Just Announced Commentary - 2011 Edition

AnalogFossa wrote:

Julian, wrote:
Smashing Pumpkins pseudo-reunion
7/27 - TBA Baltimore, MD

Royal Farms
https://www.livenation.com/events/749644-jul-27-2018-the-smashing-pumpkins-shiny-and-oh-so-bright-tour

Awful building.

Can they really sell 14,700 tickets!?

Cadet wrote:
Can they really sell 14,700 tickets!?

Seemed like a natural Anthem show TBH.

Me too

I saw them at Lolla and in Chicago for Mellon Collie tour and that is fine by me…

Yada wrote:

Cadet wrote:
Can they really sell 14,700 tickets!?

Seemed like a natural Anthem show TBH.

James for the first time (other than an unannounced one-off) in 18 years + a promise to only plays songs from <2000 = the last big arena money grab in the band's lifeblood.

I haven't seen them in like 9 years but I'll be damned if I'm not going to slap down $125 for a probably-ultimately-disappointing nostalgia-fest.

Smashing Pumpkins sold millions and millions of records. I also think you're underestimating the demand for 90's nostalgia right now. Other than Pearl Jam, Green Day and the Foo Fighters (and though the Foos are big, the Pumpkins WAY outsold them), how many bands are left from that era who have the majority of members from their classic lineup (and main vocalist) left and are touring? There's Garbage, the Pixies, the Breeders, but none of them sold as many records as the Pumpkins.

The Pumpkins 90s catalog is better than virtually every other band from that era. Pearl Jam is the only one in the discussion.

Julian, wrote:
The Pumpkins 90s catalog is better than virtually every other band from that era. Pearl Jam is the only one in the discussion.

Radiohead are in that discussion, and I can't believe I had to type that.

Julian, wrote:
The Pumpkins 90s catalog is better than virtually every other band from that era. Pearl Jam is the only one in the discussion.

This is a joke right??

vansmack wrote:

Julian, wrote:
The Pumpkins 90s catalog is better than virtually every other band from that era. Pearl Jam is the only one in the discussion.

Radiohead are in that discussion, and I can&#039;t believe I had to type that.

They only have 3 albums in that time period and one of them is ass, my dude.

Off the top of my head Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Ween, Pavement and Guided by Voices…I could probably come up with 50 other bands that had better album runs than Smashing Pumpkins

Wilco, Maasive Attack, Underworld

Julian, wrote:

vansmack wrote:

Julian, wrote:
The Pumpkins 90s catalog is better than virtually every other band from that era. Pearl Jam is the only one in the discussion.

Radiohead are in that discussion, and I can&#039;t believe I had to type that.

They only have 3 albums in that time period and one of them is ass, my dude.

I have argued the same about SP, and I'm a 2/5 album Radiohead fan.  Gish and Siamese Dream are great.  And Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is one great album ruined by Billy's self indulgence making it a mediocre double disc.  Adore isn't even on the radar.

vansmack wrote:
I have argued the same about SP, and I&#039;m a 2/5 album Radiohead fan.&nbsp; Gish and Siamese Dream are great.&nbsp; And Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is one great album ruined by Billy&#039;s self indulgence making it a mediocre double disc.&nbsp; Adore isn&#039;t even on the radar.

See, I would argue that the 23 great songs on MCIS are not less great because of 5 stinkers. I think one of the most underrated elements of classic-era SP was just the sheer amount of quality stuff Billy had flowing out of him for 7-8 years there. (This is probably why I hold Aeroplane Flies High and Pisces Iscariot in much higher regard than you too.)

And Adore – while obviously the weak spot in 90's SP output – is still miles better than Pablo Honey or No Code.

vansmack wrote:

Julian, wrote:

vansmack wrote:

Julian, wrote:
The Pumpkins 90s catalog is better than virtually every other band from that era. Pearl Jam is the only one in the discussion.

Radiohead are in that discussion, and I can&#039;t believe I had to type that.

They only have 3 albums in that time period and one of them is ass, my dude.

I have argued the same about SP, and I&#039;m a 2/5 album Radiohead fan.&nbsp; Gish and Siamese Dream are great.&nbsp; And Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is one great album ruined by Billy&#039;s self indulgence making it a mediocre double disc.&nbsp; Adore isn&#039;t even on the radar.

Totally agreed. Adore is missing Jimmy and I do love his drumming, so I never find myself wanting to hear much from it. I heard that Butch Vig did a LOT of the drumming for Siamese Dream though and I sort of have to agree that it has his mark on it. But he's no slouch on the traps either. I always loved the non-singles from "MCATIS", though I do enjoy "1979" (and know plenty of people that hate that tune). My favorite songs on that record are things like "Thru the Eyes of Ruby", "We Only Come Out At Night", "In the Arms of Sleep", "To Forgive" and "Farewell and Goodnight".

