The Spree

[Dr. Anton Phibes]

Before I go.....if anyone happens to "run across" a disc of last night's performance it would be a great thing......I bet the board sound would have been the right stuff.....the way to listen to The Spree is live for sure.....

[eros]

Agree that the Spree was fantastic.  Couldn't wipe the grin off my face all night.
 
 As for the "family"...it was pretty funny but did anyone else find the idea of the guy parading his kid on stage a little disturbing?  I also think a lot of the girl's schtick was staged.  I read about the whole "daddy, i need more vocal in my monitors" bit from a previous review.

[Relaxer]

Originally posted by eros:
  Agree that the Spree was fantastic.  Couldn't wipe the grin off my face all night.
 
 As for the "family"...it was pretty funny but did anyone else find the idea of the guy parading his kid on stage a little disturbing?  I also think a lot of the girl's schtick was staged.  I read about the whole "daddy, i need more vocal in my monitors" bit from a previous review.

A friend of mine and I were talking about why we were a little disturbed by the little girl being there. Isn't she in school? Is she allowed in the club? What's she going to be like when she's 18? She is a very competent drummer for her age. Hell, she's better than Meg White.
 
 The Spree were great. Our group was definitely flailing and jumping and dancing. In particular, loved watching the chorus all dance around. If Ash weren't tonight, I'd probably go for show #2. Two people in my group last night, who aren't interested in power pop from Ireland, are going back for another round. Good for them.
 
 Was also impressed with how many people were there. The Post article helped but it wasn't the only reason.

[kurosawa-b/w]

I decided at the last minute to go to the Polyphonic Spree show, and I'm SO glad I went.  First of all, the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players were hilarious. I laughed all the way through. The guy's commentary was very funny and combined with 9 year old drummer Rachel primly sitting there -great, great.
 
 And then!  The Polyphonic Spree took the stage.  Let me just say that I went into the show thinking I might not like it. The album bored me. But I was so curious after reading reviews, etc.  Anyway, I couldn't even count the number of instruments on stage -maybe 15-20+?  A harp, upright bass, flute, french horn, guitars, drums, keyboards, etc. etc. And then of course there were about 30 people crammed up there, too.  But the sound that they produced -huge and, well, JOYOUS. I have never seen so much infectious happiness on a stage. The singers/musicians were dancing like crazy (and I mean crazy) and singing/playing their hearts out.  I couldn't stop smiling and danced quite a bit myself.  It's very difficult to describe, but it was totally uplifting.  The album comes nowhere near their live show.  If I wasn't so dead (4 concert nights in a row -whew) I would go again tonight. It was that good. And the David Bowie cover -hell yeah! Oh and the moment at the end with the harp -mmm.

[TheREALHunter]

I agree while the audience was polite they couldve got off their asses a bit and got down but thats DC for you.
 
 And regarding the multiple video cameras: An outfit out of Boston called Subversion was doing a multi-cam shoot and are also doing one tonight if Im not mistaken.  Just a heads up: the Spree are cool with taping of any kind and if tonight is like last night, there is no need to get clearance in advance in order to tape as the club was allowing taping equipment.  So if anyone wants to try and recapture tonight what they witnessed last night go for it  
 Hunter

[Ikarus]

Originally posted by imrotten:
 I bet the board sound would have been the right stuff...

board recordings suck.
 
 
 but polyphonic is great.  they need to be teamed up with the flaming lips for a happy tour.

[mjnova]

Originally posted by Ikarus:
   

Originally posted by imrotten:
 I bet the board sound would have been the right stuff...

board recordings suck.
 
 
 but polyphonic is great.  they need to be teamed up with the flaming lips for a happy tour. [/b]

The club would probably have to double the number of employees standing the bathrooms, looking at the stalls so people don't "enhance their enjoyment of the show".
 
 And I think board recordings can be good, but they're never a sure thing.

[Relaxer]

Originally posted by Ikarus:
   

Originally posted by imrotten:
 I bet the board sound would have been the right stuff...

board recordings suck.
 
 [/b]

So, in other words, you haven't heard all that many live recordings. I'll take a board, or FM, recording any day over a crappy audience recording, where it sounds like you're half a mile from stage, the mic is getting knocked around, you're recording that drunk girl's off-key rendition of the song, and all of your levels go off the charts when the crowd is cheering.

[kosmo vinyl]

i read somewhere that the some of the best recordings are those where they record the signal used to feed those wireless in-ear monitor devices many bands are using.  just look for the guy in the car outside the venue with his antenna tuned to the same frequency as the personal monitors.  
 
 the other angle is to claim you are hard of hearing and tape the feed sent to the devices provided by some venues to the hard of hearing.

[Seth Hurwitz]

Originally posted by bags:
 

All that's missing is that glorious Back Bar smell from the F street location
 [qb] [/b]

give us a little more time...we're getting there

[Seth Hurwitz]

Originally posted by bags:
 ]All that's missing is that glorious Back Bar smell from the F street location
 

give us a little more time...we're getting there

[Seth Hurwitz]

Originally posted by bags:
 All that's missing is that glorious Back Bar smell from the F street location
 

give us a little more time...we're getting there

[Dr. Anton Phibes]

Originally posted by Relaxer:
   

Originally posted by Ikarus:
   

Originally posted by imrotten:
 I bet the board sound would have been the right stuff...

board recordings suck.
 
 [/b]

So, in other words, you haven't heard all that many live recordings. I'll take a board, or FM, recording any day over a crappy audience recording, where it sounds like you're half a mile from stage, the mic is getting knocked around, you're recording that drunk girl's off-key rendition of the song, and all of your levels go off the charts when the crowd is cheering. [/b]

I agree with Relaxer 110%!! Board recordings are the shit......my board recordings of the Bowie "Serious Moonlight" tour rehearsals with Stevie Ray Vaughn on guitar are still some of the best live documents I have ever heard!! Board recordings suck???.......get with the program,man..