2016-04-13 Fox Theater - Pomona, CA

[starfox203]

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9w5ufrwz7...NCczP4Lda?dl=0

[Chris M]

Originally Posted by TheBang

Ah, what a great show. So many songs I haven't heard live before. I thought the crowd was really good too. Probably one of the best US crowds I've seen for Underworld.

I hope you hung around the side entrance, today, Rioja. There were lots of opportunities to meet them before and after the show as they came and went.

Chris got some nice pictures. I'm sure he'll chime in soon. Nice to meet Troy McClure, darktrain, khouri, and the other non-dirty superfans.

Yes-Yes. Lot's of images to sort over the coming days. Band management was very generous with coverage access. I'm teaming up with Thomas Kelley who did the fantastic L.A. Weekly piece for the Hollywood Bowl. We'll be putting together a review, photo essays, and images.

Solid set overall. To quote Rick's wife after the gig "it was a banging set". Atmosphere was electric - everyone there seemed to be a genuine fan, not just a casual spectator.

TheBang it was great sharing pre and post show conversation.

Troy McClure - good to see you again. next time have some conviction when you meet the band and get yer stuff signed

[khouri]

This was one of the most energetic American crowds I've ever seen for Underworld. Everyone was going nuts. The audio was great, all the songs sounded excellent. After the Dubnobass show in London and the shorter Hollywood Bowl show, I'd forgotten that Underworld delivered such long and high energy shows. Miles better than anything I attended during the Barking era too.

I Exhale
If Rah
Juanita
Ova Nova
Nylon Strung
Two Months Off
8 Ball
Jumbo
Ring Road/Minneapolis
Push Upstairs
King of Snake
Dirty Club
Low Burn
Rowla
Rez/Cowgirl
Nuxx

I Exhale + If Rah sounded great live and really got the crowd jumping. They're my least favorite songs on BB, but they made a kind of sense to me live that they don't on the record. Very enjoyable.

Juanita was the just album version with some small flourishes, effects and so forth, such as the "resonator" sample heard prominently on Everything Everything. The drums seemed really high in the mix in a good way. I really enjoyed it despite the lack of improv/deconstruction. They played the full 16-min version and it sounded marvelous.

Ova Nova + Nylon Strung did not work live, not for me anyway. Paradoxically, they're my favorite songs on BB. They just slowed everything down so much, I started yawning honestly.

Two Months Off was performed exactly as it has been for the last 14 years. The most boring weapon in Underworld's arsenal, but people still seem to go fucking nuts for it.

8 Ball was supremely disappointing live. I was sad when I didn't see Karl's guitar on stage at the start of the show but I didn't realize how dire it would be until this track, which has so many cool guitar parts. Effectively a karaoke performance.

Jumbo is always great to hear live but it's the same version we've all heard for nearly 20 years. I miss the way they played around with it on the Oblivion tour. That said, it still sounded wonderful in the theater and people loved it.

Ring Road/Minneapolis was beautiful. Karl was out of time for much of it but it was still exciting to see them go for it and play around with mixing elements of different tracks together. Despite the fact that they've been playing it on this tour, this arrangement felt live and fresh and a bit risky, the way a live band should sound.

Push Upstairs: Another fairly rote version but with Rick pushing different elements around in the mix. Hearing Push on a sound system remains a brilliant experience. Sounded wonderful, dark and dangerous.

King of Snake: Super energetic version. Dug it.

Dirty Club: Like the Ring Road/Minneapolis mashup, this was a treat. A new arrangement, cross-polination of songs, hearing sounds from the ancient records brought into the future. I wish they'd take this approach with more of the repertoire.

Low Burn: Another karaoke version. There's got to be a proper 10 minute version of this song somewhere and one day I hope we hear it.

Rowla: Rick had some fun with this.

Rez/Cowgirl: Rick took some risks with this one, relative to the other songs. Lots of changes, effects and such. Cowgirl was a hybrid of the album version and the live version that Underworld's played forever. Sounded great.

Nuxx: Standard version. There's so much room to mess about with this song and they never do anymore.

Obviously I can't know exactly how Rick's new gear works but based on what I heard and observed, it seems like he is triggering and manipulating all the sounds live just like he used to -- but I'm honestly at a loss as to what end. If the goal is to reproduce the album arrangements as closely as possible, you hardly need to go through that trouble. I also think that it's no longer possible to segue between tracks. The segue between Ova Nova and Nylon Strung was such a hard cut that I suspect only one Ableton session is being loaded into the console at a time, and Darren just activated it on the beat.

Again, I can't presume to know what Rick's thinking is, but the end result is a distinctly not-live Underworld Live. Very few surprises, no flow from one song to another, no "conversation" as Karl has described it. These shows are really electronic music recitals -- of uncommonly brilliant songs, no doubt -- but recitals nonetheless. Whereas not even ten years ago, on the Oblivion tour was brimming with inspiration, unpredictability and sonic bliss. I just don't get what the appeal is of this style of performance to the band or to the audience.

