I liked the ballads, but at age 72, he really shouldn't try to pretend he can still 'do it'. We came away pleased but feeling a bit awkward. Glad to have seen him again, and if he decided to retire, I would be okay with that.
His upper register is shot and he tried to power his way up and through, but it sounded like air escaping, no tone. That happened on a few occasions. I do know he is 72 and he no longer has the voice of a younger man. I know this. But to see him struggle like that wasn't fun. Imagine Ali going in for 15 rounds the shape he is in.....(I know that's a bit different.) Like I said... it was awkward.
His upper register is shot and he tried to power his way up and through, but it sounded like air escaping, no tone. That happened on a few occasions. I do know he is 72 and he no longer has the voice of a younger man. I know this. But to see him struggle like that wasn't fun. Imagine Ali going in for 15 rounds the shape he is in.....(I know that's a bit different.) Like I said... it was awkward.
Have you seen Rod Stewart perform lately? I swear he leaves his walker off stage. He gets to jerking around so much trying to dance that I think he is going to fall and break a hip. ;~)
Knowing when to quit is tough on a talent. I know quite a few musicians who've play a bit too far past their prime. To witness it is indeed awkward, for all concerned ... a good description.
On Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:02:42 -0500, the infamous Swingman scrawled the following:
That's why I gave up concerts 25+ years ago. They never sound as good in concert as they did on studio albums, so why waste your time? 'Course, I gave up partying hearty about that time, too, so...
That's certainly true for many ... then again. I've known a number of groups that you could simply not capture what they did live on any medium.
First to mind in that regard is New Grass Revival (the later version, with John Cowan and Bela Fleck). To see them live was an overpowering, knock you back in your seat, experience. They did with acoustic instruments (except for Cowan on electric bass), what most rock bands with towering stacks of amps could not do.
No one, producer or engineer, to this day has been able to capture that powerful live stage show on tape or vinyl ... it defies the medium.
Then there is a very successful duo, now out of AR, that's been around for years, "Trout Fishing in America". On an album they are two guys on bass and guitar singing and picking, with remarkable musicianship, good songs ... on stage they morph into an orchestra of sound. I've heard folks in the mezzanine after a show sincerely wonder to each other who the drummer was.
Got to love that. Dave "Daddy" Jacques and Jason Wilber get by fine without a drummer when backing up John Prine. They have been accused of hiding a drum machine or SUMPtin'.... LOL Personally, just the right amount of slap on an upright bass is all I need.
Then there is 'magic time' when harmonies create an illusion of there being more than the people singing it. Mommas & The Pappas called that "Harvey came to sing." I walked by some open windows of the Chapel when The King's College Choir was rehearsing on the Cambridge U(UK) campus. The goosebumps damn near broke my skin. (Truth be told, *I* have never been the same since.. it was a life-changing 'experience'.)
Hollies, Peter & Gordon, CSN & Y, Everly Brothers and many more have always been on my list of things I like.
Oh... Speaking of drums , Neil Peart is coming to Sarnia dragging the rest of RUSH along with him. (I will go see them and Weezer, and Road Hammers.)
For thick, goose bump raising harmonies, there's also Ladysmith Black Mombaza.
First heard them shortly after the release of Paul Simon's "Graceland" (one of the best, if not the best, examples of 1980's style recording/production values)
Have you experienced "Straight No Chaser"?
... and Manhattan Transfer, on their 1997 "Swing", one of the hottest examples of the concept of "swing", both vocally and instrumentally, ever recorded, IMNSH opinion.
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