Holmfirth Picturedrome

sm-iom · Post by **sm-iom** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 3:14 pm

...and hopefully a recording?

Currently based about 15 mins up the road. Scorchio...

simonkeeping · Post by **simonkeeping** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 3:55 pm

Just arrived at the old bridge hotel. Anyone about?

Edit: in gonzo. A craft beer place just up from the nook. Good vibes here

Post by **BzaInSpace** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:08 pm

Hope everybody that makes it has a truly awesome night. Jealous? Don't get me started...

Looking forward to the reports...

rameses · Post by **rameses** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:10 pm

Won't be able to get there till it starts, so will meet people there hopefully.

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James T · Post by **James T** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:17 pm

Leaving in 45 mins. Got lucky and managed to blag the free list, which is good cause the ticket cost would be half of all my money left for the month. Hope for a great set, would be nice to see Medication!

Aquarian-Time · Post by **Aquarian-Time** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 7:08 pm

Im here in The Nook pub. Will check out this craft beer place as well

rameses · Post by **rameses** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 8:25 pm

At the old bridge after a lovely scenic drive.

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sm-iom · Post by **sm-iom** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 11:24 pm

Take Your Time.....wow

James T · Post by **James T** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 11:53 pm

I don't wanna shit on this gig, but I really didn't enjoy it that much. I think the drummer doesn't suit this and I thought the noise section in let it flow was unnecessary. I love this band, and I am open to all new avenues, but I just don't think the new band is as good as the previous one by a long shot. I feel real bad for not getting it, I suppose I did have a bit of a good time and the latter part of the gig was good. I dunno, a bit hit and miss. Was really looks forward to it and it didn't live up to it.

rameses · Post by **rameses** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 12:12 am

Same gig, totally different experience. I thought the new drummer was amazing and the noise sections were literally stunning. I had the good fortune to be stood centrally at the back so had a good view and great sound. I also snagged a set list so will post that later with some pics.

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James T · Post by **James T** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 12:15 am

I grabbed a setlist too. Maybe because I wasn't feeling so great I didn't enjoy it, but the 3 people I was with also felt similar. Such a shame. I will blame myself rather than the band. Maybe I just got used to the old line up.

rameses · Post by **rameses** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:47 am

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Post by **MODLAB** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 7:07 am

James T wrote:I don't wanna shit on this gig, but I really didn't enjoy it that much. I think the drummer doesn't suit this and I thought the noise section in let it flow was unnecessary. I love this band, and I am open to all new avenues, but I just don't think the new band is as good as the previous one by a long shot. I feel real bad for not getting it, I suppose I did have a bit of a good time and the latter part of the gig was good. I dunno, a bit hit and miss. Was really looks forward to it and it didn't live up to it.

I felt pretty much the same way when I listened to the bootleg which I thank the bootlegger and BZA...

Oh well. I have to witness it live myself when the time comes.

Hope all of you that went from the board had a great evening!

B,

M

Aquarian-Time · Post by **Aquarian-Time** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:54 am

Still a bit hungover so i will be brief. That was jaw droppingly good. The drummer was outstanding. The new songs were great bar maybe one of the slow ones. Take your time, so long and let it flow were intense. I will give a better appraisal after i have been back to bed. Great forum meet up as well. I look forward to the group photo !

clewsr · Post by **clewsr** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 11:10 am

Aquarian-Time wrote:Still a bit hungover so i will be brief. That was jaw droppingly good. The drummer was outstanding. The new songs were great bar maybe one of the slow ones. Take your time, so long and let it flow were intense. I will give a better appraisal after i have been back to bed. Great forum meet up as well. I look forward to the group photo !

What you said!

I really really loved the gig last night, the best gig I've seen in a long long time. Exciting new set list and great new band, I loved the drummer and the huge bassist was jumping around.

Sonically they are really hitting the sweet spot for me, less loud and angry than in previous years, there was a real uplifting purity to the walls of noise. Let if Flow was monumental. I want more, now!

Wonderful venue too!

Nice to meet a couple of forum peeps - Fritz and JamesT, and also got a brief chat with Doggen and the new keyboard player before they headed off on the tour buses.

