Should we have a 2007 tour CD Poll ?

I was not at the NYC gigs but I really enjoyed listening to the Kufala recording of 8/8 (night one). The sound quality isn't actually that great, it's a bit muddy and there's a lot of audience noise. However, the performances are really high energy and I got a kick out of hearing the audience interaction with the security guards and then hearing Neil's interaction with the security guards too. The whole "Don't Dream It's Over" / "Don't stand in the orchestra pit" fiasco might ruin the song for people who want to hear another studio-perfect performance. I think, however, that it's a chance to hear Neil make the best of a strange situation (something he's very good at).

So um...

(out of 5 stars)
New York City, 8/8/07, Night One

Sound: * *
Setlist: * * * *
Performance: * * * *

The later releases seem to have solved the sound problems that plagued the recordings of some of the earlier shows. I've just listened on my home stereo to songs from Foxwoods, New York (night two), Denver, and Saratoga (night two), and the latter two concerts sound vastly better than the first two--Denver and Saratoga have virtually none of the "audience recording" character of the first two.

Good idea!
I wasnt able to make it to any of the shows and want to buy one of the cds, so its good to hear feed back.
I noticed at the kufala /ch live recordings link that you can preview the songs. The snippets are rather short but it helps to have a little taste!
I cant wait to hear the Winnipeg show. From the feed back sounds like it was a highlight of the tour! Originally I was going to get the Calgary show because thats the one I would have attended, but changed my mind after reading everyones remarks on Winnipeg.

A poll is a great idea. I planned to buy the CDs of the shows I attended, but I'd also love to know what the tour "must-haves" are so I can ensure I get the best of the best.

I would be grateful for advice on which shows to order, being on the other side of the world but thinking about buying a few from the website. Other Australia/NZ (not to mention UK,Ireland, and European)Frenz would also no doubt be interested.

A few of the reviews I've read give me some ideas on preferred shows but receiving advice on the recordings received/downloaded would very much appreciated.

Applaud the idea!
As already been said, I'll buy the cd from the show I attended but having some sort of consensus or opinions on the other shows will be interesting.

I've got a bunch of them now--downloads of Foxwoods, Beacon night 2, Denver, and Saratoga night 2, and recently-arrived cds of Beacon night 1 and the two nights of Chicago. I'm in the midst of writing up reviews for the ones I've had a chance to listen to and hope to post them soon.

Based on what John Walsh recently wrote in his blog, Atlanta is a must have:

>> The crowd in Atlanta were the loudest crowd of the tour by a long way, made my ears hurt. I think the Atlanta show has to be the best show of the tour, mainly for the vibe coming from the audience, they were also standing up which makes a big difference. <<

So... I have to ask: Who ordered the boxed set?

Bob [raises hand]

I just figured I'd end up buying them all anyway. Thus far, I have received the first shipment of 5 and am making me way through them s*l*o*w*l*y. I'm trying to prolong the tour as much as possible.

Hi, this is Tom - first post. I have the Northampton show since this is the one we attended and the sonics are like well, a typical soundboard recording - would be interested to know the what people who consider themselves serious audiophile types (if there are any on this board) believe are the best sounding shows. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by cdtommie:
would be interested to know the what people who consider themselves serious audiophile types (if there are any on this board) believe are the best sounding shows.

Well, Brady from Kufala has reported that the 8/18 Chicago House of Blues show was multi-tracked by the group responsible for the Live Earth production and that it "sounds unbelievable":

http://frenzforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7601061171/m/8...011097234#8011097234

I've now listened to at least portions of a whole bunch of shows: Foxwoods both nights in New York, Toronto both nights in Chicago, Denver, and the second night in Saratoga. And purely from an audio perspective, the 8/18 show in Chicago is head and shoulders above the others. That's not to say that it's the best performance--I think Saratoga is superior, and Denver may be as well (and I can't wait to hear the Canadian shows). The 8/18 show was the one recorded for webcast, and the guys play it a bit safe. But the sound quality is excellent: it's both full and nuanced, with a much better stereo image of the band than the other recordings (in the others you get a good spatial sense of the crowd but the entire band seems stuck at center-stage). Brady from Kufala was right: it sounds fantastic.

