I had aftershow passes to meet the band.
It was, in a word, awesome. Both the gig - by far, the best of the gigs I've seen them play - and the aftershow.
I didn't record the gig, but did record video of Ceremony and Elegia which once I figure out how to rotate 180 degrees (for some reason my Win 7 PC plays these iPhone 5 1080p videos upside down) I will upload.
Hooky was not missed at all; Tom Chapman was fantastic in his pseudo-Hooky role and added his own contributions to each song which just plain worked. The band is clearly in a happy place with their current lineup/outlook, both visually and in discussion, and while I still think the songwriting of more recent times doesn't quite match that of the 80s output, perhaps the reaffirmed bond and outlook of the band/management/personnel will lead to great things again. Bernard said they will be doing a lot of writing and recording next year... And we can't at all discount the returned Gillian influence on the songwriting.
I didn't discuss the blog or Recycle, or the Archives project, with them because it was not the appropriate setting.
Steve is the most awesome guy ever, he knew straightaway who I was and was obviously just as happy to talk to me as I was to him (clearly he knew, based on the fact that he told me so, what I'd done for the band since 2006). And a hell of a drummer; seeing him playing acoustic drums (rather than the electronic drumset he'd been using since 1987) - and hearing the audible difference in each song - was absolutely spectacular.
It was quite something getting deeply involved in technoweenie audio engineering discussions with someone who cares, and knows what I'm talking about, with Steve. I got a lot of questions answered that aren't really relevant to share here, and some essential background on other things that aren't really ideal to discuss in this format. One thing that is of interest is that our Western Works reel isn't the master per se, but a dub of it (all the Cabs members and NO had reel dubs off the master, and this was likely one of those), and the Rob Gretton vocal track ("Are You Ready...") was unfinished. He thought how we obtained the reel was awesome.
Here's your humble blogger and Bernard (who was jealous of my iPhone 5; he said his iPhone 4 was getting a bit too slow, haha)...
I am tired, it was a long night and drive back from Toronto but absolutely worth it. Cheers!
i saw them in new york on friday night. (drove from pittsburgh.) first time seeing them. good show. great setlist. however, i have one tiny complaint. the guitars were way too loud, distorting the sound of the songs. i'm guessing that the sound in the venue was bad? i don't know. i'd be curious to hear a soundboard recording of the show. how does one go about obtaining a soundboard recording?
ReplyDeleteSounds as if you had a great time - and to be understood as someone who has helped the band must have put you in seventh heaven.
ReplyDeleteHope we ghet to hear more of your conversations at a later date.
A really nice post.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pleasure to get to meet a band and first find that they are decent people and second (kudos) to you to be able to have an actual conversation with them.
Ace
SO awesome. Some Great Reward for all your hard work over the years. Seriously. Congrats. You deserved it.
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ReplyDeleteI saw the Oct 24th show at the Sony Centre and by all accounts it was just as good as the 23rd. This was my first NO show. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me or does Bernard like to stroll off the stage mid-song for what seems like long periods of time? He did it during the opening of Blue Monday and I thought it looked odd but somehow B. managed to make it back in time for his part. More of an observation and not a criticism, since his timing is spot on!
Fantastic, glad to hear it. Wonderful that the band appreciates the work you've done (in however subtle way it was acknowledged). I've heard Steve is great, glad to hear another agreement. And "real" drums, wow! Had I known that, I might have made more of an effort to see them this tour (previous times being...unsatisfactory).
ReplyDeletePretty nice post! Lucky you! It is very nice to see that someone like Steve was aware of the great work you (and your crew) have done/are doing! nice memories for you I'm sure. Thanks for sharing that as well ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if the presence of acoustic drums may be a result of the ex-bass player's absence? I know Bernard constantly had to try to get him to turn the volume down and that combined with the 'Macclesfield Metronome' on acoustic drums may have been too much for Bernard's hearing problems.Perhaps Tom Chapman maintains a lower on stage volume and this allows Steve to get his 'real' drums out again?
ReplyDeleteOf course this is just conjecture, I'll ask the person who will know the answer when I see them.
I haven't had the pleasure of seeing this new incarnation of NO yet. It looks like they'll be around for longer than I initially thought.
Glad you enjoyed the show and meeting them.