A great Summer's evening.

angelsighs · Post by **angelsighs** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 11:54 am

yeah... obviously, I wasn't at this gig, but I must admit I've not enjoyed the latest bootlegs that much. the new songs don't seem to be making an impression on me. I know these things often take time, but I remember the first time I heard new songs live like Sitting on Fire, Baby I'm Just a Fool, and Hey Jane and they blew me away first time.

it's also quite weird as this is the first time a major lineup change has happened in the band since I've been a proper fan. yeah, I know they have gone through bass players like Spinal Tap goes through drummers, but the core of the band has basically been the same. you guys who followed them in the 90's must have got used to the revolving door policy, but it's strange to us relative newbies! guess with time I will get used to it (and I must admit, I like the idea of having a drummer like Kid Millions who is a bit crazier)

anyways, hope you all had a great time and enjoyed the show (and the beer garden!)

stevelee101 · Post by **stevelee101** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 12:16 pm

For what it's worth, I thought they were great. A couple of lulls here and there but the high points were very high indeed. The noise-blast section in Let It Flow kind of threw me at first and left me thinking 'what have they done to it?' but then it all clicked back together and sounded utterly stunning. Expecting the unexpected is the reason I keep going to see the band live - after a below par run of gigs from the Albert Hall (massive missed opportunity, I thought) to the last time in Leeds (just plain dull) - and last night was pretty stunning.
Nice to say, "hello" to a few people too, even though I was, er, a little 'refreshed'. Must be the weather . . .

James T · Post by **James T** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:29 pm

Sounds like everyone loved it! I suppose I wasn't in the best condition for such a loud show, pretty rough this week. It was definitely loud! Crowd was a bit odd wasn't it? A bit like wetherspoons

Post by **spzretent** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 2:13 pm

angelsighs wrote:
it's also quite weird as this is the first time a major lineup change has happened in the band since I've been a proper fan. yeah, I know they have gone through bass players like Spinal Tap goes through drummers, but the core of the band has basically been the same. you guys who followed them in the 90's must have got used to the revolving door policy, but it's strange to us relative newbies! guess with time I will get used to it (and I must admit, I like the idea of having a drummer like Kid Millions who is a bit crazier)

I dont know for a fact but I think is how Jason keeps Spirituallized fresh. Perhaps he thought he needed a new challenge once the last tour ended. Anytime a beloved band does something like this you are going to cause some head scratching and fist pumping. Both extremes.
Based on the sentiments expressed by those who have witnessed these shows I am really happy about this. I was not a happy fan when the band was replaced after Pure Phase. Then the next band lasted a lot longer.
The mid gig reports from Holmfirth via Scotland a long time fan and Mod who was there was blown away. To me, that is an excellent sign. I cant wait until September.

TheWarmth · Post by **TheWarmth** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 2:56 pm

FWIW, I thought the new band was on fire in Chicago. Kind of a bummer that it took a while to get the sound right, but in terms of performance, I thought they killed it.

Post by **runcible** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 4:02 pm

Just got home after a quality night away.

I thought last night was absolutely fucking incredible.

I just read James T’s report and find myself about as far away from that point of view as it’s possible to be. As the saying goes – ‘HUH?’ That show was magnificent for me. By miles the best Spiritualized show I have seen since Shepherd’s Bush Empire on the Pure Phase tour which was over 18 years ago. Seriously – I thought it was that amazing. And everyone I was with and everyone I spoke to seemed to have the same view – the phrase ‘mind-blowing’ was used many times over a pint in the pub after the show.

Loads of new songs I didn't know yet every single one was fantastic. One about half way through started off like a kind of fastish country rocker and then took on a krautrock feel – whatever the hell that was was the highlight of the evening for me. Anyone know the name of that one? It was an amazing track yet I had never heard it before. If I’m honest I normally get bored a few times in a Spiritualized set – last night I was mesmerised by every song and every trip to the bar was hurried so as to get back into the action. Electricity – fuck me that’s the best I have ever heard it. The place was just shredded with a blaze of strobes and projections. Heading For The Top was completely magical – layer upon layer upon layer was added until by the end the song was a massive throbbing entity. My heart swelled with emotion at the climax of Take Your Time which had everyone around me singing along joyously. By the time any of the songs got going I didn't want them to stop and I could have stood there all night.

