NYE Party At Think Loud Entertainment, "mingle with [CCP] and ask them all of these important q..." Options

[vivapokey]

Just thought about this ... but I was watching the Zoe performance before Live and she also sounded pretty bad. I think that FB Live may have really sounded much worse than in person, unless Zoe just sounds bad.

Just a thought about the mixing issues. I can't wait to see/hear the new album and them live!

She's not really anything special, she's sort of generic.

Anyone blaming the stream on it being bad is just making really weak excuses. Of course there is a difference between a stream and actually being there, but there are some things that that will not change. Ed's voice is still going to crack in person and on a stream for example. I thought the stream quality was actually better, a lot better, than when CCP played that acoustic show with Chris and for example, CT's mic was turned up way too high that night and was painful.

[mfitz804]

She's not really anything special, she's sort of generic.

Anyone blaming the stream on it being bad is just making really weak excuses. Of course there is a difference between a stream and actually being there, but there are some things that that will not change. Ed's voice is still going to crack in person and on a stream for example. I thought the stream quality was actually better, a lot better, than when CCP played that acoustic show with Chris and for example, CT's mic was turned up way too high that night and was painful.

Agreed, the problems with this performance were most definitely not related to mixing or streaming.

[Holy Slime]

1. Like I said before, Ed's voice clearly wasn't warmed up. It wasn't just cracking while he was singing at first, but also while he was speaking. But as the show went on, his voice cracked less and less.

That said, if you hated Ed's voice from about Lightning Crashes on, then you just hate Ed's voice because that was about when his voice got warmed up.

2. Ed isn't a spring chicken, his voice is going to be different than it was in 1994. The best comparison to listen to is the other Ed out there, Eddie Vedder. Vedder, just like Ed, can't hit all the notes he could in the 90s and his voice tends to crack a little. Their voices are actually in comparitive shape right now so if Ed is terrible, Eddie is too.

That said, Ed needs to tone down the 'improvisation', don't stretch for something if you can't. He doesn't do it as much as he used to 7 years ago, but he still needs to do it less.

3. Let's not forget that Chris Shinn's voice cracked all the time. He tried to sing so hard and raspy, his voice ended up cracking in every performance I've seen of theirs.

4. I find it interesting not much has come up about Chad Taylor's playing, maybe it's because his guitar was down in the mix. But he was clearly having issue staying in the tempo in the early songs. I think he was just really, really nervous.

Having said that, Zack was actually a welcome addition to the group. They've always been their best when they have a second guitarist. The issue is that his guitar was way too damn high in the mix, and that as I said before Chad was sometimes playing out of time with ZCP.

So I'd say no, not an altogether amazing performance but not as awful as some are making it to be. Ed and Chad both have some kinks to workout and they need better sound guys.

This post has been edited by Holy Slime: Jan 1 2017, 11:09 am

[The Thrill]

So it turns out Zak Loy did perform with the band. I wonder whether he will be a permanent touring member or whether it was a once off (like Alex Lefever and Sean Hennessy were for Chris Shinn's debut show)

Also, has Zak been involved with any of the studio material that Live's been working on recently?

Permanent & yes

[Merica]

No, he's not going to sound like 1997 again and you're so right to call these guys out on their unfair expectations. Most of us know the real and do indeed appreciate Ed for being back where he belongs. Unfortunately, there's a handful of haters who aren't going to like or admit to liking anything he does from now on.

Calling out people on their unfair expectations. Dunno about that tbh. Those of us who expected Ed to be poor, and feel he maybe was... haven't seen any of us seriously expecting him to be like he was in 1997. In fact I've seen us all concede that that's unfeasible. So you're just arguing with yourselves on that one.

Haters who aren't going to like or admit to liking anything he does. That's just guff you're throwing out there cos it suits your stance. It's baseless nonsense.

[Unsheathed]

I thought the performance was fine. The best part was the fact that nothing post 2000 was played.

Don't really get the terrible DJ at the end though.

[JonSnow]

I wish they'd mothball the idea of having another guitarist for live performances, but they'll do what they want/think they need to do.

Maybe it was just first-performance jitters from them and maybe the new album will reveal better stuff, but less is more on the older material. And some of those older songs just don't need a second guitar on them at all. Lakini's Juice is a prime example. Just leave that riff alone and let CT handle it. If you're going to play on the song at all just play on the chorus to give it a fuller tone and volume, but for the feedback, main riff, and bridge just go take a piss.

/my2cents

This post has been edited by AManHasNoName: Jan 1 2017, 1:46 pm

[vivapokey]

Haters who aren't going to like or admit to liking anything he does. That's just guff you're throwing out there cos it suits your stance. It's baseless nonsense.

You gotta wonder where the logic is behind that. Obviously when roles were reversed and Chris was in the band there were people who would hate everything he does whether they like it or not, they wouldn't admit it because ultimately they wanted Ed back and they always knew there was a chance of Ed coming back (because look where we are!)
But in this situation, I don't think anyone who supported Chris is under any illusions that he will not come back and replace Ed again. So no one is arguing based on that. Ultimately that's why some people always were 100% negative on Chris, because they wanted Ed back.
So, the reverse isn't happening now. So where would people's motivation come from to spitefully hate everything to do with Ed even if they secretly like it? Why not, just like it? Some people must just find it so hard to realise that Ed just keeps genuinely disappointing some people and they genuinely just do not like it.

