Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Jeff Tweedy broke my heart...the official S.T.A.G.E.(c) review of Wilco

Some of you (ok, probably like 2 of you) are now wondering what the heck is a S.T.A.G.E.(c) review?  Well the S.T.A.G.E. system was developed by Jen and Clayton Smith sometime around 2003 or so as a means of evaluating concerts based on the following categories:
Set list - self explanatory
Theatrics - lights, show set, overall performance factors
Amenities - the venue, proximity to drinks/facilities, etc.
Get up and go - crowd factor
Encore - self explanatory

All categories are worth 1-5 points and the aggregate score will judge the concert.  So without further ado, here is my review of the Wilco concert held on November 8, 2011 at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt am Main, Hessen Germany.

Set List - aggregate score 3.5/5.  First of all I have to start out by stating for the record that I am not a massive Wilco fan.  I know quite a few massive fans of the band, and I have enjoyed most of the music that I have heard from them, but I wouldn't say I have a deep knowledge of the band's catalogue.  However, based on the opinion of one friend this was a B+/A- Wilco set list (Wilco's set list), and honestly in my limited knowledge I would have to agree.  I was thoroughly entertained by the musical selections for the entire show even if I wasn't familiar with them.  I had to deduct an extra 0.5 from the score for the lack of "Heavy Metal Drummer" from the set list.  I have never understood why band's don't play their most popular songs during a concert.  I fully understand the point of wanting to appeal to your more hardcore fans, and Wilco definitely has a hardcore following, but at some point you have to throw the rest of us a bone.  I mean could you imagine going to a Springsteen show and not hearing Born To Run?  That would never happen, and I wish more bands would accept the fact that when they have a song that most everyone will know, it deserves to get played during the show, people pay good money and you have to give them what they want.  Still it was a solid show musically and I have to admit I am a much bigger Wilco fan today than I was on Monday...plus they played Hummingbird which I really enjoyed.

Theatrics - aggregate score 3.5/5.  Workman like performance, best way to describe the show.  Lead singer Jeff Tweedy had very little interaction with the crowd for the first 2/3 of the show (more on this in a minute) save a guitar mishap which forced him to be a little conversational with the crowd for a hot minute.  The band just cranked out song after song, which could be a beneficial trait to some but I want a little bit more out of a performance personally.  Now I wasn't expecting to see a Chris Martin-esque spastic dancing all over the stage, but it's not like the band was lacking for personality.  When Tweedy did engage in a little banter I actually found him to be quite funny and engaging, but that is just not how Wilco rocks it out.  The set was minimal at best, basically some upside down lamp shades hanging above the band that were used for light projection.  However, the lights were actually quite good and more than I was expecting going in.  Nothing extravagant mind you, but the use of the lights was superb and in a way enhanced the show, especially their use of strobe lighting...that was worth an extra 0.5 for me.

Very subdued set, but cool lights...

Amenities - aggregate score 3/5.  Ah the Alte Oper, ever since I moved to Frankfurt I have wanted to take in a show here to see the inside of the place.  The exterior is easily my favorite building in the city and it just looks like a palatial venue that would be excellent for a show...I mean for crying out loud Carmina Burana was premiered here!  Well...that's the outside.  A quick bit of history, dedicated in 1880 the Alte Oper was almost completely destroyed during a bombing raid in 1944, and it just sat there for a number of years.  In the 1960's the government proposed completely tearing down what remained of the Oper (then known as Germany's most beautiful ruin), however, the citizens of Frankfurt protested and eventually raised the money to restore and renovate the hall.  So in 1981 the hall re-opened as a symphony and concert hall (a new opera house was built in the 1950s) and the inside looks like it was built in the late 70's early 80's, not so impressive.  First off the acoustics were very impressive as you would expect for a hall designed for symphony orchestras.  The beer situation was not that great, it was close by and you could easily get a beer, but you couldn't take it back into your seat...so yeah, that didn't work.  We lucked out a bit for being in the back of the main floor we were actually on some risers so we were slightly elevated above the rest of the crowd which helped.  A few rows forward and we would have been staring into the back of 20+ rows of heads.  Still a decent venue although I may opt for seats in the lower balcony next time.

Get Up and Go - aggregate score 3/5.  So this was the category that going into to the concert I was most interested in, would the crowd be reserved in a typical German manner or would we see some people going buck wild for some Wilco.  Well as I sort of expected, the crowd was definitely of the more reserved manner and basically politely sat in their seats for the majority of the show.  Not to say people weren't into it, I totally saw a lot of head bobbing and the German finger point celebration/rocking out seal of approval (I would have to demonstrate this, but I assume it is a very German thing as I have never seen this thing elsewhere).  It wasn't until about 2/3 through the show when Jeff Tweedy finally decided to engage in the crowd and gave a statement about how it was ok to stand and "experience" the music that people actually took action to stand up and get a little more into it.  Still if this is all it took was a little help from the front man I have to sort of dock some points because I feel like this could have been a more rocking of a time.  I mean I can't imagine that Bono would ever put on a show were people were not on their feet, nor can you really sit during a show when Chris Martin is bouncing around the stage and basically going crazy (you feel that energy) and Win Butler of the Arcade Fire would have probably just told people "this is fucking rock show, get up!" (he basically said this exact quote during their YouTube broadcast show from MSG).  Still I guess when the front man is rocking a blazer it doesn't exactly scream "hey this is a show you are going to party your ass off for," so I have to dock a bit for the wardrobe choice...