Kid Millions? I just don’t get the criticism. He’s an incredible drummer and he brings the urgency and intensity required for the music. Kev Bales goes for a more restrained feel while the Kid just grabs the music and adds the spark required. For me there’s no comparison between the 2 as I want that turbo boost the Kid gives. Who was that bass player? Man he looked cool – confident legs apart stance with long shaggy hair hanging down. And he sounded fantastic too. What makes this Spiritualized set so different is that Jason abandoned any notion of playing the quieter songs (take note Sunray!) and instead went for a proper noise set. Let It Flow and Take Your Time finished in massive fashion with the place quaking. Unless you count a very Spacemen 3 So Hot at the end this set had no ‘ballads’ or sentimental songs and was very heavy. It was a bold selection that was designed to blow your head off – something I haven’t know Jason go for for donkeys years. I thought this band sounded tighter than any line-up I’ve seen for a long time. They played much harder than others have and if Jason is going to go down the noise route for a while I personally welcome it. There were no real quiet moments last night – instead it was a pulsating ball of energy that just didn’t stop. At times I thought ‘he can’t keep this up – sooner or later he has to play a duller song’ but that never happened and the band just ploughed on into distortion city. This is the Spiritualized I love and this is what I yearn for at all the shows I go to. But it hasn’t happened like that for a very long time and last night felt like I’d won the jackpot such was the euphoria myself and the party I was with all experienced. We went to Holmfirth Vineyard for lunch today (lovely place with a truly incredible view) and all we could talk about was the excitement of last night.

The Picturedrome was great too – a lovely place in a really nice town. Nice people – including the owner who we chatted too this morning – and well organised inside. The sound was possible not perfect but it still sounded pretty damn good. That’s a venue worth travelling too.

Rameses, BVCP206, Simonkeeping, Aquarian Time, Stevelee101 – a real pleasure to meet up and hang out with you guys.

So there we go. I've waited a long time for Spiritualized to have that effect on me. Hats off all round.

Post by **MODLAB** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 4:19 pm

Sounds great! I look forward to seeing them.

M

Post by **BzaInSpace** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 4:51 pm

runcible wrote:
I thought last night was absolutely fucking incredible...

Holy shit Mark, that's some review. Wow! Judging by your mid-gig text I knew something very special was happening down there. Really have to see this band now. Elated to read this stuff - sounds amazing! Proper heavy medicine.

Glad it kicked off massively!

Still not jealous though...

clewsr · Post by **clewsr** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 5:06 pm

runcible wrote:Just got home after a quality night away.

I thought last night was absolutely fucking incredible.

I just read James T’s report and find myself about as far away from that point of view as it’s possible to be. As the saying goes – ‘HUH?’ That show was magnificent for me. By miles the best Spiritualized show I have seen since Shepherd’s Bush Empire on the Pure Phase tour which was over 18 years ago. Seriously – I thought it was that amazing. And everyone I was with and everyone I spoke to seemed to have the same view – the phrase ‘mind-blowing’ was used many times over a pint in the pub after the show.

Loads of new songs I didn't know yet every single one was fantastic. One about half way through started off like a kind of fastish country rocker and then took on a krautrock feel – whatever the hell that was was the highlight of the evening for me. Anyone know the name of that one? It was an amazing track yet I had never heard it before. If I’m honest I normally get bored a few times in a Spiritualized set – last night I was mesmerised by every song and every trip to the bar was hurried so as to get back into the action. Electricity – fuck me that’s the best I have ever heard it. The place was just shredded with a blaze of strobes and projections. Heading For The Top was completely magical – layer upon layer upon layer was added until by the end the song was a massive throbbing entity. My heart swelled with emotion at the climax of Take Your Time which had everyone around me singing along joyously. By the time any of the songs got going I didn't want them to stop and I could have stood there all night.

Kid Millions? I just don’t get the criticism. He’s an incredible drummer and he brings the urgency and intensity required for the music. Kev Bales goes for a more restrained feel while the Kid just grabs the music and adds the spark required. For me there’s no comparison between the 2 as I want that turbo boost the Kid gives. Who was that bass player? Man he looked cool – confident legs apart stance with long shaggy hair hanging down. And he sounded fantastic too. What makes this Spiritualized set so different is that Jason abandoned any notion of playing the quieter songs (take note Sunray!) and instead went for a proper noise set. Let It Flow and Take Your Time finished in massive fashion with the place quaking. Unless you count a very Spacemen 3 So Hot at the end this set had no ‘ballads’ or sentimental songs and was very heavy. It was a bold selection that was designed to blow your head off – something I haven’t know Jason go for for donkeys years. I thought this band sounded tighter than any line-up I’ve seen for a long time. They played much harder than others have and if Jason is going to go down the noise route for a while I personally welcome it. There were no real quiet moments last night – instead it was a pulsating ball of energy that just didn’t stop. At times I thought ‘he can’t keep this up – sooner or later he has to play a duller song’ but that never happened and the band just ploughed on into distortion city. This is the Spiritualized I love and this is what I yearn for at all the shows I go to. But it hasn’t happened like that for a very long time and last night felt like I’d won the jackpot such was the euphoria myself and the party I was with all experienced. We went to Holmfirth Vineyard for lunch today (lovely place with a truly incredible view) and all we could talk about was the excitement of last night.

