A discussion a long time coming Options

[patrick W BURG]

Hello,

I've been browsing this board for a few years now, just to keep up with the latest on my favorite band, Live. Today, I finally decided to register, so I can actually contribute.

I read in the tour section a few differing opinions about something that may or may not even be that big of deal, but I have an opinion, so I figured I'd share, for sharing's sake.

I personally can't stand when Ed takes his shirt off at shows. I understand he is the artist, and his expression should ideally be unfettered, but still... I think he loses the connection with the audience. I know he's been doing this for years, but maybe we've just grown numb as to how lame he actually looks.

I've been an AVID Live fan since 94, and I still love the band, and I still love the shows. For me, this is something that I have just learned to tolerate. I recently took one of my buddies to a show, and when he started stripping, I couldn't help but cringe inside. Same thing when I took my girlfriend to a show. It just gets awkward. And both my friend and my girlfriend agreed that the stripping made the show much more cheezy and "gay" and much less cool.

You want to get into the songs wholeheartedly, but something just prevents you from doing so.

So, what do you guys think?

[Existentialist]

It has nothing to do with his taking his shirt off. It has to do with his whole gay pop stage persona. LIVE used to be a ballsy band that would put on an energetic show and leave the frills to other bands. Now, Ed is up there fondling himself during AOY, stripping and strutting around like a bitch, sticking his hands down his pants during Show, etc. The shirt is just a part of it all. And Heather is right, he does it at the exact same point in every show, so it's obviously a planned act. That's not what LIVE used to be. I'd sure love to go back in time and tell a 20 year old Ed that in 15 years he'd be planning when and how to take his shirt off, how to fondle himself and stick his hands down his pants during their shows....he'd probably kill himself right then and there.

Also, a big what up to Patrick W BURG, who had the balls to actually register just to post this. A huge from me and welcome to the board!

This post has been edited by Existentialist: Aug 3 2007, 11:12 am

[Godiva]

It has nothing to do with his taking his shirt off. It has to do with his whole gay pop stage persona. LIVE used to be a ballsy band that would put on an energetic show and leave the frills to other bands. Now, Ed is up there fondling himself during AOY, stripping and strutting around like a bitch, sticking his hands down his pants during Show, etc. The shirt is just a part of it all. And Heather is right, he does it at the exact same point in every show, so it's obviously a planned act. That's not what LIVE used to be. I'd sure love to go back in time and tell a 20 year old Ed that in 15 years he'd be planning when and how to take his shirt off, how to fondle himself and stick his hands down his pants during their shows....he'd probably kill himself right then and there.

Also, a big what up to Patrick W BURG, who had the balls to actually register just to post this. A huge from me and welcome to the board!

Now that you mention it, I do remember that. I saw them twice last summer and I think he did that both times during All Over You, and I know he did it both times during Lakini's Juice. Oh well... we do go to be entertained and Ed can make his own choices. Who am I to judge?: I certainly do enjoy it. It may be cheap, but it's still fun.

[tiger]

I hardly ever post here but had to agree on this one. Ed has evolved into and embraced the whole rock star thing. Back in the day Ed never would have done this or acted this way. In fact, when they shot their first video for MTV and were asked to take their shirts off, they all cringed and took issue with it. I've been there since day one and I've seen the evolution. It really kicked in during the V era when he got all into Henry Miller and tantric sex. It's all very cheesy and nothing like the beginning. I remember a show from the Mental Jewelry tour when he came out in his hoodie, stood in one place and sang with such conviction. It was pretty mesmerising and menacing. I'd say things are a little different these days.

[Godiva]

I hardly ever post here but had to agree on this one. Ed has evolved into and embraced the whole rock star thing. Back in the day Ed never would have done this or acted this way. In fact, when they shot their first video for MTV and were asked to take their shirts off, they all cringed and took issue with it. I've been there since day one and I've seen the evolution. It really kicked in during the V era when he got all into Henry Miller and tantric sex. It's all very cheesy and nothing like the beginning. I remember a show from the Mental Jewelry tour when he came out in his hoodie, stood in one place and sang with such conviction. It was pretty mesmerising and menacing. I'd say things are a little different these days.

I think this is a good point. This is all just a manifestation of a band's evolution. People change, people's priorities and perspectives change. We're seeing the results of that and I don't begrudge them for it at all. I don't live a rock star's life, I don't know what is going on in his head, and knowing what little of Ed we know from his music, I think it's safe to give him the benefit of the doubt and say his motives are not all that dark and that this whole thing shouldn't be a big deal.