Double albums really do belong in a special category. So few ever really accomplish the intended effect, but some manage. "The White Album", "Zen Arcade", "The Wall", "Exile on Main Street"…one could argue there's some filler on all of those, but they're all part of the rock canon. I love Husker Du, but how many people can sit through "Reoccurring Dreams"? That's one of the few Husker Du songs in my iTunes that I have never listened to all the way through. "Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me" by the Cure could be broken down into 10 amazing catchy/tuneful pop songs and 8 gothic death rock songs. And most of those 8 songs aren't anywhere as good as "Pornography" or "Faith". If they had limited that record to like 11 songs, it probably would have been even more successful.

You know, I am just going to say it . . . bear,man gives the best responses.  I always think of him, indeed as a hot sweaty, bear man.

walkonbyeeeeeeeee wrote:
You know, I am just going to say it . . . bear,man gives the best responses.&nbsp; I always think of him, indeed as a hot sweaty, bear man.

I can confirm this

Yada wrote:

StoneTheCrow wrote:
I don&#039;t get the hate for the Fillmore.&nbsp; I like it because I can walk there from work. Shame they never have any shows that I want to go to.

Yeah… no one here including hutch has a good argument of why it&#039;s a bad venue.

Does the location suck? Maybe
Does the parking suck? It&#039;s better than the 930 club
Does the beer suck? Indeed, but so does the 930 club
Is the staff bad? The 930 staff isn&#039;t the highly admired staff of the mid 00&#039;s, i&#039;ll tell you that.
Do the bands they book suck? Absolutely
Is it basically the same as the 930 club in all other aspects? Absolutely

FSS =
- sound not as good as 930
- corporate, impersonal feel
- financed through public funds (even tho seth offered to open a similar cub with no local gov't subsidies, montgomery county council decided to award the free money to live nation).

therefore, 930 > FSS.

sweetcell wrote:
FSS =
- sound not as good as 930
- corporate, impersonal feel
- financed through public funds (even tho seth offered to open a similar cub with no local gov&#039;t subsidies, montgomery county council decided to award the free money to live nation).

therefore, 930 &gt; FSS.

Oh stop, you're too smart for any of that nonsense.

(1) The sound thing is so ridiculous. Yes, the 9:30 Club sounds good. You know where else sounds good? The National, The NorVa, The Fillmore Silverspring and virtually 95% of the other similarly-sized venues across the country. This "it doesn't sound as good as The Club" is just this undefinable figleaf IMP fanboys use. It's very clever because there's no arguing with the unmeasurable credulity of their hypothetical venue sound rankings.

(2) The 9:30 Club, along every other similarly-sized venue in the country, is corporate and impersonal. Are you under the impression IMP is a non-profit?

(3) I love how everyone on here is super aware of municipal construction concerns. Not parroting Seth's talking points at all, no sirree.

Julian, wrote:
Oh stop, you&#039;re too smart for any of that nonsense.

 
i appreciate the compliment.  i traffic in some high quality nonsense, on the whole.

Julian, wrote:
(1) The sound thing is so ridiculous. Yes, the 9:30 Club sounds good. You know where else sounds good? The National, The NorVa, The Fillmore Silverspring and virtually 95% of the other similarly-sized venues across the country. This &quot;it doesn&#039;t sound as good as The Club&quot; is just this undefinable figleaf IMP fanboys use. It&#039;s very clever because there&#039;s no arguing with the unmeasurable credulity of their hypothetical venue sound rankings.

 
if you can't hear the difference between the 930's PA and other clubs', good on you - ignorance is bliss.  i, for one, haven't been to any club that sound as good as the 930.  yes, those venues you list have good sound, but not as good.  yes, it's subjective - hence the discussion of our preferences.

Julian, wrote:
(2) The 9:30 Club, along every other similarly-sized venue in the country, is corporate and impersonal. Are you under the impression IMP is a non-profit?

 
nice work of shifting the topic to their financial structure and goals!  you'll note that i used the word "feel", not "tax-exempt status".  again, if you see no difference between the 930 and a club covered in neon budweiser signs, rock on.

Julian, wrote:
(3) I love how everyone on here is super aware of municipal construction concerns. Not parroting Seth&#039;s talking points at all, no sirree.

i'm a former resident of MoCo so those were my dollars that went in to subsiding that corporate boondoggle.  why you would deny me the right to be upset about it, and hold it against the venue, is perplexing.