And that annoying woman you can hear all too clearly, plaintively crying out for Neil through the entire show? She was standing right behind me.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeffcoop:
That's not to say that [Chicago, 8/18 is] the best performance--I think Saratoga is superior, and Denver may be as well.... The 8/18 show was the one recorded for webcast, and the guys play it a bit safe.

Having been to all of those shows, I would agree. I haven't received any of them yet though.

quote:

And that annoying woman you can hear all too clearly, plaintively crying out for Neil through the entire show? She was standing right behind me.

Now, don't you expect someone here to tap you on the shoulder and say "ahem"?

Bob, I really think you're going to enjoy revisiting the Saratoga show. The sound quality isn't up to the House of Blues night one level, but it's excellent nonetheless, and much better than the sound quality of the first few shows (especially Foxwoods and Beacon night two).

quote:

Originally posted by Bob O:

Now, don't you expect someone here to tap you on the shoulder and say "ahem"?

The thought occurred to me. But she was already discussed at length in the original threads about the first night at House of Blues, and at the very least no one was willing to fess up then.

I understand that the presence of Neil Finn, combined with vast amounts of alcohol, can be overwhelming. But geez!

quote:

Originally posted by Jeffcoop:
Bob, I really think you're going to enjoy revisiting the Saratoga show.

I can't wait! I was up in the Box 'o Frenz for that one. Well, just outside of it actually for most of the show as the sound was better there. The box was kind of "boomy."

quote:

I understand that the presence of Neil Finn, combined with vast amounts of alcohol, can be overwhelming. But geez!

Surprisingly, some of us are in this for the music!

This would be great! Besides the show I went to, I've been wondering what else might be worth picking up.

Kind of a threadjack, but I wonder how this effects the fan club funding? Seems like the live CDs were a good source of money for them. Will they stick with DVD releases in the future (not a bad thing)?

I don't want the following to be taken to heart too much; both CDs are very enjoyable and have a good content quota from ToE. The new songs mix very well with the classics.

Of the two CDs I have so far I've noticed the organ solo from DDIO is sadly absent thankfully BBHS still has one. FAYF intro is back to album version.

Mashantuckett (8/3)

Setlist ***
Sound ***
Performance ***

A slightly shorter setlist but still an entertaining start to the tour. Only one song from ToLM. "Nobody Wants To" makes a rare appearance as I understand it hasn't been heard much on tour.

Chicago (8/18)

Setlist ****
Sound *****
Performance *****

Fantastic sound; Liam's acoustic backing comes through quite nicely. Great setlist mixing songs like "Hole In the River", "Say That Again", "Pineapple Head", "Four Seasons", and full(!) lyrics to "Throw Your Arms.."

With a busy week ahead, I'm coming to the realization that posting all my reviews at once will mean delaying them for awhile. So here are the first three (which overlap with Glimmer's):

Foxwoods

Sound: ***
Performance: ***
Setlist: ***

The opening night of the tour, with all the pluses and minuses that entails. Neil and Nick seem genuinely happy to be there, and there's a lot of great banter (much of it relating to the casino setting and the band's ongoing effort to get an order of fish and chips). Neil's voice is fresh, not yet worn down by the grind of the tour, and he uses it to great effect. Those are the pluses. On the negative side, the band hasn't quite gelled yet. The playing seems, if not exactly tentative, at least erring on the side of safety, and the guys occasionally get out of sync (Recurring Dream, in particular, is much better later in the tour). Aside from an impromptu rendition of Italian Plastic (which later, after some rehearsal, became a semi-regular part of the setlist), things are played pretty straight. And the sound is just okay. It sounds like a cross between what I think of as a soundboard recording and a very good audience recording. There's a sense of distance, of remove from the stage, that I don't usually associate with soundboard recordings. It's not nearly as murky as the Beacon night 2 recording (see below), but it still isn't as good as later shows.