The Picturedrome was great too – a lovely place in a really nice town. Nice people – including the owner who we chatted too this morning – and well organised inside. The sound was possible not perfect but it still sounded pretty damn good. That’s a venue worth travelling too.

Rameses, BVCP206, Simonkeeping, Aquarian Time, Stevelee101 – a real pleasure to meet up and hang out with you guys.

So there we go. I've waited a long time for Spiritualized to have that effect on me. Hats off all round.

What you said! Well put and I agree entirely. 2nd best show for me after only the fabelled Coventry tic toc show, and I've seen them more than 50 odd times. I agree the set hugely benefited from the lack of a mid set lull, generally the lack of anything maudlin it was foot on the gas all the way through like 1993 all over again.

angelsighs · Post by **angelsighs** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 5:15 pm

wowsers high praise indeed.. i'm feeling a bit more jealous now !
here's hoping for a proper UK tour before the end of the year..

surely Perfect Miracle (good song btw) counts as a 'mid set lull'?

Post by **runcible** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 5:36 pm

There are times when you realise the absolute genius people like Jason and Pete K have, and there are times when you feel frustrated that the genius you know exists doesn't shine as brightly as you want it to. The Picturedrome was a moment when everything came into focus, the planets aligned and Spiritualized blew my head off.

When music excels it can be so exhilarating, but then on rare occasions it moves into areas that are on another level. That show was one of those and I won't ever forget it.

clewsr · Post by **clewsr** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:03 pm

Indeed.

There were a couple of slower numbers but everything was played with such an intensity there was no let up. Perfect Miracle was lovely btw

I liked the other new songs much better hearing them live than on the Chicago boot and the songs seem to be changing and evolving quickly. I'm not going but the Dublin ladies and Gents show will be interesting to see with the new band.

By the way the singers were back, so their absence in Chicago looks like a one off.

Post by **runcible** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:04 pm

Took a few shots. Had to include one of Kid Millions pulling one of his many faces.

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: P1040828.JPG (51.7 KiB) Viewed 2108 times

simonkeeping · Post by **simonkeeping** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 9:14 pm

Okay, so I went to this show with mixed feelings. Like JamesT I love the way Kevin bales plays. The old band had a way of locking into a song and, (well you all know) Just making it sound beautiful. This new sound was to my ears a bit lacking in dynamics, it was a bit flat and to be honest not as good as it was with the old band.

So, after hearing the bootlegs (thanks to all for taking the time to share and remaster) I was more than a little concerned. I just didn't get it? It was like the magic was gone, give it a while I thought, early days. Then again with the more recent recordings, I still wasn't feeling it like I used to. Like many on this board this band mean a lot to me. The thought of falling out of love (obsession) with them was actually a bit heart breaking.

Arrival at holmfirth and a few beers later the pure phase drone kicks in and it's show time. A few sound problems early on (jason in ear monitor wasnt on) and then we're down to business. Hey Jane kicks in (and i mean kicks in) and its fairly evident were in for a good night. In short they ripped the place to shreds.

The way the new band play is just savage. Insanely raw and untamed, but also in amongst all that electricity and energy it sounds so tight. It reminds me of the stooges live shows circa raw power that I've heard, or the Jerry Lee live album at the star club. Full on rock and roll, nothing is held back. It's completely unrestrained. All about energy. Kid millions was amazing. The guy literally propels the band along like a jet engine. The bass player was the real deal too. Flying around the fret board and in the noise sections just strumming the hell out his guitar like his life depended on it. He looked super cool too.

It's amazing hearing songs you've heard so many times and at so many shows revitalised and sounding so fresh, new and above all dangerous.

