Reviews of Live Shows 2007 - WARNING: Spoilers!

[camphorvan]

Regarding the last few posts; yeah, we all go to jobs, but do we stand on stage exposing ourselves to an audience, (that sounds a bit wrong doesn't it? - but how popular would it be with some of the women folk on this forum?!). The voice is an extremely personal thing; it's not like he's hiding behind characters as an actor or something. Fair enough we get on and get over things, but his work focuses most often on the his life. I don't know how clear that all is, but I think my point is that mostly our jobs will have us focusing on things external to self, whereas his work is often about focusing on the self. I don't think that that can be terribly easy, especially when imparting that to strangers in a room.

It's his vocation, not his job, I think. It's not like he has a boss who demands this or that. If he chooses never to tour again, we may not like it, but that's his choice. He's not a performing monkey. He's always done pretty much what he wants to do, regardless of what people think. Good work if you can get it!

[Sylvie]

obviously you are right, camphorvan. Sylvian can do whatever he likes. i will probably never see him play again, and that is sad. but i think what his music does to my life in general is more important than seeing him live again. to me, his music used to be a source of inspiration. now it is essential.

[creekds]

Yes Camphorvan, he's always done pretty much what he wants to and I think that's why we all admire him so much and enjoy his music - lets face it, the music is hardly mainstream and most people would have a hard time getting in to some of it, but it's deep and personal to him, it hasn't been bastardised by some production team to make it 'popular' and sell loads, it's raw and from the heart. He's saying exactly what he wants to in the way he wants to.

I hope this isn't the end of the touring, maybe some new material will spur him on and change his outlook with regard to live shows in the future.

I'm going to the Manchester show tomorrow and I'm mega excited. The venue is acoustically superb, it will sound great and I really like the look of the set list, I probably would have chosen just about the same songs myself if I was putting together the perfect DS concert.

Now, should I buy the t-shirt or the tour brochure? or everything I can get my greedy hands on?

[Adrian]

thanks for the info about price and printrun of the brochure guys!

[godisinthesilences]

did anyone go to dublin show??

[sonic_chronicler]

Manchester featured the same songs as previous shows, but moved around a bit.

The sound was a bit off to begin with, but got sorted quickly enough. The stage was very dimly lit, so it was quite difficult to take decent photo (at least it was for me)

I've put half a dozen or so up on my website - apologies for the quality. I'd advise checking them out sooner rather than later if the Youtube stuff is anything to go by.

http://web.mac.com/sonicchronicler/Site/Welcome.html
Click on "Sylvian Manchester" at the top.

Sonic

[Bern]

I also went to Manchester last night and I agree for the first few tracks the sound quality wasn't that great Sylvian himself commented on it stating it sounded like he was singing into a cave, have to say I was surprised at Wanderlust as an encore as it was in the original E&N tour setlist and was dropped as Sylvian thought his voice didn't do the track justice later in the show and I have to agree with him as he appeared to be struggling with it last night, also the absence of a lead guitarist tto drive the sound forward and the fact tracks ran into each other meant the tempo of the whole two hours rarely changed, as he was using backing tapes and performed a lot of Nine Horses material I would have thought including Money for All/Get the Hell Out/Darkest Birds for example might have worked better to provide a change in tempo but who am I to criticise the master,
Ride and The Librarian were highlights for me and Steve was as fantastic as ever got to say the tour book and CD was excellent value at £20 it contains Masakatsu's excellent Exit/Delete part of what I call the Caroline trilogy and was previously only available on his album Coieda and the tour title track The World is Everything is a lovely piece, Sleepwalkers worried me in the car on the way back when I was listening to it as the "fucking Sleepwalkers" he requests to "go on and sleep" did come across as being his audience but I am now of the opinion it is another dig at Ingrid and her crap poetry, or at least I hope so

[creekds]

Bern and Sonic, you both sound a bit negative regarding the show.

I thought it was fantastic. Yes, the sound wasn't very balanced for a while at the start but it didn't spoil things for me. Great songs really well played, I didn't want it to end. Best gig I've ever been to and I've been to hundreds.

I won't list highlights because it was just one long highlight for me, although they played a new song which is on Steve's forthcoming album, I think it was called Playground Martyrs. It was so beautiful I just couldn't believe it and I am definitely buying that album on 1st October.

When the band came out for the first encore, just as the applause were dying down, a man near me shouted "perfection! sheer perfection!" (and it was). then someone near the front shouted "where d'ya buy your shoes from?!" David laughed in disbelief at the question, but with a wry smile as though he knows his footwear has been a source of discussion between his fans. Everybody laughed.

If I never see another concert again, at least I know I've seen the best now. I woke up today wondering if I should take a train up to Glasgow today and try to get into tonights show somehow.

I'm happy. 2 hours in the presence of the master. What more could you ask for?

[godisinthesilences]

hey sonic... thanks for that nice slide show of the images. I think you did a nice job of it. Perhaps david lowered the lighting to make it more difficult to photograph him well?

Man.... if he would just give his fans abit more of himself... not a lot but abit it really would go farther to his cause of earning more money.
Although... perhaps he sees attachment to that sort of thing as something which doesn't concern him. I think he probably is mostly concerned with it so he can support his kids and his artistic whims.

Either way I'm enjoying hearing the reviews and seeing the images.

Thanks again!

[Bern]

Creekds I have to disagree that either my or Sonics posting was "negative" in any way it was simply personal feedback for the benefit of people who didn't attend the show, glad to hear you have been to hundreds of shows I am 44 and I have been to one or two myself and I have seen Sylvian live solo or with Japan 12 times, the man is a God

[camphorvan]

1 or 2 of the tracks are on Samadhi's myspace page.

[Simonp]

Well I've just got home from a rather tiring couple of days away but what a brilliant two days it was. Headed down to Manchester on Friday for the show at the Bridgewater Hall. I have to agree with many of the posts about the sound and in particular I found Sylvian's vocals to be quite muddy in places. Having said that it was wonderful to see him on stage again and there were many highlights including a wonderful "Ride" and "I Won't Be Disappointed"

After the show we headed to the back entrance of the venue and waited for Sylvian and the group to come out. After chatting to the lovely Keith Lowe for a while, Jansen came out followed by Sylvian. Now I've met these guys a couple of times now and found Steve to be a little frost on both occasions. David however was lovely, smiling away and happy to shake hands and sign programmes.

Up to Glasgow the following morning for the show at the Concert Hall and what can I say, a wonderful performance. The sound was spot on, David sounded so much clearer and the audience, well it goes without, he was made to feel very welcome with shouts of appreciation and the crowd stamping their feet for an encore. A truly fantastic evening.

I don't know if David will ever perform live again. I sincerely hope so. I love his music, I have met some great people who like myself will continue to follow this great mans' work.

[Stoobie]

was in the 3rd row at Glasgow last night and no complaints about the sound from me !

[Bern]

SimonP you weren't with a nice scottish women who sat in the right side stalls row E and who helped this "blind" man find his seat number ?

[Simonp]

SimonP you weren't with a nice scottish women who sat in the right side stalls row E and who helped this "blind" man find his seat number ?

Sorry mate, want me. I was row b in the middle.