Just a question.... Options

[promiseIma Livefan]

For those who believed that The Turn should not have been considered a Live album, should the current lineup- which consists of a second drummer and a new guitarist that both plays lead and contributes to the writing process- also not be considered Live? I am just interested in others' views on this. Granted all four original members are together again, but with the new cast it feels more like Live 2.0. Maybe they could rename themselves Living

This post has been edited by promiseIma Livefan: Jul 2 2018, 10:35 am

[Bob]

I'm curious: For hardcore fans of other bands, what do they do differently that Live doesn't do? Let's use the Counting Crows as an example, since they've been around almost as long as Live has, and they're currently touring together. What about Pearl Jam? Candlebox? I'd love examples just for reference.

I guess I don't know what I'm missing. I am seeing PJ this summer for the first time ever (though I've been a "fan" since Ten, but haven't liked anything after Vitalogy), and I have seen Candlebox perform many times and can say that they play their asses off and really try to be present with the audience, which I think is part of what bothers me about present-day Live.

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with other bands on the minutiae of their inner workings, so I can't answer this, but I'm very curious.

I too wonder if "The Turn" would have been a Gracious Few album, if we'd even be having this conversation. They released an album and toured together for awhile and no one on this board thought anything negative of it. Was that simply because it wasn't "Live" that they got a pass? Does a name matter that much to some? I too am in the camp of believing The Turn was the Best Live album we've gotten in a long time.

As far as Gracey goes being being the plexiglass, that was happening even when Live was playing on larger stages; that wasn't just an intimate thing. I think Ed was being petty on that one. They all use in-ear monitors. Ed could have kept them in the entire time and been none the wiser to how loud the drums were, or had the drums lowered in his mix if it was really a problem. If you have a dedicated sound engineer on the mix, you can tweak it to your liking instantly. That's also what soundcheck is for. If you're concerned about not being able to hear the crowd, you aim a mic out there. There are solutions to these issues. Thankfully, at least for now, those days are gone.

My biggest issue with the plexiglass days was that you couldn't hear it when CG was using his lighter sticks on songs like LC. The mix never increased his mics, so you couldn't hear much.

I don't mind Zak on guitar because he's adding a missing layer to the rhythm that Ed (or Railton or Adam; take your pick) used to add to really thicken the sound. He's also a damn good player. He's also had years to perfect his playing since he was with Ed on the road for months playing all of TC every night.

Regarding Robin on drums, I'd be fine with him being up there (mmm... less angry, maybe) if he was using more of a percussion-based setup instead of a full drumset that happens to have timbales on it. He doesn't need to be playing along with Gracey all the time. That's what drives me crazy, because it's always a smidge off and sounds like a nasty echo, and, let's face it, he's no Gracey.

[meltdown5]

I'm curious: For hardcore fans of other bands, what do they do differently that Live doesn't do? Let's use the Counting Crows as an example, since they've been around almost as long as Live has, and they're currently touring together. What about Pearl Jam? Candlebox? I'd love examples just for reference.

I guess I don't know what I'm missing. I am seeing PJ this summer for the first time ever (though I've been a "fan" since Ten, but haven't liked anything after Vitalogy), and I have seen Candlebox perform many times and can say that they play their asses off and really try to be present with the audience, which I think is part of what bothers me about present-day Live.

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with other bands on the minutiae of their inner workings, so I can't answer this, but I'm very curious.

I too wonder if "The Turn" would have been a Gracious Few album, if we'd even be having this conversation. They released an album and toured together for awhile and no one on this board thought anything negative of it. Was that simply because it wasn't "Live" that they got a pass? Does a name matter that much to some? I too am in the camp of believing The Turn was the Best Live album we've gotten in a long time.

As far as Gracey goes being being the plexiglass, that was happening even when Live was playing on larger stages; that wasn't just an intimate thing. I think Ed was being petty on that one. They all use in-ear monitors. Ed could have kept them in the entire time and been none the wiser to how loud the drums were, or had the drums lowered in his mix if it was really a problem. If you have a dedicated sound engineer on the mix, you can tweak it to your liking instantly. That's also what soundcheck is for. If you're concerned about not being able to hear the crowd, you aim a mic out there. There are solutions to these issues. Thankfully, at least for now, those days are gone.

