Ft. Collins, CO (Ed K Band), June 12, 2010 Options

[OutToDry]

I was just bustin chops. What other question?

Its in my ipod.

So you have no Live concerts on disc or otherwise, only youtube?

And I used that photo from above as the artwork. Can you guess the image's (where its from)?

[maccaz69]

Sorry for the delay, been busy starting a new job.

We weathered the cold and drizzle to see Ed and the band's first US date (8th date ever?). We arrived at Civic Center Park about an hour before show time, there were probably only 25 people there waiting for the show. We made our way to the barricade just left of center. As show time got closer more people showed up, there we're about 500 people there by the time they took the stage, given the weather that's not too bad.

I'm not sure if it was the physical stage set-up (the side fills were taking up most of the front corners of the stage) or if it Ed's new stage set-up, but Ed is right up front by himself and the the rest of the band are all lined up together about 15' behind him, kinda strange after seeing Live for the past 18 years with Ed, Chad and Pat (and sometimes Adam) lined up front together. Ed took the stage all in black, black pants, shirt and beanie and the band dove into Drive, a song from the upcoming Alive release from Ed. From all of the new songs played, this was my favorite, good hooks, interesting guitar parts and heavy drums. The other new songs didn't do much for me, I enjoy the studio of Grace, but after hearing it live, it is apparent that there is a lot of post production on the studio version, the guitars sound HUGE, but live they weren't that captivating. It was very strange seeing Live songs, especially AOY, LJ, BoG, IA and STD, without the rest of the band. I kept wanting to see Chad pounding on the drums or Chad stomping, but the new guys (especially the guitar and bass players) look like they are trying really hard to remember their parts. The drummer is the best musician of the bunch. And the guitarist tried to add his own touches to a few songs, AOY and LC were particularly bad. It may have been the weather, but Ed's falsetto sounded pretty rough, otherwise he sounded pretty good and looked to be having a good time. He didn't interact with the crowd too much, but he never has. I was a little disappointed that he only played 4 new songs, out of a total of 15. I know he's trying to please the fans, and hopefully after the album drops he will add more Ed solo songs to the setlist and take away some of the heavier Live songs (they just don't fit very well with his solo sound and the new band just doesn't measure up to the Chads and Pat).

We stuck around afterward to see if Ed and the band would come out to meet the fans. Ed came out afterward to meet with a few fans that stuck around in the cold drizzle. He was the most personable I have seen him in a long, long time. He chatted with people, took picts and signed stuff for everyone that was there.

I read on FB that he (and maybe a few other band members) played a few songs at a bar after the show. My wife and I were a few doors down eating dinner and had no idea it was going on. Bummer.
This review may seem a pretty negative, but I enjoyed seeing Ed, glad I went and will see him when/if he comes back through town. But it just isn't Live, the vibe is very different, not bad, just different. It should be different, if it did sound like Live, Ed would be doing himself a disservice, he needs to go out and make a name for himself and his sound.

Set list:

01. Drive
02. All Over You
03. The Distance
04. Just In Time
05. The Great Beyond
06. Selling The Drama
07. The Dolphins Cry
08. Drink (Everlasting Love)
09. Lakini's Juice
10. I Alone
11. Grace
12. Heaven
13. Lightning Crashes
14. The Beauty Of Grey
15. Dance With You

My recording of the show is over here: http://www.fansoflive.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3176

Just downloaded and listened to the concert I quite like it for the most part ed's voice is great and the band really seem to be finding their groove they pull off lakini's juice quite well now. I too was a bit dissapointed with grace - I've heard other live recordings of it on youtube and it really sounded good this may have just been a not so good moment and there seems to be a lot less guitar at the beginning than normal. Overall though I would think they'd be pretty happy with the concert!

[Sakhmet2]

And I used that photo from above as the artwork. Can you guess the image's (where its from)?

Is that a trick question?
(If it's the big closeup of Ed's face, it's from the I, Alone video)

[OutToDry]

Perhaps a trick question for Nick, since he didn't follow them prior to 99

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

To be fair to Nick, I wouldn't have known the answer to that either. While I won't claim to have followed them from the very, very beginning, Mental Jewelry was my second purchase after Throwing Copper, I've been around for about as long as they were a well-known band.

But then, I was never big into music videos. Didn't really care about MTV and VH1 when they first came out. Could care even less about them now.

I found it to be an almost self-fulfilling prophecy that the first video ever on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" because it seems like that's when so much new music began to suck.

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

5 songs off an unreleased album is plenty. He is promoted as Ed Kowalczyk of Live, people are paying money to hear Live songs. Ed is giving fans in attendance what they want.

I'm amused that someone hasn't pointed out the danger in constantly reminding his audience that he's Ed K. (formerly) of Live and then catering to that audience by playing mostly songs from his Live days.

At what point is he going to have enough comfort with his own stuff that he leaves the Live material out of the set list? At what point do you think the audience is going to accept a performance from him without songs from his time in Live, especially given the precedent he's setting?

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

A person who doesn't know the band is called The Gracious Few, will have a very difficult time reading that billboard.

Only if they're blind or reading impaired.

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

And Lakini's Juice got by far the biggest reaction from the reviews that I heard.

And then they did a 10 song set at Webster Hall with nary a Live or Candlebox song to be heard. And it was still awesome.

Amusingly, Kevin underestimated how much music some of us had heard by saying that we had only heard 2 songs. Even beyond having been at the Fat Daddy's show, we had already heard Appetite from one of the radio interviews they had done.

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

So TGF is basically a coverband that plays some new material?

Sooooo, given Ed's set list, I guess the only question left was whether you were trying to be intentionally ironic. If so, magnificent job! Bravo!

Or maybe you were just projecting.......

[LivesMeltdown]

This was the setlist of Ed's performance last night. Looks like as the album is released, he's playing less Live songs.

Setlist:
1. Just in Time
2. The Great Beyond
3. Drink (Everlasting Love)
4. Rome
5. Soul Whispers
6. I Alone
7. Lightning Crashes
8. Zion
9. Grace

* Dance With You

[Aitkens]

This was the setlist of Ed's performance last night. Looks like as the album is released, he's playing less Live songs.

Setlist:
1. Just in Time
2. The Great Beyond
3. Drink (Everlasting Love)
4. Rome
5. Soul Whispers
6. I Alone
7. Lightning Crashes
8. Zion
9. Grace

* Dance With You

With his style of new music, I don't see how he can cut out the majority of Live songs and still be successful.

[LivesMeltdown]

With his style of new music, I don't see how he can cut out the majority of Live songs and still be successful.

Well that's still to be determined.

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

This was the setlist of Ed's performance last night. Looks like as the album is released, he's playing less Live songs.

Setlist:
1. Just in Time
2. The Great Beyond
3. Drink (Everlasting Love)
4. Rome
5. Soul Whispers
6. I Alone
7. Lightning Crashes
8. Zion
9. Grace

* Dance With You

Thanks for the set list. Where was the show? And was he opening for someone? Seems to be a small set for a headline act. Or was it a free performance somewhere?

[LivesMeltdown]

I'm not sure of all the details. I think it was a small promotional show for the album but I'm not positive. The review was posted on Facebook.

Here my review of last night EdK showcase.
In the heart of Amsterdam in a small and cozy popstage I've joined a nice and very intimate perfomence by Eddie K, James Gabbie and Ramy Antoun.
There were like a 200 people who joined this special session.