observation about recent performances Options

[Existentialist]

I was listening to some of the Amazon samples of live at the paradiso and remembered something I noticed a few months ago regarding their recent performances. They definitely play a lot of their older songs at a much faster pace than they used to. In particular, All Over You, Iris, and Operation Spirit are cranked up in terms of the pace, to the point where sometimes Ed doesn't really have enough time to get the words out in time. I don't mind the change at all, but I find it interesting that they play the songs at a certain pace for years and years, and just seemingly in the last few have juiced them up. Anyone else notice this, or have opinions on it?

[SecretInsomnia]

I think you have deff a point here. I also noticed it on Selling the Drama.

Compare the full version of Selling the Drama from the Live at the Paradiso (free download on friendsoflive.com) with the Mtv-Unplugged Selling the Drama...

[Hoodstock]

Compare the full version of Selling the Drama from the Live at the Paradiso (free download on friendsoflive.com) with the Mtv-Unplugged Selling the Drama...

MTV Unplugged was acoustic and the songs should be longer due to that nature of the performance. Using that particular performance is not a good way to judge the songs.

Ex - I haven't noticed it but I'm sure it's a good observation. Maybe they just need to get to bed earlier due to old age so they are picking up the pace during the show.

On a serious note, when you play the same things for decades it's probably nice to change it up to keep it somewhat interesting for the band. Also, as the songs are performed thousands of times, I'm sure the band finds things to improve upon the original tracks that sound better. Maybe they found that the songs are better at a faster pace over the years.

Who knows!

This post has been edited by Hoodstock: Nov 1 2008, 12:44 pm

[SecretInsomnia]

MTV Unplugged was acoustic and the songs should be longer due to that nature of the performance. Using that particular performance is not a good way to judge the songs.

Ex - I haven't noticed it but I'm sure it's a good observation. Maybe they just need to get to bed earlier due to old age so they are picking up the pace during the show.

On a serious note, when you play the same things for decades it's probably nice to change it up to keep it somewhat interesting for the band. Also, as the songs are performed thousands of times, I'm sure the band finds things to improve upon the original tracks that sound better. Maybe they found that the songs are better at a faster pace over the years.

Who knows!

alright... compare it with any live version of Selling the Drama pre-2002

[PurdueSteve]

alright... compare it with any live version of Selling the Drama pre-2002

I've noticed that they never play lightning crashes as slow as the album version. Even going back to the unplugged set and stuff from the TC era. It just isn't ever as slow. I think it's easy for them to fall into a situation of playing the music as they wrote it, before it was recorded, before any producers and other people put their presence in it. It may simply be more native to the band.

This post has been edited by PurdueSteve: Nov 1 2008, 5:36 pm

[Wambangalang]

definately agree about lightning crashes. Ed used to sing it like it appears on the album, slow, brooding. Almost sounds like ed is crying. Now days he just blurts it all out with no intensity. fast doesnt mean intense.

[turkish101]

Hrm, dunno bout that. I think the songs have just gotten louder (or seem that way, since they don't really play arenas that much anymore), and thus, they -seem- to be a bit quicker. I dunno, my explanation is kinda stupid.

Listening to the versions of STD, the Paradiso version does sound a bit faster, but listening to some other bootlegs, I think the Paradiso version is the exception, not the rule.