25/04/18 Glasgow SSE Hydro

[Damian]

Originally Posted by Abstract Unknown Girl

Earplugs are your friend. I haven’t done a gig without earplugs (apart from once when I forgot them and boy, did I regret that) since the PPF tour in 2005 when I had ringing ears for 3 days after the Leeds gig. I don’t know how so many people don’t wear them tbh; I find it too painful without them now.

This x 1000. Get a good set of Elacin earplugs for a tenner.

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Lots of scathing appraisals of last night's gig, very interesting. I wasn't at the last two gigs but I am going to Birmingham and Cardiff and reading what people have to say isn't making me look forward to seeing them to be honest.

I absolutely love the band and obviously the recent album but there are a number of issues I have with them as per my notes below!

Arenas: It looks like the last two gigs weren't close to selling out and the crowds haven't been the best, which is what you would expect to happen in an arena situation with the Manics. However, the visuals seem to be stunning and I don't know if this was a deciding factor for them when planning their tour because you can't do something at a smaller venue (although it will be interesting to see how they play it at Llandudno).

JDB's voice and general laziness: I think it's very evident on the recent album that he's lost a lot of his range in the last few years due to smoking and age and I think he struggles to sing the older material, hence why there's an emphasis on some of the easier songs e.g. LRS, Ocean Spray, SMTW etc and a reliance on Wayne Murray to sing more. Nothing he can do about that but it baffles me why he doesn't do more on guitar. Could that be an age thing too?

Wayne Murray / Gavin Fitzjohn / Nicholas Naysmythe (as they call him): Just a short history lesson before my rant - in the old days, post-Richey when it was just three of them (and a keyboardist), the live sound was a bit flat at times when James did his solos etc as there would be no rhythm guitar. Then they toyed around with additional percussion back on the FD tour and then bought in Guy Massey on additional guitar. That's when the sound got better. Following that they replaced Guy Massey with Wayne Murray and Naysmith with Sean Read. That's when the sound was pretty good and at its peak (in my opinion). Since getting rid of Sean Read (treated a bit unfairly if you ask me) they've bought Naysmith back in and bought in Gavin Fitzjohn to do the horns - and more recently he's playing guitar too (and apparently singing?). So... the question is why do they now have three guitarists on stage, a keyboardist that can't sing, a rhythm guitarist that sings like a girl and a separate horn/guitar player who chips in now and again. Now, Wayne Murray, some might say he's a nice guy (although not in my experience), he's a crap singer, not an amazing guitarist (I've seen JDB glare at him a few times for slowing songs down) and doesn't add anything else of value to the band. His turn on this tour as the Wankeress has been short of cringeworthy. I'd guess there are hundreds of session singer-guitarists that are better than him at both things and would jump at the chance but JDB seems to be intent on getting his mates in, same with Gavin Fitzjohn. Keeping Sean Read in the band would have been a decent thing to do, as he could sing better than Wayne Murray, play sax, percussion and keyboards too - not sure why James felt he had to go (I'm a bit biased as I've worked with Sean). Anyway, bottom line is that they just need to stick to five members on stage and keep it to two guitars.

[Dancing Kirby]

Originally Posted by FacelessSenseOfVoid

So... the question is why do they now have three guitarists on stage, a keyboardist that can't sing, a rhythm guitarist that sings like a girl and a separate horn/guitar player who chips in now and again.

I’d have thought the question is, how do you have six people onstage and still need a backing track which sounds cheap and awful?

They don’t care. And to be honest, in terms of ever seeing them again, neither do I. JDB is now as lazy as Nicky and that makes for an incredibly shit live act.

[MikeS]

Kinda glad l'm offshore for most of the duration of this tour and didn't splash huge amounts of cash on a trip from Norway. From first release of Arena dates it looked so wrong, they're way past that, one off at the o2 fine, time will tell.

[nothingSpecial]

I've been going to see them since pretty much the beginning and last night was the most disappointing Manic's gig I've been at. Close to zero atmosphere. I don't know the exact crowd numbers but it was much busier than I expected.

I don't think the venue helps, I've had similar experiences with other bands, the sound is generally great but even in a totally full gig it never feels packed.

I love the new album but some of the set list choices/order need to be thought threw if they want to bring the crowd to life. Horses followed by Ocean Spray mid set just totally killed any chance of things picking up. Hearing 4Ever Delayed was nice but it really does nothing for creating an atmosphere. When he done Sleepflower acoustic I thought nice, but he just had to sing the chorus rather than letting the crowd. I'm not sure if he is conscious how hard it is for the general male population to reach B and high C notes that he regularly hits on songs, so for me getting the crowd to sing along never works.

Hopefully back to the Barras next time!