I wish I liked it. I'd have to eat humble pie and all, but at least I'd have some great new music and "my" old band back, so to speak. But I just can't. So the argument that people are purposefully shitting on Ed even if they secretly like him doesn't hold any water. People who use that logic get it from the fact they used that very logic when Chris was around. It's more introspective than anything else.
The good news at least is that lots of final nails in coffins are being driven in. I imagine the stream was the "ok, im out!" point for some people, for me that'll be if the new music is a bust. And once that happens then all those pesky people who disagree with Ed being god will be gone and the world will be a blissful place where no one disagrees and we all listen to All Over You on repeat forever. Which is exactly what Live wants - it's the cash grab. Whittle down the fan base to bots who gobble up any old drivel without question and profit.

[Existentialist]

I have several questions and comments inspired by last night's performance.

1. Who is Bill Hynes and how did he become involved with Live? I don't know him at all, but there aren't very flattering stories published about him in presumably reputable publications. His introduction was absolutely awful and reminiscent of Zach Galifianakis' rooftop speech from The Hangover. Who is this weirdo and why is he introducing Live?

2. When did Live get so old? My gosh it was clear from the get go that the on stage energy that once made them great and carried many otherwise lacking performances is long gone.

3. Why does Live insist on playing only greatest hits shows? Is their target audience really the mindless idiots who fill stadiums and want to see the bald guy sing I Alone and Lightning Crashes, or more devoted fans who seek out smaller clubs to see their favorite band play the very songs in their catalog that made them devoted fans?

4. Live needs to decide what its legacy is going to be. Are they going to go out trying their hardest and doing justice to their brilliant catalog, or phone it in and be a sad washed up band doing figure eights?

5. The Live I fell in love with is still long gone. The Live I fell in love with died sometime between June 1998 when I saw them at the Trax in Charlottesville, VA, and when they reemerged with the final version of TDTH. It was nice to see the original line-up together again, but it's just not the same or even close.

[san_sao]

Honestly, I loved it. They were obviously nervous, but probably they just care about what their fans think and want them to like it. I wouldn't mind a set list shakeup, and I'll continue to hope for that. But this show made me really happy. My New Year's was a blast because of this, which I really needed right now.

Lots of bands I listen to have touring musicians. Now Live does too. So good, once they gel, they'll be great, they can have a bigger sound, and Chad can do more lead stuff and leave Ed guitar-free to be a frontman. It will make them all play even better, and they used to have Adam K anyway, so cool.

I want tour dates and new music. I'm happy my favorite band is back.

[Live4Life]

Well, I'm mixed here. They sounded ok but def need to practice.
The one thing that drove me nuts however is everyone in the crowd holding their goddamn phones up recording! Jeesh. Whatever happened to just watching and enjoying the show! I used to do it from time to time but then realized I was missing ģreat shows because I was recording.
Anyway, wish people didn't do it so much. I mean, are they ever going to watch those videos?
I doubt it.

[Voodoo Lady]

I loved it! At PLOTR I had chills and tears in my eyes. True, they were rough in a few spots, but once they start touring they are gonna be tight.

[icewaterike]

Have to say as a longtime listener and supporter of the band, last night was pretty fantastic in my books. Even though I wasn't lucky enough to get an invite to the show, I think it's super cool that some fans got tours of the studio space and were treated to one of the coolest examples of fan outreach you could ask for. For them to webcast it like that (and the production was pretty good, IMO) was even cooler for fans that couldn't be there. Lots of goodwill to the fans - which is something that I loved about this band back in the day, and arguably got lost towards the end. I hope they bring back that connection in full force.

Bottom line: I felt it last night. Wasn't expecting to. It wasn't like the old days, but I don't think it's fair that we expect them to be frozen in time. I really like where this is going.

This post has been edited by icewaterike: Jan 1 2017, 7:49 pm

[mfitz804]

Have to say as a longtime listener and supporter of the band, last night was pretty fantastic in my books. Even though I wasn't lucky enough to get an invite to the show, I think it's super cool that some fans got tours of the studio space and were treated to one of the coolest examples of fan outreach you could ask for. For them to webcast it like that (and the production was pretty good, IMO) was even cooler for fans that couldn't be there. Lots of goodwill to the fans - which is something that I loved about this band back in the day, and arguably got lost towards the end. I hope they bring back that connection in full force.

Bottom line: I felt it last night. Wasn't expecting to. It wasn't like the old days, but I don't think it's fair that we expect them to be frozen in time. I really like where this is going.

Well said.

[diskojames]

I thought they sounded great and I loved that Zak Loy was part of the band - he did a fantastic job on the solo show / Ed. Actually listened to the 1st 5 albums and assorted rarities this week. Hoping they stick with those sounds (and from last night, it seems like they will). And I'm someone who kind of wrote them off long before most people had. I had to revisit some albums I didn't like when they came out. Shame on me for buying Mental Jewelry in 8th grade :-)