A couple of the tracks had a kind of layer of reverb over everything which sounded really cool. They also added some delay on j's vocals on a couple of tracks which sounded really nice. It was really loud and when they booted it up at the end of take your time it was off the scale. Think MBV loud - just white noise.

We were discussing after the show how he maybe feels he needs to do this band switch every once on a while to keep things fresh and exciting for him. The last version of spz was tight and lean and floaty. This new one is like a juggernaut plowing everything in its path.

As everyone else has said (nice to meet you all too! Hope you made it home safe and sound) it was a belter of a show. I mean really, really good.

And as a side note it looked like they were having a great time onstage too.

Shinesalight · Post by **Shinesalight** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:10 pm

I'm really liking the sound of this new line up. I was under the impression that they were just a temporary thing...didn't one article claim that they were just brought together because Jason could only afford to bring Doggen with him over for the tour of the States? Can't wait to see this outfit live, if they stay together long enough

With regards to Kevin Bales' drumming...I always thought he was tight but didn't really give it any welly. He seemed like he was just holding the beat (very well mind you) with the occasional fill but he never looked like he was having much fun behind the kit. It's probably exactly what Jason wanted and asked of him but, for me, I always like a drummer to be allowed to let rip (think Andy Duvall from Carlton Melton). Kid Millions appears to fit this description perfectly. Hasn't he done some drumming with White Hills too?

James T · Post by **James T** » Sat Jul 20, 2013 12:48 pm

I'm with simonkeeping on this. Now I reflected on my initial feedback, it was probably harsh, but I do think the new band still isn't quite tight enough. When it clicked though, the DID blow the roof off the place. The version of all of my tears was brilliant at the end, even if it was one of the only gentle moments of the show. Take your time was great also.

I think I was just feeling a bit "I don't feel well at all and this isn't what I expected at all"

Post by **MODLAB** » Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:08 pm

Thanks Simon! It's exactly what I needed to hear. I'm really looking forward to a gig in the near future.

M

BVCP206 · Post by **BVCP206** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 9:57 am

Amazing show from start to finish, fantastic venue and great company. What more could you ask for

jack white · Post by **jack white** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:52 am

Ha! This site is especially good fun @ tour time.
Really wanna hear the new band in person now. Might have to travel tho.. Here's another one hoping for a full UK tour asap.

stevelee101 · Post by **stevelee101** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:33 pm

Anyone get a decent recording of this?

sunray · Post by **sunray** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:16 pm

So how does the Chicago boot compare to Holmfirth? Bit of a ridiculous question I know as the live experience compared to an amateur recording are worlds apart but i'm just curious.

Regarding the drumming, i'll be honest and say I haven't enjoyed any Spiritualized sticksmen since Johnny Mattock departed. Damon Reece was too bombastic and Kev Bales used way too many unnecessary fills. From what I've heard so far of Kid Millions on this tour he seems to have reigned his playing in a bit but I won't be able to judge until I see this band incarnation in the flesh. The reviews of Holmfirth have certainly piqued my interest for the Dublin L&G gig.

As for mid set lulls? Well one song doesn't count as a lull and to be honest nor do slow, quiet ones per se. Jason's choice of, again just my opinion, his dullest, dreariest, most boring tunes in the middle of a set are what contribute to a lull. If, over the years, he had been playing Take Good Care Of It, a mellow Sway, So Hot, You Know It's True, Spread Your Wings and Feel Like Goin' Home mid set I'm not sure there'd be much talk of lulls.

Wasn't there always a noise section in Let It Flow? Going by the Chicago boot the band is now doing it justice. Previously they played it like the record, just a quiet, scratchy interlude which I always found a bit pointless ( i mean that for the studio version as well as live ) but now, well, there is a point rather than just a bit of inconsequential noodling.

Anyway, it's good to see some excitement around the live shows.

stevelee101 · Post by **stevelee101** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:33 pm

sunray wrote: Wasn't there always a noise section in Let It Flow? Going by the Chicago boot the band is now doing it justice. Previously they played it like the record, just a quiet, scratchy interlude which I always found a bit pointless ( i mean that for the studio version as well as live ) but now, well, there is a point rather than just a bit of inconsequential noodling.

Anyway, it's good to see some excitement around the live shows.