New York (Night 2)

Sound: **
Performance: ****
Setlist: ****

This must have been a great show to attend. The setlist is interesting (in succession at one point: Transit Lounge, Walking on the Spot, Chocolate Cake, People Are Like Suns, Nobody Wants To--certainly not a conventional sequence), there are some interesting throw-ins (including a mangled verse of Only Living Boy in New York at the end of Something So Strong), Liam gets to shine on Music Moves My Feet. Chocolate Cake gets a blistering performance (with slightly-softened references to Tammy Bakker, who had just passed away). There's good banter (including a bittersweet line from Nick that takes a second to get a reaction) and good interaction with the audience; there's a phone call to Neil's dad, including two verses of the lovely standard, I Can't Get Started. Neil's voice shows some strain--perhaps the beginning of whatever condition ruined his performance at WXPN in Philadelphia the next day--but the performance for the most part is very strong.

So why can't I recommend this show? One word: sound. It's not horrible, I guess--certainly I've heard far worse audience recordings. But this still has the feel of an audience recording, albeit a very good one. Neil's vocals, in particular, sound distant and covered with a layer of murky reverb, suggesting that they're being recorded from the room rather than directly from his microphone. For completists and those who attended the show, this is worth a purchase, but if sound matters to you, this is one to avoid.



Chicago (Night 1)

Sound: *****
Performance: ****
Setlist: ****

This is the show I attended, and so I'm probably a bit biased, but I'm ecstatic about this recording. The sound here is nothing short of fantastic--the special care that went into recording the show for webcast really shows. The setlist is interesting: it reintroduces Hole in the River to the repertoire and also includes Not the Girl You Think You Are, Throw Your Arms Around Me, and a great opening version of Recurring Dream. Say That Again is excellent here. Yet for all that there's a spark missing in this show. The guys aware of the cameras swirling around in front of them. There's relatively little banter (although inevitably there are a couple of funny exchanges between Neil and Nick), and although the band plays with great energy, they stick to the script; there are none of the diversions and odd mid-song tangents that add so much flavor to other performances (the following night's crowd got A Day in the Life, for goodness' sake). If you're just going to buy one show, and your biggest concern is sound quality, this is the one. If your biggest concern is a show that captures the band's spirit, though, there are better choices.

Still to come: New York night 1, Toronto, Chicago night 2, Denver, Saratoga night 2, Calgary, and Edmonton, and I know I'll be getting a few more as well (Winnipeg!). See why I said this was going to take awhile?

Wow! Thanks, Jeffcoop. Please keep the reviews.

Denver

Sound: ****
Performance: ****
Setlist: ****

The sound problems that plagued some of the early Kufala recordings are absent here. This sounds like a soundboard recording; it would fit in well, quality-wise, with any number of fan club cds. The harmony vocals are mixed pretty high, which creates some sublime moments (Pineapple Head) and a few that are less so.

There are some really stellar moments in this show. Whispers and Moans confirms its reputation as a terrific live song. People looking for a version of Pineapple Head to include in a best-of-tour compilation would do well to look here: it has great harmonies and a brief diversion into Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Lennon's psychedelia mixing well with PH's fever-dream imagery. There's a brief, lovely performance of Never Be the Same, featuring Neil solo at the piano, and leading into a strong performance of People Are Like Suns (Neil misses a few early high notes but redeems himself in the second half). Neil explains the origins of Locked Out (which, I have to say, only draws on a small portion of Peter Carey's Bliss; anyone who starts the book expecting to recognize the song in the story is going to be very confused), then leads the band into a brief excerpt of the song in its original ballad form, before Mark kicks off a high-energy performance of the uptempo version we all know. Walked Her Way Down makes an appearance, and Silent House is typically strong (what a great live song this turned out to be). There's also some great banter, including Neil's misadventures with nitrous oxide.