[everlasting]

I love Sleepflower and am curious to hear it live acoustic but 99% of me wants a full band version. It's the ONLY way to play it.
Wish they'd leave out Robeson and OS, I like Robeson but I'd much rather hear something else from that album like FTS or something totally different that they never play.
Hopefully as the tour goes on they'll get more into it and so too will the crowds.
The Guardian gave this gig 3 / 5 in their review: https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...-hydro-glasgow

[Scout Finch]

Originally Posted by *Found That Soul*

Roughly how many where there last night? Looked pretty full from photos although I’m aware it wasn’t the full arena set up.

From my photos and memory, standing and the seating blocks 50-58 and 201-218 were occupied (though seating was only 2/3 full). I could have misjudged the tiers though but it looks right to me. All the rest was blacked out behind a curtain. Really not good

[*Found That Soul*]

Originally Posted by Scout Finch

From my photos and memory, standing and the seating blocks 50-58 and 201-218 were occupied (though seating was only 2/3 full). I could have misjudged the tiers though but it looks right to me. All the rest was blacked out behind a curtain. Really not good

Doesn’t sound great but I guess 4000 or so people in one night might be more cost effective than 2000 over 2 nights?

[Scout Finch]

Originally Posted by *Found That Soul*

Doesn’t sound great but I guess 4000 or so people in one night might be more cost effective than 2000 over 2 nights?

It won't be more cost effective when poor ticket sales and bad live reviews impact on their career. It should have been a tour of smaller venues like Barrowlands, which would have sold out no bother and been intimate enough to create a half decent atmosphere instead of singing without spirit into a soulless cavern and begging people to pretend they're in King Tuts. When you have to say 'thank you for your patience' to the audience after an acoustic section it's really not a good sign, and in places like the Barras the acoustic section is usually received amazingly. Glasgow crowds are famous for always being up for it and the lack of effort on the band's part was mirrored by the audience last night.

I sincerely hope they learn from this mistake of a tour and stick to smaller venues in future (if there is a future). It made me so sad last night to watch such a lacklustre performance from both band and audience, especially juxtaposed with all the old early 90s footage of the band when they were young on the screens behind them. It felt like watching Spinal Tap desperately play to an uninterested arena.

The other thing is - if they do tour in future how often will we see rarities after this? The excuse will be 'well we brought out rarities on the RIF tour and nobody knew them or was singing so we won't do it again'.

I've been a fan for 17 years at this point and never been this upset so I'm saying none of this lightly.

[Useless]

This thread has PROPER bummed me out

Can't wait for Sat in Manchester now :-/

[The Crow]

Originally Posted by Dancing Kirby

My ears are still ringing from the PPF tour.

You're Telling Me!!!

Certainly, the best I've ever seen them in all honesty

[Scout Finch]

Originally Posted by set phasers to stun

I recently read a newspaper interview with the Manics and I couldn't stop thinking that they now vote Conservative. Tonight was a very Tory performance.

Originally Posted by theplague

Erm What?

Originally Posted by Tim

I'll second this and add a...what the fuck?!
It's all very well not enjoying a performance but it's another thing to go saying batshit crazy things like this.
Also - citation needed. What interview?

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

Maybe phasers is thinking of the Guardian article with the misleading headline criticising Corbyn? Nicky would never vote Tory but I believe he has an immense distrust of Corbyn and McDonnell.

I understand what he means. There have been lots of dodgy quotes recently, one of which being 'jobs give us meaning' which, actually, no they don't, and is veering close to a 'work your way out of poverty' Tory attitude. They could have worded it differently if that wasn't their intention (which I'm sure it wasn't, but why say it at all?). Plus Nicky not helping himself at all with his 'kids these days just don't understand, back in my day etc etc' attitude. Remember when you were young, Nicky, and your elders said things like that to you? Doubt you liked it The whole tone of this new album has been condescending and dismissive and they're alienating diehard fans with it, a number of people I know are not impressed.

[y2kyle16]

Seems they can’t be fucked with this

Maybe the label are forcing the tour

[starfucker]

Originally Posted by Useless

This thread has PROPER bummed me out

Can't wait for Sat in Manchester now :-/

This. I have been to every tour (apart from PPF and LB) since TIMT as well as several festival appearances, and reading all of the above disappointment has kind of consolidated my initial scepticism of this arena tour. It's the first one since LB I haven't felt excited about or bought tickets for.

I couldn't quite put my finger on why but this thread has nailed it. They simply aren't popular enough for arenas any more, despite the album being decent and selling well. And to hear that they are using backing tracks is bad enough, but JDB relying on falsettos and giving Murray more lead and louder guitar parts is just wrong and, without sounding too melodramatic, a little heartbreaking. JDB's immense sheer POWER is one of the most impressive things about the band in general. At live gigs it is the number one important aspect of the show.

I hope it was a temporary blip. Maybe he has just been under the weather and it was a case of 'the show must go on' situation.

[Porco]

Feel bad for those of you who were/are disappointed. I'm still jealous you went at all. I think it looked great, but I'm sure photos and clips online don't convey the actual experience. Oh well.