My biggest issue with the plexiglass days was that you couldn't hear it when CG was using his lighter sticks on songs like LC. The mix never increased his mics, so you couldn't hear much.

I don't mind Zak on guitar because he's adding a missing layer to the rhythm that Ed (or Railton or Adam; take your pick) used to add to really thicken the sound. He's also a damn good player. He's also had years to perfect his playing since he was with Ed on the road for months playing all of TC every night.

Regarding Robin on drums, I'd be fine with him being up there (mmm... less angry, maybe) if he was using more of a percussion-based setup instead of a full drumset that happens to have timbales on it. He doesn't need to be playing along with Gracey all the time. That's what drives me crazy, because it's always a smidge off and sounds like a nasty echo, and, let's face it, he's no Gracey.

I'm a die-hard Third Eye Blind fan and honestly compare every band I see to them because I think they are just the best - again - I am probably biased, though.

3EB has been around for 20 years - (with two original remaining members - a topic for another day) and after several lineup changes, the current iteration of the band has been together for about six years.

First of all, they do not use two drummers and don't need to. Secondly, they are very interactive with their fans. Stephan Jenkins is known to go on twitter and ask for fan song requests before shows. He also replies to fans and likes fan tweets often. I like that interaction a lot - and the same goes with the other 4 members of the band - very active on social media. Take it for what you want, but personally, I like interacting with my favorite artists and it draws me in closer as a fan.

Another thing is that they change up their setlists depending on what shows they are doing. For instance, in the fall, they did a tour of smallish venues - like 1,000-2,000 people and played a more varied setlist than they would, say, at a festival, where let's face it, most people are there for the hits. 3EB has even gone so far as to (in 2016) making up a different band name so that true fans would be able to see a once in a lifetime show in San Fransisco where they played only deep cuts. I have friends who journeyed 3,000+miles for it. Again, they change up their set lists a lot and all the band members know all the songs. For example, last year, the guitarist broke his hand and his guitar tech, who is also in the band Cartel, filled in for him spur of the moment because they were still on tour. He knew all the songs, so there's no excuse that the Live boys shouldn't change up their setlist or know the songs that they actually wrote.

3EB also doesn't try to screw over their fans by charging ridiculous amounts for t-shirts or tickets. I know Live's t shirts are going for $40, while you can get a 3EB shirt at a show for $25 and often when they have some left they put them on their website for cheaper. As far as tickets go, at the venue where Live is coming in my city you have to buy a $500 VIP package (Where you meet CC and not even Live) to get in the front row since there's no GA pit at this venue. Second row isn't much cheaper at $300+. 3EB did a 20th anniversary tour last year at a lot of the same venues that Live/CC is stopping at and at most of them you could get a GA pit ticket or a ticket in the first 10 rows if it was seated for less than $100 - including fees. Or for $150 you could watch soundcheck AND get a ticket.

All of these above reasons are just a bit of why 3EB is my favorite band (along with meeting some of my best friends in the world). I loved Live when I was in high school and college, but I think over the years I have outgrown them, which is sad. Live helped me get through my parents divorce and so many other things one goes through as a teenager and they will always have a special place in my heart. But, I agree with a lot of people on this board that this tour seems to be a money grabber and nothing more. I really hope that's not the case and I will still be seeing them this year (although not from a $500 seat!).

[Costakoui]

I'm a die-hard Third Eye Blind fan and honestly compare every band I see to them because I think they are just the best - again - I am probably biased, though.

It is good that you have a favorite band. However, 3EB has nothing to do with Live music; 3EB songs, to my ears, are very generic and say absolutely nothing to me. Love Lounge is better that 3EB's best songs.

[meltdown5]

It is good that you have a favorite band. However, 3EB has nothing to do with Live music; 3EB songs, to my ears, are very generic and say absolutely nothing to me. Love Lounge is better that 3EB's best songs.

I agree that 3EB has nothing to do with Live music. I was simply answering a question someone posted about people who follow other bands closely. No need to insult any other bands, though.