2009-08-07 Fox Theatre in Oakland, CA

[EpilepticBicycle]

I was so disappointed in this concert, not in the performance by any means, but in the "fans"...probably the acoustics had something to do with this, but being on the floor, usually in the center two or three people back, I was constantly taken out of my happy place by people shouting and talking. How is it that I could hear people chatting? What were they doing chatting in the first place? And all the excitement over the giant balloons. Dear Lord, you'd think they contained money. Why was it so important to jump over people to touch a balloon and ignore the music?

I flew up to Oakland from L.A. for the show because I'd rather see Underworld alone rather than part of the craziness at the Forum, but I am regretting everything about it. I wish I could have the Hollywood Bowl or Riviera again tonight to get this bad taste out of my mouth.

[viddy]

See below:
Apple to Stream First Live Concert to the iPhone Tonight

http://newteevee.com/2009/08/07/appl...phone-tonight/

This has gotten over 300 diggs on Digg.com!

[thfcsteff]

Originally Posted by EpilepticBicycle

I was so disappointed in this concert, not in the performance by any means, but in the "fans"...probably the acoustics had something to do with this, but being on the floor, usually in the center two or three people back, I was constantly taken out of my happy place by people shouting and talking. How is it that I could hear people chatting? What were they doing chatting in the first place? And all the excitement over the giant balloons. Dear Lord, you'd think they contained money. Why was it so important to jump over people to touch a balloon and ignore the music?

I flew up to Oakland from L.A. for the show because I'd rather see Underworld alone rather than part of the craziness at the Forum, but I am regretting everything about it. I wish I could have the Hollywood Bowl or Riviera again tonight to get this bad taste out of my mouth.

Indeed...a lot of chatting around me, but I was able to channel it out...the balloon thing? Yeah, I hear ya but again I just tuned them out, although occasionally some enormous drunk would leave me wondering if (as he leapt with all the coordination of Stephen Hawking) if he was going to elbow me in the face...still, I managed to even work around that.

About 30 seconds into the show I resolved to focus on the music and not the 'chatter'...it's all you can do...

[ubercool]

I had a blast! and it was great to meet chinoluxa and ben before the show at The Trappist bar, which was an experience all by itself.

This was my third Underworld concert and I seem to recall that the first one I saw at the Fox in S.F. rocked more tightly, but that probably was because there were far more people than night.

But everyone was dancing and the music was awesome. I had no talkers around me, because i always seek out the trance dancers, they totally turn me on.

[dubman]

i dont know why you think people wouldnt talk at a concert. you're around people. it's what they do when you're sharing an experience. you want a happy place go close your eyes in a listening booth or something.

anyway i had a great time. i dont think i had much for talkers around me and i danced myself sore (as much as being in the front would allow me anyway). met TheBang and it was rad. some putz got the last setlist a few seconds before i did but i got to see one anyway and it was kinda neat.

as far as the show goes i think it was the most solid of the other 4 i've been to. i didnt lose myself like how i usually do out of sheer excitement (this is the 5th go-around by now), but i felt like it was the most substantial gig of theirs i've been to. usually it was either that they'd take about 20-30 minutes to feel as if there was a real groove happening, or that they'd start off huge and settle into that groove continuously until the end. but this one just felt like one after the other. bang. bang. bang. everything flew off the handle, everything harder. great night.

i take back what i said about you do scribble.

[klingklang]

Thanks for posting that pic, Bang. I loved that moment.

I didn't hear any talking around me during the show, but there was that one wanker who kept shouting during a mellow part in the show. He had been yelling at Damian Lazarus during his set as well. And the only other bad bits I experienced was I got bashed in the head a few times from some 6 foot tall dude behind me who apparently had never been to a show before. When it all went nuts with the Rover balloons, he almost killed me grabbing for bits of the one Karl kicked that exploded (fortunately, I managed to save a chunk of it). Then this person pushed his way to the front barrier next to me and then kept turning around to have his woman take his picture of him with Underworld behind him (I seriously wish the habit would die...it's really annoying to have a person turn their back to a performer and act as if they're having their picture taken with them).

And I completely sympathize with those that traveled further than I did and had a bad time. I had to travel insanely far (for me) and would have been incredibly upset had it been completely ruined by people. I actually have far worse times at Los Angeles shows. Speaking of which, this is only the second Bay Area show I've seen of Underworld and each time, I'm the only idiot out front in line before doors (Los Angeles has done my head in when it comes to queues).

As for the show itself, I thought it was incredible. I personally feel its the third best show I've seen by them. Yeah, one could tell the fatigue is there and it'd be nice if they had more time between shows to rest, but I still feel they put as much as they could into it. I only wish they would've played more rare material (Spikee was great, as well as the little lyrical teases of Dirty Epic, but I'm extremely jealous of Vegas getting Bamboo--I love that song!). Still, I was really happy and it was fun to be at a beautiful venue I'd never been to, plus my calves appear to have grown 3 inches thicker from the night (the pain is still with me!).

Oh, and if the Deadhead from Santa Cruz is on here reading this, could you please private message me and mention your name (that way I know it's you)? I lost sight of you during the Rover balloon madness and couldn't locate you after the show.

[TheBang]

Originally Posted by klingklang

but there was that one wanker who kept shouting during a mellow part in the show. He had been yelling at Damian Lazarus during his set as well.

Oh yeah, that idiot. He kept yelling stuff like "This is your moment! Don't screw it up!" I was hoping someone would punch him.

[dubman]

i'm actually listening to that part right now and it's... kinda funny.
you know you had a good time when yr willing to take a day to futz around with the recording to make it sound better.

[ganzo]

I'm not great with song titles so maybe someone can help me. I've seen the Fox concert 3 times now and want to know the song titles of the 2 songs that followed "Beautiful Burnout". The second one has the lyric "...drive all night under a full moon..." and it sounds like something from Wall of Voodoo. Really great!
thanks to all, respectfully burnt out...

[klingklang]

Originally Posted by TheBang

Oh yeah, that idiot. He kept yelling stuff like "This is your moment! Don't screw it up!" I was hoping someone would punch him.

I really wished I did punch him, but he was behind me and I thought he'd throw a drink at me if I yelled at him (I'd already had two drinks thrown at me because apparently the area between the stage and the rail also serves as a trash bin).

Originally Posted by ganzo

I've seen the Fox concert 3 times now and want to know the song titles of the 2 songs that followed "Beautiful Burnout".

After that was a little bit of "Small Conker and A Twix" which went into "You Do Scribble." Then it was "Between Stars," which is the one you compare to Echo & The Bunnymen. People were kind enough to post a setlist on the previous page, by the way, that way you can check out the full tracklisting for your 4th or more viewings of the show