If there are weaknesses to the show, they're at the beginning and end. There Goes God kicks off the show, and while it's performed well, it's not my favorite opener. It's followed by Don't Stop Now, which tries to build momentum but doesn't quite work. Don't Stop Now is a fiendishly difficult song to sing live--it has those long-held notes in close harmony, and if either singer drifts it's painfully apparent. Here, Neil goes flat several times. Once Don't Stop Now is done, the show really begins to take off with Whispers and Moans, but until then it's relatively weak (compared to, say, Chicago night one's opening pair of Recurring Dream and World Where You Live). The end is also odd, as the band follows World Where You Live with an awkwardly high-pitched and curiously extended version of the Turtles' Happy Together. Neil confesses that he doesn't know the words, much of the singing is in raspy falsetto, and yet they just keep going. Side trips into covers can be fun, but I find this one almost painful, and while it would be one thing in the middle of the concert, here it comes with the clock ticking toward curfew, forcing the band to rush into Something So Strong to close the show on time.

So where does this stand in comparison to, say, Chicago night one? The sound, though very good, isn't up to Chicago's standards. But the performance on the whole is more fun. For me, Chicago's inclusion of Say That Again and, more importantly, Recurring Dream tips the scale in that show's favor (and, again, I'm biased--I was at the House of Blues that first night). But others might well prefer Denver (Whispers and Moans!), and I wouldn't say they're wrong.

Saratoga, August 30 (night two)

Sound: ****
Performance: ****1/2
Setlist: ****1/2

This is the best of the first five shows I've reviewed. The sound is excellent. It's not as good as Chicago night one--you're just not going to get sound that good without multitracking--but it still sounds terrific. And the band is in rare form--relaxed, happy, and high-energy. Recurring Dream and Mean to Me get the show off to a strong start, and so many of the performances here are just great. Don't Stop Now is terrific here: as I noted in my Denver review, it can be a fiendishly difficult song to perform live, but here the band hits a groove from the very beginning (it may be just the slightest bit faster than usual), and the vocals are near-perfect; even Mark's flubbed guitar note in the third verse happens to be in key. Pour Le Monde has Neil's vocal mixed back a bit, perhaps, but it has a stinging (and "righteous") lead from Mark. Distant Sun also gets a great reading here--another one of those relaxed-but-energetic performances that really brings the song to life. Italian Plastic is wonderful. Neil finally sings the "pathetic" verse, which he'd left out of the other versions I'd heard from this tour, and tacks on a high-energy coda (different from the one on Woodface) that brings the song to a rousing close. All isn't quite perfect: Mark is two measures late joining the intro to "Locked Out," putting him a bit out of sync with Matt, and Liam apparently tries to intervene, leading to an annoyed-sounding Neil saying, "Oh, leave him alone, Liam." But even with that awkward opening, the song gets a blistering performance. Matt kicks major ass throughout--he's really brilliant. The banter is also fun, including some commentary on the venue's early curfew (a bit too much of the banter, though, is directed at a leather-lunged fan named Scott--Scott, if you're here, it's not all about you, man). Really, though, this is a very enjoyable show.

Still waiting for Winnipeg to become available via download, but in the meantime I have Calgary and Edmonton to review, as well as a few earlier shows. Are these reviews useful?

Thank you, Jeffcoop! Yes, these reviews are VERY useful. I do have a few comments to add-

Overall I have not been terribly impressed with the sound quality of these shows. At best, they sound like sub-standard soundboard recordings and at worst, less than average audience recordings. It seems to really depend on the venue and it's size. When it's straight sound board recordings, I'm not sure that is as much of an issue. Please don't get me wrong, I'm extremely grateful Kufala is doing this (my credit card bill shows that), but it's just not perfect for my tastes.
As for the shows, I agree the first night of Chicago is obviously the best sounding show, but the performance is a little sterile. The second night of Chicago featured a much better performance with lesser quality. However, for Kufala standards, the second night of Chicago sounds pretty good. I also think that the second night of Saratoga is one of the better sounding shows with good performances. On the flip side, I felt the Atlanta show doesn't sound very good. It seems 'boomy' and the drums are extremely soft. It probably has the best performance of 'Pour La Monde' on the tour, but it's marred by the sound quality.

