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Archive for the ‘Evanescence’ Category

The Cure / The Twilight Sad (Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA, June 24, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Evanescence, Muse, One OK Rock, Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center on June 24, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 24, 2023] The Cure / The Twilight Sad

I saw The Cure in 1989 and it was a great show.  For one reason or another I never saw them again live over the next thirty years.  Mostly because I didn’t love them as much as I did in 1989.

For some reason this tour was massively hyped.  (Probably because I see they haven’t played Philly since 2008 and hadn’t played NYC since 2016 and before that 2011, so I guess a Cure tour is an Event).

So I managed to get a pre-sale code, but I had so much trouble with the code and with logging in that by the time I finally got to the ticket page, the only thing left was nosebleeds and that wouldn’t have been very satisfying for me.

I also probably could have looked into one of the Madison Square Garden shows, but realistically I’m not going to MSG for another show again.

Now, it happens that every single review of these shows has been an unparalleled rave.  The setlists have been incredible and I feel like I’ve missed out on a massive cultural event (not as big as Taylor Swift, mind you, but, about the same level but for adults).   So that’s kind of a bummer.  Not the biggest bummer, because Wells Fargo Center kind of sucks as a venue.  But kind of sucky nonetheless.  I also can’t believe that they have been playing for nearly three hours every show.

Since I wasn’t going to this show I wound up getting tickets to see Mondo Cozmo at Underground Arts, which was 1,000 times easier to get to, significantly cheaper and lasted 80 minutes.  Mu show started at 9 and was over before The Cure’s show that technically started at 7:30.

Word has it that Robert Smith has promised he’d be back. so if it’s not too too long before the next tour, I may try to get to it.

I feel a little bad for The Twilight Sad who have opened every show and I haven’t heard a single thing about them from any review.   However, they have been getting a 45 minute show each night, so that’s some very good exposure.

They are a Scottish band with a distinctive keyboard/gothy 80s sound and the singer’s very heavy Scottish accent in his delivery.  Robert Smith loves this band as does Mogwai.  I’m going to have to given them a proper listen as my cursory listen thought they sounded just okay.

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Muse / Evanescence / One OK Rock (Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA, March 19, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Evanescence, Muse, One OK Rock, Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center on March 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 19, 2023] Muse / Evanescence / One OK Rock

I’ve seen Muse twice at Wells Fargo and I promised myself I’d never miss a show.

But this year when tickets were announced  they were SO EXPENSIVE that I balked at getting one.  I realize that Muse puts on a stellar show that is better than anything I’ve ever seen, but I couldn’t see spending so much on a ticket for the floor. And I didn’t want to be back in the cheap seats.  So I blew it off.

I also don’t really like their new album as much as their older music, so it didn’t seem like I’d be missing that much.  The album is stripped down, I assumed the show would be too.  But I guess I was wrong.

And yet, reviews tell me this was their biggest show yet.  The Brooklyn Vegan review (from Madison Square Garden) says

a number of elaborate, expensive-looking cut scenes (one with parkour!) that allow for major set changes, it all makes sense in the context of Muse’s current, totally bananas live show. Songs like “Hysteria,” “Madness,” “Bliss” and “Uprising” were custom made for arenas, as streamers and confetti rain down over the audience who are singing along the whole time.  A runway connected the main stage and smaller stage in the middle of the floor, allowing for a lot of running around and kooky spotlight moments like when frontman Matt Bellamy played a glowing keyboard that was stitched into the sleeve of his jacket.  There were also six massive mirrors, rimmed with LEDs that floated and moved above the stage that helped reflect all those lasers into the crowd, and were really effective, visually. Less effective, but still fun, were the giant (inflatable) figures that loomed behind them for most of the show, first a hooded figure with a mirrored mask (the band opened the show wearing these masks, too) and then later a demonic centaur. Bellamy played a guitar solo on the shoulder of the former at one point. Streamers shot out over the whole room early in the show, and then confetti a few songs later. There was never a lack of things to look at.

Sometimes being cheap isn’t worth it. (more…)

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