I always liked the scratchy, rumbly part in Let It Flow, kind of like a steady build before the release when the big melody kicks back in . . .

angelsighs · Post by **angelsighs** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 9:40 pm

sunray wrote:So how does the Chicago boot compare to Holmfirth? Bit of a ridiculous question I know as the live experience compared to an amateur recording are worlds apart but i'm just curious.

this is a thought that crossed my mind too. listened to the Chicago boot again earlier today and couldn't hear much of the power and noise that people are talking about in this show (however I will of course say a BIG thanks to all those involved in recording and tweaking the bootlegs). maybe this Holmfirth show just had the x factor and lifted into space (that does happen sometimes, sometimes everything just clicks).

the new songs are not impressing me much either. I do like Perfect Miracle, lovely little song with a great chord sequence that isn't D and G for once

. and I like the pulverising groove of 'A Song' a lot (even more so with it's new ending). the others, however are leaving me cold. they seem really skeletal and unformed. early days however!

really hoping for a UK tour later in the year so I can see the new band in the flesh and make my own mind up

some interesting questions remain- wonder why Doggen was the only band member not replaced? what will the Dublin L&G show sound like with the new lineup?

mojo filters · Post by **mojo filters** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:55 pm

angelsighs wrote:some interesting questions remain- wonder why Doggen was the only band member not replaced?

Probably being a bit hasty here, but fuck it - so I had a few today.

To answer your question, I wouldn't expect or want to pay the reletively dear price of entry to a Spzd gig as I do now, ie without flinching, unless I knew there was a seasoned, proven pro guitar player to do the business. Otherwise what am I letting myself open to? Guitar Loops mk2? Fuck that shitty lottery, the last UK Spiritualized tour was hardly an unqualified success, and now in the US things are so tight the Tour manager is doubling as guitar tech, and the independently recorded evidence suggests that their touring FOH wasn't exactly moonlighting from Clair Bros list of first calls.

It might sound daft, but with Doggen on the bill I know what I'm (hopefully) getting. After all he did play most of the guitar and bass parts (which for bass very often means 'wrote' as well as 'played' in my experience) on SHSL, plus there are many other reasons I choose not to go into right now, but which I find convincing.

In addition look at what Doggen brings to the Spz table - all the way from the last 3 albums to the Rhodes on 'Acoustic Mainlines'. Sean Cook squeezed hard but ended up with a single credit on "Sway" and ulitimately lost his job related to that ... Perhaps the phrasing should be "thank god Doggen wasn't replaced"?

Maybe the more pertinent question is who could Jason bring in as a session guitarist right now, if he ditched Doggen???

clewsr · Post by **clewsr** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 10:22 am

sunray wrote:
As for mid set lulls? Well one song doesn't count as a lull and to be honest nor do slow, quiet ones per se. Jason's choice of, again just my opinion, his dullest, dreariest, most boring tunes in the middle of a set are what contribute to a lull.

ha ha, ok, yes that was indeed what I meant by mid set lulls.

clewsr · Post by **clewsr** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:12 am

mojo filters wrote:
angelsighs wrote:some interesting questions remain- wonder why Doggen was the only band member not replaced?
Probably being a bit hasty here, but fuck it - so I had a few today.

To answer your question, I wouldn't expect or want to pay the reletively dear price of entry to a Spzd gig as I do now, ie without flinching, unless I knew there was a seasoned, proven pro guitar player to do the business. Otherwise what am I letting myself open to? Guitar Loops mk2? Fuck that shitty lottery, the last UK Spiritualized tour was hardly an unqualified success, and now in the US things are so tight the Tour manager is doubling as guitar tech, and the independently recorded evidence suggests that their touring FOH wasn't exactly moonlighting from Clair Bros list of first calls.

It might sound daft, but with Doggen on the bill I know what I'm (hopefully) getting. After all he did play most of the guitar and bass parts (which for bass very often means 'wrote' as well as 'played' in my experience) on SHSL, plus there are many other reasons I choose not to go into right now, but which I find convincing.

In addition look at what Doggen brings to the Spz table - all the way from the last 3 albums to the Rhodes on 'Acoustic Mainlines'. Sean Cook squeezed hard but ended up with a single credit on "Sway" and ulitimately lost his job related to that ... Perhaps the phrasing should be "thank god Doggen wasn't replaced"?

Maybe the more pertinent question is who could Jason bring in as a session guitarist right now, if he ditched Doggen???

