The Gracious Few @ Summerfest Tonight, Thread for the Event Options

[Pokey]

It sounded fine. The performance was eh though. I heard that Summerfest drew 100,000 fans that night, but only roughly 100 turned out for TGF's performance. Probably accounted for the the less than inspired stage show.

Ed and TGF will be playing smaller crowds in most venues than they would with Live. To me, that is primarily why a Live reunion will eventually happen.

I doubt that was it, I'm sure they went into the show knowing what sort of audience they were going to get. I thought the performance was fine too, just that CT didn't quite go as off as I thought he would have by reports, but I'm sure he still did at times.

[Nobody Knows]

Ed and TGF will be playing smaller crowds in most venues than they would with Live. To me, that is primarily why a Live reunion will eventually happen.

Smaller venues = less money... so that's why primarily ED would want a reunion.

I don't know about C,C & P... I don't think they would want to reunite JUST for the money.

[SJN1279]

Smaller venues = less money... so that's why primarily ED would want a reunion.

I don't know about C,C & P... I don't think they would want to reunite JUST for the money.

Where Ed holds the advantage is that he can tour overseas and consistently draw strong crowds. Also, if the full-band thing eventually doesn't work in the US, he can always return to solo acoustic shows in small venues and draw well. TGF is stuck with 5 band members and there is no flexibility. They either draw crowds, or Kevin goes back to Candlebox where he already has a built in audience of fans waiting to see shows.

I'm betting they begin hyping the Live/Candlebox connection more and begin filling their sets with hits from their past bands.

[OutToDry]

Nick these are initial warm up shows....refuckinglax. When the album hits and people hear it, they will flock.

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

Nick these are initial warm up shows....refuckinglax. When the album hits and people hear it, they will flock.

I'm going to give him bonus points just for adding Ed along with TGF in his estimation of who'd be playing to smaller crowds. That's more of an admission than I thought I'd ever hear.

[SJN1279]

I'm going to give him bonus points just for adding Ed along with TGF in his estimation of who'd be playing to smaller crowds. That's more of an admission than I thought I'd ever hear.

It is rare for a lead singer to do as well solo. Ed may do well, but not to Live levels IMHO. Even though Live wasn't as popular as they once were, they still drew good sized crowds and had a nice following that was built up over nearly 20 years time.

I and others are excited for Ed's solo album, a lot of you are pumped for TGF's upcoming release, but nothing would beat a new Live album and a reunion tour in a couple years time.

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

Where Ed holds the advantage is that he can tour overseas and consistently draw strong crowds. Also, if the full-band thing eventually doesn't work in the US, he can always return to solo acoustic shows in small venues and draw well. TGF is stuck with 5 band members and there is no flexibility. They either draw crowds, or Kevin goes back to Candlebox where he already has a built in audience of fans waiting to see shows.

I'm betting they begin hyping the Live/Candlebox connection more and begin filling their sets with hits from their past bands.

A couple of things here......Candlebox, unlike Live, is still together though on a break so the individual members can work on other projects. Kevin and Sean have not quit Candlebox. And unlike Ed, they weren't kicked out of the band either. In fact, when TGF is done touring in 2012, I expect that there will be another Candlebox album coming out then.

Furthermore, unless something different happened at Summerfest, TGF has not done more than 2 covers at any of their shows thus far. This is in stark contrast to Ed's living la vida Live. TGF has had enough confidence in their new stuff to go with it instead of living in the past.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

It sounded fine. The performance was eh though. I heard that Summerfest drew 100,000 fans that night, but only roughly 100 turned out for TGF's performance. Probably accounted for the the less than inspired stage show.

Ed and TGF will be playing smaller crowds in most venues than they would with Live. To me, that is primarily why a Live reunion will eventually happen.

I love how you draw all of these conclusions based off of one song performance in one show.

