Underworld... live?

[potatobroth]

Originally Posted by Mike

They come to see a solid performance with all the hits.

Well I'd agree with you here if the new live experience leaned more towards spectacle. But it doesn't. This recent tour is by far the least visual Underworld have ever been. Had their new setup allowed for a more rigid, yet well-designed show I would understand the decision. A decision to tighten up the show and make it more of a pre-designed experience isn't a bad one. Its just that they forgot a huge piece of that.

The new way works for them, and I am glad to say I have enjoyed seeing them in 2014, 2015 and 2016 - they sound better than ever and I am satisfied.

This is the part I can't come to grips with yet. Am I satisfied? There's nothing overly satisfying about hearing Juanita played note-for-note with only a few lights tracking around the stage. As someone who, living in the states only gets to see Underworld every 4 years or so its quite possible that I'm anticipating more. So in one way I am satisfied that I got to see my favorite band in person again. And I am over-the-moon with how King of Snake, Rowla, and a few others were turned into a fantastic experience. But I used to feel that way after EVERY track. I also can't decide if I agree that they sound better than ever. The sound quality was pretty high, but who wants to hear an album track played verbatim? 5 new album tracks, 5 identical-to-album renditions.

So yes, you may be satisfied. But are you excited by it?

Underworld recognise that people who come to see them don't pay good money to see a band fuck around on stage anymore.

I assume you are speaking of non-superfans. I was with a crew of non-super fans and they weren't blown away by any stretch - at times yes of course. A few of my friends have seen them before and made comparisons. A few others had never seen them live.

[purlieu]

I do wonder if it's satisfying for them. I honestly can't see the appeal in effectively playing the exact same thing night after night. I'm not surprised that the whole show is a bit calmer than it was 20-odd years ago, but it's strange that it's just so safe. In light of certain new directions in their music, and their history of doing things entirely in their own way, it'd be easy to imagine that they'd try out a new kind of stage show that suited their creative needs and age now, but I just can't see this trotting out the hits to sound just like the album approach being it.
I'm being totally presumptuous anyway, second guessing the guys. But it just doesn't seem to fit, somehow.

[jetpig]

I also wonder if Rick's recent health issues might play a role in their decision. The ability to have Darren step in and play a gig that Rick isn't really there with an unscripted or highly improved set.

[potatobroth]

Originally Posted by jetpig

I also wonder if Rick's recent health issues might play a role in their decision. The ability to have Darren step in and play a gig that Rick isn't really there with an unscripted or highly improved set.

I thought about that a bit too until i realized that they've done this before. Darren's sets just had more scripted segues.

I think it just comes down to a decision to present their shows this way. They've played hundreds of improved shows over the years but not a single one since Barking. I don't think the decision was based on what the fans would most want - because I believe the fans would want a spectacular video show to go along with the music. I'm starting to think its cost or energy involved in creating prior to the tour.

In any event, of the +/- 15 shows I've seen I won't look back on Barking or Barbara with the same fondness.

[holden]

I've only been able to see Underworld live once: NYC, 2007. But I have probably 100+ concert recordings and have loved listening to the unique setlists from 1994-2008. That's a heck of a run for freeform shows. Could it be we've gotten spoiled?

I agree, one gig from Barking and Barbara tours is enough, since other than intra song banter, it's the same gig over and over. But that's what mamy bands do. Maybe they swap out a track or add one, change up the encore, but little variation is the norm. Yet, I just read that Radiohead practiced 120 songs for their latest tour, whittling it down to 60 or so they might play each night. Talk about surprises!

In any case, UW have always been an amazing live band, so the last few static tours are a letdown. But I think Barbara is great, the latest setlist pretty solid, and I wish wish wish they'd tour the US more! Bless em that they're still making music. It's their conscious decision as to how to perform. It works for them and probably the less obsessive portion of the audience.

Hey, rumor has it they're writing the road...maybe the next tour will be freeform jams?