Please don't take this as snobbish commentary - it's not meant that way... :-)

I think it bears mentioning that many folks here are attributing sound quality issues for these live recordings to Kufala, but I'm not sure that's appropriate. Unless I'm mistaken, the band does the recordings and mixes on their own, then sends the finished stereo mixed product to Kufala. Kufala then takes that recording and breaks it up into indexed tracks, creates CD's, and posts the audio files online. It's possible that I'm mistaken, but it's my impression that Kufala has little or nothing to do with the recording or mix quality.

Also, I believe the band is using a Digidesign Venue system to mix the live sound and record the shows - at least that's what I thought I observed in Santa Barbara. This would suggest that all shows are multitracked - not just the Chicago show. Perhaps the Chicago show sounds so much better because they spent time getting a killer mix after the fact in a studio to prepare it for MSN - as opposed to simply doing a second mix for the CD live while the show was going on.

I'm not trying to be a know-it-all because I freely admit that I don't know exactly what's happening behind the scenes. But that's my point - I don't think any of us know and it's possible that many of us are jumping to some conclusions prematurely.

quote:

Originally posted by vermisciousmark:
This would suggest that all shows are multitracked - not just the Chicago show.

In this instance, at least, Brady (with Kufala) specifically mentioned in one of the threads that the Chicago show was multitracked and that it made a real difference in terms of sound quality.

As to the other specifics of the sound, I think you're probably right about Kufala more or less just receiving the recordings from the band. This might then suggest that any sound quality issues might originate from those recordings.

I also agree about us not really having enough information to form full conclusions on the entire process.

you're just totally agreeable today aren't you romer?



i was listening to my chicago cds today and while i feel there is a slight sound quality diff between the 2 nights...i'm not all that precious about it. a very good audience recording has a sort of warmth to it, as long as the crowd chatter isnt too invasive.

Romer,

I read Brady's comment differently than you did. He said that Chicago was different because it was "multi-tracked by the guys that did the Live Earth production and it does sound good." I took this to mean that it was the involvement of the Live Earth crew that set it apart. I assumed the difference was that the Live Earth company had a recording truck outside where they can mix in a controlled environment without interference from what's going on inside the venue. Also, I seem to remember Brady saying at one point that some shows had been delayed because Kufala was waiting for the band to remix them - suggesting from a multitrack source.

Honestly, it's no big deal, though. You very well could be right.

In any event, I've purchased the Santa Barbara, CA show and the Northampton, MA show. Shall I review them in this thread? I think they're both great and the Santa Barbara show has really great energy!

Fair enough, vm -- I can see your point.

As to the shows you purchased, yes, please feel free to post away!

(Martine, although not totally agreeable yesterday, I seem to be in a better frame of mind today, thank you. )

I'm reviewing Winnipeg shortly once Kufala replace a faulty CD. CD 1 starts off with a live country rock intro and I'm thinking "the lads are dragging this out a bit..." then the penny dropped. The wrong CD had a Crowded House label placed on it. I have no idea who the group is.

quote:

Originally posted by Glimmer:
I'm reviewing Winnipeg shortly once Kufala replace a faulty CD. CD 1 starts off with a live country rock intro and I'm thinking "the lads are dragging this out a bit..." then the penny dropped. The wrong CD had a Crowded House label placed on it. I have no idea who the group is.

LOL! That happened to me once when I bought Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon. I got Boz Scaggs instead, but only on one side. I was just a kid, but I knew something wasn't right!

Love to hear your review of Winnipeg. I plan on buying that one along with several others. Just waiting for Nashville to show up.

Before I review I always listen to the CDs once on the main stereo and then on a CD walkman while I'm reading in bed when its very quiet.

