, and to the arsehole who celebrated the first song by showering everyone with beer (props to staph for going in and getting him) I hope they threw you out so you missed the rest of the show - not cool at all
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That live version of "He'd Send in the Army" was UNREAL...not the best show ever, but definitely one of the best I've seen in a while. They were so damn tight. Sorry, but so much of these wannabe bands today pale compared to how wound up those guys sounded. It was superb.
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Sorry, but so much of these wannabe bands today pale compared to how wound up those guys sounded.
that's what i been sayin'!
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Originally posted by kosmo vinyl:
yeah the set was a bit short there are still several classics left from the first two records, which of course didn't matter because i had a great time. a couple even from hard, but that was a different line-up
This show was mind blowing that's for sure.....I tried to make the Philly show the following night but it was sold out....there weren't any tracks from "Hard",but they did do one tune from "Songs of The Free" and one from "Shrinkwrapped"....I just listened to the show again and it sounds great!
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Anyone want to take a stab at posting a set list for Friday's show?
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Radio 4 was horrendous. At one point my friend turned to me and asked how they had so many songs.
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Wasn't at the DC show, saw them in NYC on Weds and it would appear they were playing the same setlist every night. Here is the Chicago setlist, at the second NYC show they flip-flopped Why Theory? and
At Home He's A Tourist
Return the Gift
Not Great Men
Ether
I Parade Myself
Paralyzed
What We All Want
Anthrax
Why Theory?
At Home He's A Tourist
He'd Send in the Army
Natural's Not In It
To Hell With Poverty!
We Live As We Dream. Alone
Damaged Goods
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Originally posted by aaron:
Anyone want to take a stab at posting a set list for Friday's show?
This guy (http://homepage.mac.com/accessv/iblog/B633954307/C912937014/E1310886727/index.html) says it was close to this:
Set List (close)
Not Great Men
Return the Gift
Parade Myself
Paralysed
Ether
Natural's Not in It
At Home He's a Tourist
What We All Want
Anthrax
He'd Send in The Army
**
To Hell With Poverty
I Found That Essence Rare
**
Damaged Goods
Sweet Jane
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I thought the show was excellent. Lots of old(er) people seemed to agree, based on the sea of bobbing heads on the floor.
I thought that Radio 4 was better than the last two times I saw them. They (thankfully) stopped doing the harmony thing, but the frontman still tries way too hard -- that spastic arm thing and the menacing way he runs at the guitar player -- with the rock gimmickry.
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Gang of Four: 20 Years On, Still in Gear
Monday, May 23, 2005;
When Gang of Four made its local debut at the Ontario Theater in 1979 -- preceding the U.S. release of the band's first album, "Entertainment" -- it was an obscure opening act. But the British quartet quickly took command of the stage, and of the evening. The headlining Buzzcocks were no contest for the Four's dynamic music and athletic stage presence.
Although inactive for most of the past 20 years, the group is much better known today; its punk-funk style (if not social commentary) has inspired scores of imitators, many of recent vintage. On the reunion tour that visited the 9:30 club Friday night, the Four faced a new challenge: to prove that their sound is still vital, and that the members -- now pushing 50 -- still have the vigor to deliver it. Any doubts were banished by the opening "Return the Gift," which found guitarist Andy Gill, singer Jon King and bassist Dave Allen shifting musical roles and stage positions as electrifyingly as ever.
The taut one-hour show wasn't merely a rehash of the songs the original lineup played before Allen departed in 1981. The set list drew heavily on "Entertainment," but also included songs as recent as 1995's "I Parade Myself." King had some new moves and a huskier voice (the latter was probably a result of 13 performances prior to Washington, the tour's penultimate stop). Allen took a more prominent vocal role, notably on "He'd Send In the Army," the most significantly rearranged song.
The essence of the quartet's sound, however, remains its balance between tension and release: the tightly interlocked rhythms, sudden switches in tone and emphasis, and Gill's explosive yet controlled guitar. Friday night's runner-up wasn't the Buzzcocks but Radio 4, the Four-influenced opener, but it could have been anyone. Gang of Four can still blow the competition off the stage.
-- Mark Jenkins