I'm pleased he kept Doggen in the line up, but I'm sure that if Jason wasn't happy with what he was doing then he would have changed guitarists too. He's proved time again to be ruthless enough. I'm surprised to hear you say we wouldn't bother going to a gig if Doggen wasn't there, Personally I'd go without a second thought.

In terms of their last UK tour, I enjoyed it. I'd say that I've been enjoying the live show progressively more each time since the time of Songs in A +E. For me the low point was post Amazing Grace, just prior to the acoustic mainlines shows when I really felt like they had run out of ideas. However what's been missing from the recent tours is a sense that the songs could just go anywhere - you mostly knew how they were going to be played and there's been less of the spontaneity that the early line ups had. I felt the new line up fixed that on Thursday which is why I enjoyed it so much.

In terms of low tickets sales, its a shame, I just hope they get enough money to continue doing what they do. As much of a fan of Doggen's skills as I am, I can't imagine that his presence or otherwise would make a significant difference to ticket sales.

angelsighs · Post by **angelsighs** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:17 am

mojo filters wrote:
angelsighs wrote: In addition look at what Doggen brings to the Spz table - all the way from the last 3 albums to the Rhodes on 'Acoustic Mainlines'. Sean Cook squeezed hard but ended up with a single credit on "Sway" and ulitimately lost his job related to that ... Perhaps the phrasing should be "thank god Doggen wasn't replaced"?

Maybe the more pertinent question is who could Jason bring in as a session guitarist right now, if he ditched Doggen???

not quite sure what you are getting at (Jason is no idiot and wouldn't get people in who couldn't do the job- are you saying he would get relative amateurs in to cut costs? all the new players have a pedigree to a certain extent which I think we have noted on other threads), but I do agree that it would be a shame if Doggen went. he is extremely talented and contributes a lot, possibly Jason considers him his right hand man (or maybe he serves as a kind of musical director to the rest of the band). that said, if he wants to shake up the new band and keep things fresh changing the guitar player would be a key way to do that, in what is to all intents and purposes a ROCK band

fritz · Post by **fritz** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 3:43 pm

well worth the trip across the water for us , fucking brilliant in fact , really looking forward to the dublin show in 3 weeks time , all the best to clewsr it was a absolute pleasure to meet u man !!

heisenberg · Post by **heisenberg** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:34 pm

mojo filters wrote:
angelsighs wrote:some interesting questions remain- wonder why Doggen was the only band member not replaced?
Probably being a bit hasty here, but fuck it - so I had a few today.

To answer your question, I wouldn't expect or want to pay the reletively dear price of entry to a Spzd gig as I do now, ie without flinching, unless I knew there was a seasoned, proven pro guitar player to do the business. Otherwise what am I letting myself open to? Guitar Loops mk2? Fuck that shitty lottery, the last UK Spiritualized tour was hardly an unqualified success, and now in the US things are so tight the Tour manager is doubling as guitar tech, and the independently recorded evidence suggests that their touring FOH wasn't exactly moonlighting from Clair Bros list of first calls.

It might sound daft, but with Doggen on the bill I know what I'm (hopefully) getting. After all he did play most of the guitar and bass parts (which for bass very often means 'wrote' as well as 'played' in my experience) on SHSL, plus there are many other reasons I choose not to go into right now, but which I find convincing.

In addition look at what Doggen brings to the Spz table - all the way from the last 3 albums to the Rhodes on 'Acoustic Mainlines'. Sean Cook squeezed hard but ended up with a single credit on "Sway" and ulitimately lost his job related to that ... Perhaps the phrasing should be "thank god Doggen wasn't replaced"?

Maybe the more pertinent question is who could Jason bring in as a session guitarist right now, if he ditched Doggen???

Maybe in these times of austerity (as in most industries), touring bands who aren't the Stones, U2 etc may be feeling the pinch like the rest of us and now need tour managers to get their hands dirty and help with the gear setup? Seems everyone in every job these days is doing double the work, or doing the job of staff companies can't afford to replace. A lot of managers in my work having to do duties they would have had other people do in years gone by.

I don't mean to be pedantic, but do you mean Mark Refoy rather than Sean Cook regarding Sway? Was Refoy really sacked for fighting for a writing credit on this track? It's his guitar lines in that song, isn't it?

Also, I really like Kevin Bales' drums. It's on his watch that the drums seem to have been pushed higher in the mix on the records. His work on the BBC session of Rated X stands out as a huge highlight to me.

redcloud · Post by **redcloud** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:01 pm

Loved reading runcible's review and so glad the band proved to him that they are still capable of packing a punch.