Chicago 8/19

Those lucky enough to attend the second concert at Chicago got quite a varied set from the previous evening. "Transit Lounge", "Italian Plastic", "Nails In My Feet", "Whispers & Moans" and an impromptu request "How Will You Go" are received very warmly. An interesting audience singalong on "Fall At your Feet" as Neil gets the crowd to sing chorus harmonies instead of the melody.

Sound ****
Performance ****
Setlist ****


Winnipeg 9/8

I'm so grateful that these concerts were made available publicly as I dread to think what this would've gone for on ebay. One of those rare gigs in each tour that shines for many reasons. The setlist is the main reason for me.

Mixing new songs "Transit Lounge" & "Walked Her Way Down" with rarities like "Love This Life" with "Love You Til the Day I Die" & amazingly "I Got You". Throw in "Black & White Boy", "In My Command", "Private Universe", "Hole In the River" and you have got a great gig that should be in every CH live collection.

Sound ****
Performance *****
Setlist *****

**Bump**

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to post their reviews. I'm compiling a list of what I am going to order and it really helps.

Anyone have comments on any of the other shows?
Winnipeg is mentioned (and sound like a must) but what about other Canadian shows?

Sorry--I've really fallen behind on my plans. A quick note on Calgary: it's a great, energetic show (with a few off moments--In My Command makes its tour debut here, for example, and it's really not ready for primetime yet). But it's marred by out-of-balance mixing. On many of the early songs, Neil's guitar is overly loud, drowning out much of the band and threatening to smother Neil's voice (if you ever wanted to hear every note of Neil's guitar playing on Mean to Me, here's your chance), and later it's the keyboard that moves to the fore. It's sort of an interesting effect--it lets you hear the songs in a slightly different way--but it's not really optimal. I don't want to exaggerate this--it's certainly a listenable and indeed enjoyable concert--but others are better.

Chicago, August 19 (night two)

Sound: ****
Performance: ****
Setlist: ****

This show is something of a dark horse for those looking for one or two shows to buy. If you're just looking for one show, this probably wouldn't be it. True, there are some definite high points. The Chicago Jam, with Neil singing about the two days of rain and his trip to the Apple Store, is a lot of fun--not up to the standard of Winnipeg's Rush Up and Kiss You, perhaps, but definitely enjoyable. And How Will You Go gets an unrehearsed, slightly tentative, heartbreaking rendition; it's a highlight not just of the show but of the tour, as far as I'm concerned (the story of how the song came to be played that night is told here--look for SueBee's post if the link doesn't take you directly there). That said, Neil's voice seems tired--it was the second straight very late night at the House of Blues, following the second straight day of crappy weather--and while most of the performances are strong, none of them really leaps out as being best-of-tour quality.

So this wouldn't be the choice if you're only buying one show. Ah, but what if you're buying two? This performance is an excellent companion-piece to the first Chicago show (which, for those who prize sound quality, is a must-have--it was recorded with special care for the subsequent webcast and really sounds terrific). The setlists complement each other nicely. You get a great selection of less-performed songs--Recurring Dream Hole in the River, Not the Girl You Think You Are, Throw Your Arms Around Me from night one; Nails in My Feet, Whispers and Moans, Italian Plastic, How Will You Go, an apparently impromptu Sister Madly on night two. You get a decent selection of interesting diversions (the post-clapping interlude in Weather With You on night one; the Chicago Jam and the impromptu Sister Madly leading, astonishingly, into A Day in the Life on night two, and oh, how I would love to hear the band take a semi-rehearsed crack at that song). You get the relatively straight-and-narrow approach of night one, the band seemingly kept in line by the cameras swirling before them, with the more relaxed, banter-filled atmosphere of night two. You get nine of the fourteen songs from Time on Earth (Nobody Wants To, Even a Child, A Sigh, Walked Her Way Down, and You Are the One to Make Me Cry are missing). You get relatively few repeats: fewer than half of the second night's 22 tracks were also played on the first night. And because these are consecutive nights in a single location, you definitely get a sense of time and place that would be absent, I think, if you just bought two unconnected shows.