1. Their stage show was ON all last night. During the new material they were all into it. I simply don't think they are as excited about playing the old songs.
2. The crowd grew as their show went on and other shows let out, but you never would have known that it was a small crowd by how into the show the guys were. They put on a great show like true professionals.
3. I don't think it is possibly to judge how either group will do in the long run based off of these early shows. Ed maybe more so because he isn't really putting out a new product, but TGF is a whole new beast and its hard to say how it will catch on in the rock market.

[zmanpga]

I just sit here biting my tongue...

This post has been edited by zmanpga: Jun 27 2010, 12:47 pm

[OutToDry]

I am hoping it catches like wildfire......hoping. Lots of folks are enamored by what they have seen and heard so far. I expect to be blown away when seeing it live for the first time.

[zmanpga]

ok..Im done biting my tongue...I "really" like TGF new stuff, "but" (no caps)....please....FUCK playin the +LIVE+ stuff.....Candlebox...probably.....+LIVE+....don't do it!

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

It is rare for a lead singer to do as well solo. Ed may do well, but not to Live levels IMHO. Even though Live wasn't as popular as they once were, they still drew good sized crowds and had a nice following that was built up over nearly 20 years time.

I and others are excited for Ed's solo album, a lot of you are pumped for TGF's upcoming release, but nothing would beat a new Live album and a reunion tour in a couple years time.

Oh I don't know if it's all that rare. Maybe doesn't happen as often as it used to, but there have been plenty of them that have success. Easy examples are both Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel from Genesis, Don Henley (and for a short time Glen Frey) from the Eagles, all four Beatles, among others of the classic rock era. Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty seems to be doing pretty well on his own.

What Ed should probably have done, if he wanted to avoid the fate of those who didn't make it on their own was do a solo project in between Live albums. Lord knows there was enough time. It may even have diffused the tension enough to save the band as he may no longer have felt the need to dominate the musical direction of Live, culminating in SFBM.

And don't tell me it would never have worked. Phil Collins had a successful career that coincided with almost the entire length of his time as front man for Genesis.

[zmanpga]

Oh I don't know if it's all that rare. Maybe doesn't happen as often as it used to, but there have been plenty of them that have success. Easy examples are both Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel from Genesis, Don Henley (and for a short time Glen Frey) from the Eagles, all four Beatles, among others of the classic rock era. Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty seems to be doing pretty well on his own.

What Ed should probably have done, if he wanted to avoid the fate of those who didn't make it on their own was do a solo project in between Live albums. Lord knows there was enough time. It may even have diffused the tension enough to save the band as he may no longer have felt the need to dominate the musical direction of Live, culminating in SFBM.

And don't tell me it would never have worked. Phil Collins had a successful career that coincided with almost the entire length of his time as front man for Genesis.

nice post

[Pokey]

It is rare for a lead singer to do as well solo. Ed may do well, but not to Live levels IMHO. Even though Live wasn't as popular as they once were, they still drew good sized crowds and had a nice following that was built up over nearly 20 years time.

I and others are excited for Ed's solo album, a lot of you are pumped for TGF's upcoming release, but nothing would beat a new Live album and a reunion tour in a couple years time.

If a new Live album was along the same lines as another SFBM then I'd be happier hearing more TGF albums over any more Live ones. Live should only get back together if they all write together again.

[LivesMeltdown]

What Ed should probably have done, if he wanted to avoid the fate of those who didn't make it on their own was do a solo project in between Live albums. Lord knows there was enough time. It may even have diffused the tension enough to save the band as he may no longer have felt the need to dominate the musical direction of Live, culminating in SFBM.

I agree with this. I'll even go further and say Chad, Chad, and Pat should have done some side projects rather devoting their entire life to Live.

Why even worry about whether either one of the projects will be successful? Neither album has been released (well Ed has in a few places). You never know if a single is going to catch on or a band is going to some sort of huge underground following. It's impossible to know right now. It will all play itself out over the next year or so.

I personally hope both sides are successful even if for some reason I don't like their albums. Ed, Chad, Chad, and Pat have given me so much good music and memories and have busted their asses over the past 20 years, I think they all deserve it. Good luck to all of them!

This post has been edited by LivesMeltdown: Jun 27 2010, 1:01 pm