I too agree on Kid Millions and in the review of the Wonder Ballroom (Portland) gig I singled out the rhythm section, which for me was/is key to the new band. It all emanates from their raw, primal energy and from there the rest of the band unleash a ferocious and lethal dose of high octane rock and roll. I too was blown away when I saw the new band and loved how the "electricity" exploded from the songs (both old and new). I hope they come back over to the west coast when they return to the States.

clewsr · Post by **clewsr** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:55 pm

Slightly off topic but related to heisenberg's comments re recession hitting gigs

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/shortcu ... y-gone-out

One of the comments struck me - 'Pop music as it used to be in the twentieth century is now dead. Very, very few people are able to make a living at it. Morrissey had a good run and has nothing to prove at this point'

I think there might be a point to this, the whole route from starting a band / touring / realising a record / becoming moderately successfully seems to have got corrupted. I'm not sure why and I'm out of touch so I may just be a close to middle aged man not getting what the kids are up to, If so hopefully someone will set me straight. But if there were five plucky kids from Wigan or maybe Rugby with a bag full of good tunes is it even feasible for them to have the impact or even make a living in the way it happened in the nineties?

Also file under the lack of working class bands these days.

(it was a pleasure to meet you too fritz!)

Spiby · Post by **Spiby** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 2:48 pm

Just thought I'd chuck in my two pennies' worth.

Having bought my tickets earlier in the year, I then discovered it was my daughter's graduation in Cardiff the day after the gig. This meant a drive up, as a family, from Rugby straight after work, then off to Cardiff immediately after the gig (we got there at 3:30am, only to have to get up again at 7:30 to pick up gowns, have photos taken etc...). My daughter was born the same year as Spiritualized, and has grown up having no choice in having to hear them; same for my son who was born a couple of years after. They've both heard me banging on about Spiritualized their whole lives, but this was their first Spiritualized gig. When I heard the reviews of the week before I was gearing myself up for a massive disappointment for them, which added to the stress of a very stressful couple of days.

I shouldn't have worried. We all absolutely loved it - we ended up sitting in the balcony facing the band directly, and the sound was incredible! The new songs were stormers; the whole set was really solid (as has been said before).

I did enjoy swanning around in my original 'For all the fucked up children...' Spacemen 3 t-shirt and would have loved to catch up with some of you guys, but sadly time was not on my side.

I'll definitely be heading back to Holmfirth at some point over the summer just for a mooch around - beautiful place. During the gig I kept thinking what a surreal band/location combination.

Superb.

P

Post by **spzretent** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:33 pm

Spiby.
What a great story. And a great intro to Spiritualized Live for your kids. As we all know that is usually a completely different experience to hearing records. Nice graduation present!

On the austerity thing. I think there is a lot of truth to that. It is expensive to tour a band like Spiritualized. On speaking to Jason on the Acoustic Mainlines tour over here he told me he had two seperate sets of back up singers. One for the East Coast and one for West Coast and he financed that whole mini tour himself. Thats how much thought about finances went into that tour. And that was only like 6 or 8 dates in the US.
So yeah. It makes a difference. Its obviously important for Jason to get Spiritualized on the road as much as he can. That is what I initiallly thought about him rehearsing a new band for the West coast tour around Coachella. That this was meant to be a US version of Spiritualized. But from all accounts from that tour, Chicago and now Holmfirth they are his new band. He has to do whatever he needs to to keep it fresh for himself. And from those whom opinions I trust 100% it seems like its working like a charm.

sm-iom · Post by **sm-iom** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 9:47 am

I see there's a few videos up on YouTube. The guy must have been stood in front of me - or, rather, in front of the crazy dancer who was just in front of me. Great gig, with the only downer for me being the people who felt the need to push close to the front, and then chat (or shout) in each others ears.

Would love a boot, although seems unlikely there is one. For me, like another poster, this is up there with the TicToc gig...although not quite...

BVCP206 · Post by **BVCP206** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 1:43 am

Anybody have a boot of this? It was simply awesome.

catweazel · Post by **catweazel** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 12:45 pm

Edit: Just realised I misread this thread - and the comparisons are between the Chicago gig and this gig (by people who actually attended it) - but only the Chicago gig is confirmed as being recorded.

My mistake... guess I have to find the Chicago gig now!