[joethelion]

but like... they could very easily somewhat change the set lists depending on the night

Like... going back to Depeche Mode - on their "Touring the Universe" tour - they had a pretty "set" setlist, but they'd rotate in/out songs in certain sections ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_o...(tour)#Setlist

And I feel like one of the major selling points of seeing UW live (and what they're known for) - is the "anything goes" vibe ... sure you are probably going to hear "Cowgirl" ... but it might be 14 minutes long, or it might be mixed with "Rez" ... and so on...

Instead we're slowly getting into "the Prodigy" zone, and playing the same songs as they appeared on the album, again and again...

(edit)

and I've seen UW... quite a few times, starting with the AHDO tour - right after Darren Emerson left... and while those performances were a bit 'rigid' (in comparison to previous years), they absolutely would tweak and improv things within the songs themselves... and honestly - those shows were really quite good! I mean, 'King of Snake' and 'Push Upstairs' were massive... I also remember them playing an incredible version of "Twist", where the piano didn't come in, until about a half way through

to me - the highlight was the OWB tour, where you had nice little interludes, some improv's and you genuinely didn't know what the next song would be

[stimpee]

For those who somehow missed Underworld playing live from 2005-2009, you missed out big time. This was a golden age in retrospect. 2010-2014 was the same show over and over again. Maybe they had other things to think about or just wanted some stability in the show. We've discussed it over and over.

I've seen this band at least 60 times and believe me this is far from the worst. This tour is a massive improvement on the Barking tour and the slightly modified tour that followed it. They worked hard on this and you can tell. It is a shame they chose to again not mix it up and maybe those days are over. I really hope not but for me instead of seeing them on as many gigs as possible I now see them maybe twice max three times on a tour. They have dropped a few songs here and there and included others. Some people have missed the Faxed Invitation mix up for instance.

If you havent seen UW for a few years then you wont know that this tour actually has more visuals than we've been used to. I loved the selfie cam of the 2005-2006 tour, and the big green laser for King of Snake. But this is a nice video screen. I'm sure they will do more stuff with it in future. It looks like they have invested a lot of money on new hardware.

Keep the faith.

[potatobroth]

Originally Posted by stimpee

I've seen this band at least 60 times and believe me this is far from the worst. This tour is a massive improvement on the Barking tour and the slightly modified tour that followed it. They worked hard on this and you can tell. It is a shame they chose to again not mix it up and maybe those days are over.

I agree that the Barking tour was probably their worst one. But visually Barking had a great deal more going on than this current one. And while I also agree that so far Barbara has been a massive improvement, its still quite far behind AHDO-era ones.

I really hope not but for me instead of seeing them on as many gigs as possible I now see them maybe twice max three times on a tour. They have dropped a few songs here and there and included others. Some people have missed the Faxed Invitation mix up for instance.

Dropped for time constraints. My not seeing Dark Train in NYC had nothing to do with playing to the crowd or experimenting, it had everything to do with the time limit.

If you havent seen UW for a few years then you wont know that this tour actually has more visuals than we've been used to. I loved the selfie cam of the 2005-2006 tour, and the big green laser for King of Snake. But this is a nice video screen. I'm sure they will do more stuff with it in future. It looks like they have invested a lot of money on new hardware. Keep the faith.

This is where you lost me. I haven't seen them 60 times, thats for sure so my sample-size is considerably smaller. But in every show I've seen from 1998 - present, the visuals for Barbara are undeniably less. I'd even go so far as to say non-existent for this tour. Its a gorgeous screen, and one that went wildly unused.

I was keeping the faith, but its been 6 years and I'm starting to wonder if this is the new direction. I'm not afforded the same opportunity to see them on all their smaller half-tours. This is it for me. And for what its worth, it was a bit of a missed opportunity.

[potatobroth]

the facebook clip promoting the Glastonbury gig is showing Dark Train with all the lovely lovely visuals from a past show there. thats the good stuff.

[TheBang]

That's from Glasto 1998. I believe Graham Wood was manning the video controls.