Quebec City Show - Aug.17
Just a few thoughts to last night's DT/ELP/DP show in Quebec City... There's been quite a few post already re set lists etc., so I won't get into that. Just a few personal impressions...
1) DT rocked! All dressed in black, very heavy, very tight. You get the idea. Make sure you catch them! Unfortunately, I missed the first part of their set. Did they start early, or was I a little late? I think both. So make sure you get there early. They are definitely worth it. Had lots of fans there, too, for an opening band. The sound? So-so. As posted before, too bass-heavy.
2) ELP - what can I say! One of my favs from the old days (I'm 39 and still rockin'). Excellent sound, all three guys in fine form. Loved Carl Palmer's drum solo. That man is in fine shape. Keith Emerson breathtaking... Still got the old big Moog setup - but more for show than function, it seems (a 10 foot high box with a million of cables... Remember "Pictures at an exhibition"?) Also Greg Lake had half a dozen guitars lined up, but used only two... Excellent set, played for about 70 minutes or so.
3) DP - everything I expected... and more. I'm sorry, I don't wanna cause any more arguments in this ng re Smiling Steve, but I have to tell you that I've seen about a dozen DP shows w/ Blackmore in my life, and they were all good, but this one (my first show w/ SM) blew them all away... combined. That man is magic, the best thing that ever happened to DP. He stole the show last nite. This man is BRILLIANT!! Okay, enough of that. But it's true!
The sound was for some reason quite crappy and a bit too loud and distorted. I mean I had a good seat (about 80 feet from the stage, center) but it was quite bad. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the set, and the new tunes came over quite nicely. In my opinion they could drop some of the older standards (Woman from Tokyo or Strange kind of woman etc.) for some rarer tracks (How bout "Never before" or Rat Bat Blue? Or even some Burn or Stormbringer???) Thank god they dropped "Child in Time" - the old Ian just couldn't pull it off any more, which was quite painfully obvious on the later Live albums... IG's voice still bruised, he avoided many of the higher notes. But he put on a good and energetic show.
All in all, very low key, small stage (no backdrop), minimal light show (no more lasers during Perfect Strangers). GOOD SHOW!!! Played for about 90 min or so. (I don't remember the encores right now - had a few brew by then, haha!)
4) Audience: Nice outdoor venue, Old Port in Quebec City, about 4,000 people or so. As posted before: All ages (from 15 to 50), but to my surprise very passive and quiet, especially the younger crowd. I was pretty much the only one who did some serious air guitarring and air drumming... couldn't sit still, and got quite a few dirty looks and comments from my neighbours (a bunch of 18 year olds who just sat there and stared at the stage and didn't tap their toe once). What the hell is it? If I go to a concert I wanna have fun, drink a few cold ones and rock to the tunes... Isn't that what its all about??? Geez, some people (especially the younger ones) should loosen up a bit and try to have FUN!!!
Anyway, thanks for letting me share my thoughts...
DON'T MISS THIS KILLER SHOW!!
And keep rockin'!
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