Where's the Winnipeg review Jeffcoop?

I'm waiting with baited breath...

Well, Martine, since you asked ...

Winnipeg, Sept. 8

Sound: ****
Performance: ****1/2
Setlist: ****1/2

First things first: Winnipeg by this point has developed a reputation as the best show of the North American tour, so I think it's important to emphasize at the outset that it's not perfect. A couple of the then-recent additions to the repertoire--It's Only Natural and In My Command--don't quite gel (In My Command is vastly better than it was in Calgary, but it's not there yet). Neil's tendency to mix up lyrics is fully on display, and in some unexpected places--it's one thing to mess up a half-rehearsed obscurity, but WWYL? There are a few musical flubs, and while most of them are brief and transient, one of them almost brings Don't Stop Now to a crashing halt. And Silent House, usually a highlight, is uncharacteristically blah--it's not bad, but it never really ignites.

So where does the show's reputation come from? Well, for one thing, there's the eclectic setlist: Love You Til the Day I Die! I Got You! Hole in the River! Not the Girl You Think You Are! Love This Life! Black and White Boy! You Are the One to Make Me Cry! (I may be one of few, but I think that last one merits an exclamation point). I Got You is brilliant. It's unrehearsed, and therefore not surprisingly a bit rough musically (especially in the instrumental breaks), but the tentative start and gathering intensity underscore the song's paranoia and possessiveness (and this is pretty clearly intentional on Neil's part--the song is pretty much part of his DNA at this point). Then there are the improvs. Rush Up and Kiss You is great fun, and if Pedro's Trailer isn't quite to that standard, it's still enjoyable. Mark's James Brown pastiche is hysterical and surprisingly convincing. Most important, though, is that by this point in the tour, having played together nearly constantly for five weeks, the band has been transformed into a living organism above and beyond its component parts. The playing is taut yet flexible, and very dynamic. DDIO breathes in a way that you wouldn't expect from such an old warhorse. Something So Strong pulses with energy. Locked Out is frequently a highlight, but here it's extra-high-octane. On the whole, despite the occasional flub, and even taking into account the relative weakness of It's Only Natural, In My Command, and (sob) Silent House, this is a brilliant show. Some fans looking to purchase just one show may take into account some of the songs missing from the setlist and choose to look elsewhere. But for most, this show will capture the band perfectly: funny, with human flaws and foibles intact, but flexing their muscles and clearly enjoying the height of their rediscovered powers.

An even-handed, enthusiastic review, Jeffcoop. Excellently written..were you there by the way?

LOL..

I think by Winnipeg, the band themselves would agree they were really gelling "as a band" by this point as this is something Nick mentioned to one of our party afterward.

The flub on WWYL--I remember turning to my friend and wincing at the mixed up lyric and we just smiled--par for the course, eh?

It's important to mention also that the last couple of times Crowded House has come through Winnipeg (like it's sooo often...*not*) Neil made sure he stuffed the tribute to Mr Young in somewhere in the set.

I also remember and as evidenced by the recording...people were asking questions of the band conversationally between songs and I think Neil especially found this rather amusing..so there was definitely the "playing in your living room" element air of the thing as well.

Enjoyed your review (as always) Keep 'em coming (PS I also LOVE the Calgary show)

Thanks, Martine. Sadly, I wasn't there--with two small kids, my mobility is somewhat limited, so I was only able to get to Chicago for one of the shows there.

Can't believe I forgot to mention Helpless. (smacks forehead).

I was at both Chicago shows and I don't mind posting set lists and giving my still fresh impressions the morning after a concert but I leave these kind of reviews to people who know what they're talking about

Thanks for the reviews. I decided to download the Denver and Atlanta shows and love both. I especially love the singing at the end of Fall at Your Feet in Denver, that crowd could sing!