That said, the crowd loved it and the guys seemed overjoyed, so maybe I'm just not keeping up with whatever's happening.

[holden]

Originally Posted by khouri

This was one of the most energetic American crowds I've ever seen for Underworld. Everyone was going nuts. The audio was great, all the songs sounded excellent. After the Dubnobass show in London and the shorter Hollywood Bowl show, I'd forgotten that Underworld delivered such long and high energy shows. Miles better than anything I attended during the Barking era too.


Again, I can't presume to know what Rick's thinking is, but the end result is a distinctly not-live Underworld Live. Very few surprises, no flow from one song to another, no "conversation" as Karl has described it. These shows are really electronic music recitals -- of uncommonly brilliant songs, no doubt -- but recitals nonetheless. Whereas not even ten years ago, on the Oblivion tour was brimming with inspiration, unpredictability and sonic bliss. I just don't get what the appeal is of this style of performance to the band or to the audience.

Appreciate your review and thoughts! Wish I could have been there...regardless of the pros and cons of the setlist/performance style, nothing quite like the energy of the boys playing classics and new tracks to a live audience.

Still, for those that can't be there, the saving grace has always been the extensive recorded history- be there virtually! Thanks to the fans and RTSR, i have dozens and dozens of shows from 1992 to present. Why? Because until 2010 Barking tour, you could count on different setlists almost every night, long segues, improvisation. Even a static setlist is fine (most bands do it or only change in/out a few tracks), provided there's some internal variety from night to night.

But with Barking tour and now BBWFASF, though i love the individual songs, i don't know that i need to collect or listen to gigs that are almost identical each night. Have heard/downloaded the short and long versions of the tour set, so i'm happy to hear the likes of Faxed, Juanita, Ring Road/Minneapolis, and Dirty Club. But unless things change up, i agree with many of your comments above - it feels a little bit, er, automatic. UW were always more than just pushing play and singing on top...

Anyway, sounds like it was a fun show and that some folks got to meet the band! Cool

[potatobroth]

Chemical Brothers do a static setlist yet it feels more live because of the way its mixed. Sounds like this tour is much more album versions of each track. That is a bummer.

[Rioja]

Originally Posted by TheBang

I hope you hung around the side entrance, today, Rioja. There were lots of opportunities to meet them before and after the show as they came and went.

I did, yes! Actually, I parked right around 6p and walked over to the side entrance and was told they had just left after soundcheck. This was a bummer because I spent some time discovering a cheaper parking lot and thought then I had blown the chance to meet them just to shave off a meager $6 on parking.

So I then went into the bar, had a bit to drink, then got in line for floor access/wristbands. I had been told that I was not to leave the bar area lest I give up my place "in line", and that once the gig started there could be no venue re-entries.

Hence, the next time I had the opportunity to visit the side entrance was not until after the gig. Actually considered waiting in the venue in front of the stage to see if R and/or K would perhaps be coming out there to meet/greet, but that option was quickly nixed by security urging everyone to exit.

So, I walked outside, around the theater to the back because I thought R/K would be exiting that way, if they hadn't already. I waited there until about 12:20a after no one left through that door except a couple security staff.

Then I went back around to the side entrance where there were just 6 or 7 people hanging around the open door. At that point, I didn't know what they were waiting for, but I didn't want to seem like a creep and/or clueless by asking, "Heyyy.. are you guys waiting for the band?"

But then someone mentioned that R/K would be coming out that way, so my ears definitely perked up at that point. And an Australian with whom I had a short conversation said that the two had shown up at the door, then turned around to go back inside for an unknown reason.

Were they tired and therefore wanted to leave some other way to avoid being asked for photos, signing, and the like? I had no idea.

But I didn't wonder long because it seemed right as I thought that, there they were! Rick was beaming and seemed very happy to meet people and Karl was a bit more reserved I think under a hoodie which was almost too big for his head.

He was just a bit tired, which of course is to be expected from someone who has just danced his ass off for nearly 2 hours. I would be absolutely done, physically, if I could even do that at all, which I doubt. But Karl does it full-on and he's nearly 20 years older than I! No idea how he does that.

So I almost instantly chatted up Rick, who for some reason or another I thought might have a bit more reserved personality than Karl, but damn if I didn't turn out to be wrong! For 5 - 10 minutes, we had a great conversation, and he didn't seem at all put off by my typically intense demeanor, which can throw people off a bit when they first meet me.

We talked about Wales, Pearls Girl (I'd always wanted to know what synth it was that made that amazing, filtered bass line, and now I know: a Nord 1), sampling, creating as an artist even when you feel like that's the last thing you want to do (but you've got to do it), why sometimes making record can be a miserable experience, his recommendation of the book "Steal Like An Artist", staring down the dole office and thinking there's no way you're going to make it... and then having the support of someone you love somehow helping you find a way. (In Rick's case, that person was his wife, without whom he said he'd likely never have found the strength to press on.)

