So what happened at the MMJ/Slip/Pops last night?
Moderators: Cleantone, harrymcq, Phrazz
-
Curious
So what happened at the MMJ/Slip/Pops last night?
Come on -- give us all the juicy details!
Re: ....
Almost complete:even more curious wrote:setlist anyone?
http://sliplive.com/bboard/viewtopic.php?t=1624
i'm most interested in hearing what fans of MMJ have to say about the slip. been checking out their board and there hasn't been much chatter about the post show(everyone seems pretty pumped about the MMJ set though).
The aftershow downstairs with The Slip is worth checking out too, they've really changed their style since the last time I saw them ('99).
One warning: The Slip set at the end of the show sounded pretty muffled and lo-fi after the majesty of the headlining set. The Slip is a great band, but making them follow this performance up might not be fair to them. Give yourself permission to leave this part early if it seems underwhelming.
-
'Nugg
As an MMJ fan I thought the slip were OK. Beautiful room, bam was dressed nicely. Good crowd to begin with, thinned out quickly. Good sound. What can I say without starting yet another argument about the new vs. the old. I stayed for about 45 mins and that was enough for me. The slip are a very talented band. I'm not particularly into the genre of music they play, but it was still cool to check them out.
The Pops/MMJ set was really great. It was really a once in a lifetime opportunity to see, as cheesy as that sounds. First the Pops played for an hour by themselves and that was cool, something I'd never seen in all my years in boston. MMJ came up and they looked cool all dressed up in tuxes with the long backs hanging down. They even dressed up their bear mascot in a tuxe and gave him a little conductors stick. Lockhart seemed like a really cool dude. At the end he gave each member a hug. Jim James said something along the lines of how awesome this was.
They played Golden, Wordless Chorus(Best song of the night, especially the part where Jim starts howling, the crowd ate it up), Gideon, At Dawn and a few others I can't remember. The drummer was playing a virtual drumkit which I thought was kinda weird. He really likes to pound the skins and you can't do that with a computerized drumkit. The night felt a little tame. It was kinda like neither the pops nor MMJ was playing with their full power because they didn't want to step on toes. That being said, the orchestra added some really cool shit to the whole thing. There were cool little fills at times by the percussion or horns or violins. They just meshed together perfectly, MMJ was a great choice.
I got a seat, poster and to see the Slip, all for $20, can't go wrong.
The Pops/MMJ set was really great. It was really a once in a lifetime opportunity to see, as cheesy as that sounds. First the Pops played for an hour by themselves and that was cool, something I'd never seen in all my years in boston. MMJ came up and they looked cool all dressed up in tuxes with the long backs hanging down. They even dressed up their bear mascot in a tuxe and gave him a little conductors stick. Lockhart seemed like a really cool dude. At the end he gave each member a hug. Jim James said something along the lines of how awesome this was.
They played Golden, Wordless Chorus(Best song of the night, especially the part where Jim starts howling, the crowd ate it up), Gideon, At Dawn and a few others I can't remember. The drummer was playing a virtual drumkit which I thought was kinda weird. He really likes to pound the skins and you can't do that with a computerized drumkit. The night felt a little tame. It was kinda like neither the pops nor MMJ was playing with their full power because they didn't want to step on toes. That being said, the orchestra added some really cool shit to the whole thing. There were cool little fills at times by the percussion or horns or violins. They just meshed together perfectly, MMJ was a great choice.
I got a seat, poster and to see the Slip, all for $20, can't go wrong.
I don't know much about MMJ, but I admit I was a little disappointed. I thought the Pops orchestra could have been used to better effect, but you couldn't hear them very well (at least from where I was sitting, under the balcony). Maybe it was like you say, nobody wanting to step on toes, or maybe there wasn't enough time to practice and coordinate. Since it is a rare opportunity, why not get more ambitious?
That said, I agree there were some nice touches with the percussion and horns. I thought Jim James' solo encore (acoustic + strings) worked really well, and there were a couple instrumental pieces where things meshed a little better. I liked the small ensemble version of Gideon they did on Letterman better - I guess I just prefer a small group, miked, to the orchestra playing too quietly.
I was wondering what the bear was doing up there (conducting, obviously).
That said, I agree there were some nice touches with the percussion and horns. I thought Jim James' solo encore (acoustic + strings) worked really well, and there were a couple instrumental pieces where things meshed a little better. I liked the small ensemble version of Gideon they did on Letterman better - I guess I just prefer a small group, miked, to the orchestra playing too quietly.
I was wondering what the bear was doing up there (conducting, obviously).
I was actually going to write something about that too. I felt that at times you really couldn't hear, or maybe not hear, but the orchestra just didn't register at times. You knew it was there obviously, but just couldn't really seperate the sounds the orchestra was specifically making.
That's why tonite they'll probably have ironed out all those little things and they'll all probably feel more comfortable playing with each other up there.
But I have the feeling it will be the exact same show so I won't be going tonite.
But I did think the MMJ/Pops set was great......
That's why tonite they'll probably have ironed out all those little things and they'll all probably feel more comfortable playing with each other up there.
But I have the feeling it will be the exact same show so I won't be going tonite.
But I did think the MMJ/Pops set was great......
Give us the Teachings of His Majesty, we don't want no devil philosophy.
-
Curious
Why an after-show
I don't understand why they would have the slips play as an after-thought to the Pops/MMJ performance? I mean, what's the big idea here? Why not have the slip play as an opener prior to the pops.
I agree it was kind of unfair to have them close the show -- kind of a tough act to follow a mega-production national touring act playing with pro-classical ensemble.
But then again, it probably wasn't the Slip's idea to close the show -- and were BAM really going to say, "Nah, we'd prefer not to play at all -- rather than have to follow up this great show and play for its audience."
$0.02
I agree it was kind of unfair to have them close the show -- kind of a tough act to follow a mega-production national touring act playing with pro-classical ensemble.
But then again, it probably wasn't the Slip's idea to close the show -- and were BAM really going to say, "Nah, we'd prefer not to play at all -- rather than have to follow up this great show and play for its audience."
$0.02
there were two other bands that "opened", the slip got the "headlining" slot and I'm sure they were thrilled to have it and didn't even think about going on after MMJ/Pops as a negative thing, or a big show to follow, or whatever. That's a fucking sick gig to get. I wouldn't think that anyone would compare the slip's show to the main event, they were two totally different things.....
Give us the Teachings of His Majesty, we don't want no devil philosophy.