I went to two shows last summer (I'm definitely not a casual fan, I just can't make it to shows very often). They were different than the one I saw in 90s, but they were singing different songs, too. The first show last summer was rather lacking in energy, but Ed was sick and came on two hours late. It was nice of him to do the show anyway because it was a free show. He even tried being energetic, but either he just wasn't into it or didn't feel good or was feeling funny from the "butt shot" (his words). The crowd I guess was in a bad mood because they weren't giving him much love. I didn't care. I still enjoyed the music they gave me that night and I had a blast. I ended up feeling sorry for the band because the crowd didn't give them much to feed off of when they probably didn't want to be there.

I saw them a month or so later, and they kicked ass. But I was up much closer to the stage and Ed was on fire (seemingly so). Everything seemed to flow a lot better compared to the first show. I think I saw more of the "real" Ed when it comes to music that night. He was giving what he wanted to give and responding to the crowd. It just so happens that he factors sex and being crazy into having fun during the show these days. I'm sure it looks rehearsed in part because it is; only to give him something to fall back on when he's caught up in the moment and loses track of what's going on or when he doesn't feel into it.

Maybe part of the problem is that a lot of things factor into what vibe you pick up in the crowd. Where you are in the audience, who you're standing by...

I guess I just feel weird criticizing such a small thing when it's not about psychoanalyzing Ed and his motives and reasons. That's a private matter if you ask me. *shrug* I am the type that always gives people the benefit of the doubt. At a concert, it's about having fun and putting petty things like this aside to get to the heart of the music and become one with the crowd.

I guess I am just selfish and I don't want to think about whether he looks cheesy during my concert tomorrow. Lynn, I'm with you there! After all, I'm a dork like Ed... I want the right to act like a crazy person without judgment too. It's a concert for f*ck's sake! We should all have permission to be whatever we want to be at a concert.

[LiveRoCkS77]

I think this is a good point. This is all just a manifestation of a band's evolution. People change, people's priorities and perspectives change. We're seeing the results of that and I don't begrudge them for it at all. I don't live a rock star's life, I don't know what is going on in his head, and knowing what little of Ed we know from his music, I think it's safe to give him the benefit of the doubt and say his motives are not all that dark and that this whole thing shouldn't be a big deal.

I went to two shows last summer (I'm definitely not a casual fan, I just can't make it to shows very often). They were different than the one I saw in 90s, but they were singing different songs, too. The first show last summer was rather lacking in energy, but Ed was sick and came on two hours late. It was nice of him to do the show anyway because it was a free show. He even tried being energetic, but either he just wasn't into it or didn't feel good or was feeling funny from the "butt shot" (his words). The crowd I guess was in a bad mood because they weren't giving him much love. I didn't care. I still enjoyed the music they gave me that night and I had a blast. I ended up feeling sorry for the band because the crowd didn't give them much to feed off of when they probably didn't want to be there.

I saw them a month or so later, and they kicked ass. But I was up much closer to the stage and Ed was on fire (seemingly so). Everything seemed to flow a lot better compared to the first show. I think I saw more of the "real" Ed when it comes to music that night. He was giving what he wanted to give and responding to the crowd. It just so happens that he factors sex and being crazy into having fun during the show these days. I'm sure it looks rehearsed in part because it is; only to give him something to fall back on when he's caught up in the moment and loses track of what's going on or when he doesn't feel into it.

Maybe part of the problem is that a lot of things factor into what vibe you pick up in the crowd. Where you are in the audience, who you're standing by...

I guess I just feel weird criticizing such a small thing when it's not about psychoanalyzing Ed and his motives and reasons. That's a private matter if you ask me. *shrug* I am the type that always gives people the benefit of the doubt. At a concert, it's about having fun and putting petty things like this aside to get to the heart of the music and become one with the crowd.

I guess I am just selfish and I don't want to think about whether he looks cheesy during my concert tomorrow. Lynn, I'm with you there! After all, I'm a dork like Ed... I want the right to act like a crazy person without judgment too. It's a concert for f*ck's sake! We should all have permission to be whatever we want to be at a concert.

AMEN!!!! Great post and enjoy your show!!! Shirtless Ed and all!