He was amazing: very appreciative, genuine, and complimentary. And I absolutely could not believe that I was standing there, talking to my hero. (In fact, there's just one other famous musician with whom a conversation was such a pleasure, and that was -- believe it or not -- Ogre from Skinny Puppy. (I say "believe it or not" since, you know, with a stage name like "Ogre", you expect at least a bit of animosity. Not true at all in that guy's case though.))

Seeing as it was time to be going, I asked Rick for a photo and, again, being very gracious, he was more than willing to do that, as well. After I thanked him again, I looked over at Karl and, seeing that he was totally exhausted, simply said "Karl, thank you for everything." He nodded, smiled very genuinely, and said "thank you" back. Though I think he was a bit thrown off by this lanky, intense-looking, 6' 3" guy with, I suppose, substantial amounts of ink, some might say. (It seemed a bit like Karl was thinking, "Is this guy going to attack me or thank me?")

But there again, I could not believe that I was standing a couple feet away from my 2 favorite musicians of the past 20 years. It was such a wonderfully surreal experience, one that would be impossible to repeat. And I'm grateful for that because I I'd like nothing more than the memory of that evening to live on forever.

(Photo of Rick and I coming up soon...)

And even after I'd left the side entrance and gone around to the front of the theater, I walked back over to the side once more to hug the guy that took the photo of Rick and I. I had no one else with me that night and so I remain crazy grateful to that person for taking the pic. In fact, I appreciate it more than I can say, but sadly I don't even know his name...

[TheBang]

Originally Posted by Rioja

And even after I'd left the side entrance and gone around to the front of the theater, I walked back over to the side once more to hug the guy that took the photo of Rick and I. I had no one else with me that night and so I remain crazy grateful to that person for taking the pic. In fact, I appreciate it more than I can say, but sadly I don't even know his name...

Haha, well, that was me taking the picture. You were so happy. I'm glad you were able to talk to him for so long. The other guys with me were Chris M and Troy McClure from this very thread.

[Rioja]

Originally Posted by TheBang

Haha, well, that was me taking the picture. You were so happy. I'm glad you were able to talk to him for so long. The other guys with me were Chris M and Troy McClure from this very thread.

Hah - I had no idea it was you! Thank you again so much, man -- it means more than I can say. I'm a bit bummed that I missed the Dirts group photo, but that was my fault for deciding to go wait in the bar. Did that go down, and if so, was it outside under the marquee?

Regarding the pic, you did a great job. I think the expression on my face could have been a little less intense, but obviously that's all me. I have this look that's either "I have you now" or "I cannot believe this is happening and I'm afraid it's just a dream". (Or, you know, some combination of those 2.)

But of course I didn't want to say to you and Rick, "Hey, can we do this again so I don't look quite so crazy?" (Well, looking at it again, maybe not crazy, just, intense... And anyway, I'm not sure I even would have been able to change my expression at that time since I did feel like what was happening was so unreal.)

Anyway, it's Rick's expression that matters most to me - and he looks like he's having fun. (I would hate to have had the expressions the other way around.)

Suffice to say, you did great, man -- thank you for taking it! (Pic in question still coming up soon...)

[Troy McClure]

Originally Posted by Rioja

And even after I'd left the side entrance and gone around to the front of the theater, I walked back over to the side once more to hug the guy that took the photo of Rick and I. I had no one else with me that night and so I remain crazy grateful to that person for taking the pic. In fact, I appreciate it more than I can say, but sadly I don't even know his name...

I was the one in the black shirt with the 'dubno...' cover on the front.

Glad that was you got to speak with Rick. I over heard him say 'Steal Like an Artist', and thought that was an interesting saying. I didn't know it's a book title. But now, knowing that's a book, and the context of it, that's a great story and memory. Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by Rioja

Hah - I had no idea it was you! Thank you again so much, man -- it means more than I can say. I'm a bit bummed that I missed the Dirts group photo, but that was my fault for deciding to go wait in the bar. Did that go down, and if so, was it outside under the marquee?

It was just TheBang and I that made the meeting time with Chris M. But, with the concert being in Pomona it's very understandable. I heard traffic getting there was hectic. Hopefully, another time in the future.

--Jason

[Troy McClure]

Originally Posted by Chris M

Yes-Yes. Lot's of images to sort over the coming days. Band management was very generous with coverage access. I'm teaming up with Thomas Kelley who did the fantastic L.A. Weekly piece for the Hollywood Bowl. We'll be putting together a review, photo essays, and images.

Solid set overall. To quote Rick's wife after the gig "it was a banging set". Atmosphere was electric - everyone there seemed to be a genuine fan, not just a casual spectator.

TheBang it was great sharing pre and post show conversation.

Troy McClure - good to see you again. next time have some conviction when you meet the band and get yer stuff signed

I'll remember for sure.... I think I used up all my conviction / courage to say hello to Rick earlier in the day and again that night with Karl & Rick.