Now I should also note that it was at this time that some of the people around me decided to make their way to the exits...so it may just be that a lot of German's don't like to get into the show.  I give Tweedy props for finally getting the crowd a little more into it (and the concert really took off at that point) but I have to take away for the people in my direct vicinity.  Specifically, the woman in front of us who as my buddy Mark proclaimed as "the bird with the biggest head of hair ever" (yes he is from England) and the guy to my right who had such terrible B.O. that I think he came straight from the Occupy Frankfurt protest.

Encore - aggregate score 4/5.  Via Chicago, Whole Love, and A Shot in the Arm...all in all very solid. Via Chicago was a strong opener to the encore and Whole Love and A Shot in the Arm wrapped the show nicely.  Still I felt like they could have closed it down just a bit better by dropping in Heavy Metal Drummer, Ashes of American Flags or maybe something a little more rocking like Kicking Television...I don't know what exactly I wanted from a band I wasn't super familiar with, but it just felt like they could have dropped one more on the crowd to send them home partying.

Total Score - 17/25...all said it was a solid show.  Musically and musicianship wise these guys are likely hard to touch.  All of the performers in the band were solid and as you can read in almost any review of their albums, Tweedy writes some of the better lyrics out there today.  Still it just left me wanting just a bit more out of the show and didn't give me the transcendent experience that I was hoping for.  Out of all of the shows I have seen it definitely rates highly but doesn't crack into the coveted top 5 of JTH concert going experiences, but if you have the chance Wilco is worth parting with a few bucks for a very entertaining few hours.  A few other quick thoughts, caught the end of opening act Jonathan Wilson and it was fairly hilarious at one point.  He was in-between songs and started to thank the crowd saying, "It's great to be here tonight in.....uh, Frankfurt at the uh......uh Opera."  Not sure if the dude was drunk or stoned but it was hilarious.  Other than that his set was not really worth noting.

See you on the flip.

(c) The S.T.A.G.E. review system was invented/created by Jen and Clayton Smith circa 2003 or 2004 is my guess and I think it was at a Coldplay concert in Nashvegas where they coined it...so that actually may be like 2005.  At any rate you should not use this system without their express written consent or something.  I didn't get that but I don't think they will sue since we are related and all and I think they enjoy my blogging to some extent.  Also, I don't really think they ever got a copyright to this system, which is a shame because S.T.A.G.E. system + ??? = profit.  I will leave it to the ad wizards to figure that one out though.  It is a shame that no one ever reviewed a Warrant show with this system because I think that would provide the answers to Jani Lane that those fans seek.  At any rate, the point is use this at your own risk because I have a feeling that this blog post is going to take the S.T.A.G.E. review system to the next level...even if it incorporates things that the band can't really control, like access to booze, although I will never forgive Pearl Jam for having booze sales cut off at the start of their shown and then Eddie Vedder prancing around all drunk with his bottle of wine rubbing it in our face, I still won't forgive PJ for that.  

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Down Once More...

...to the dungeon of my black despair!  Down we plunge to the prison of my mind!  Down that path into darkness deep as Hell!

For twenty-five years those lyrics have started the culmination of my favorite piece of entertainment (and if box office receipts mean anything, the World's as well), The Phantom of the Opera.  For those of you who know me well and those who don't I am what you would call a theatre junkie.  I honestly can't get enough of the stuff and Phantom is the bug that bit me to start it all.  I was 9 when my family took a trip to the west coast in the summer of 1989 and went to see Phantom starring original cast members Michael Crawford and the late Steve Barton at the Ahmanson Theatre.  Even from the back of the theatre I was hooked, and over the following 22 years I have seen Phantom 11 times (and the sequel once).  Shortly after I moved to Germany in April it was announced that for the 25th anniversary of the show there would be a special staging of the production at London's Royal Albert Hall (I have a slight obsession w/ this venue too based on my Killers DVD), and from the moment it was announced I knew I was going, this is one of those things where price was not going to be of issue (like a Buckeyes title game, or that glorious day in the future when the Browns play in the Super Bowl).  Luckily I was able to hop online the day tickets went on sale and secured a ticket for the show at face value, in the 10th row no less.

After the flight and hotel were secured (seriously London, is there a hotel in the center city area under 150 pounds a night?) it was all a matter of time before I was winging my way to London for this epic (in my mind) event.  I got into London pretty late on Friday and really didn't have time to do much other than grab a quick bite and a pint at a pub and then call it a night (also, the pubs closing at 11:30...unacceptable).  On Saturday, after walking around the center of London during the day checking out sites I had seen before and having an internal monologue on how this city is going to be a zoo during the Olympics (seriously, London is crazy packed on a random weekend in October, those 2 weeks are going to be psycho) it was time to head back and suit up for the show.  Changed and ready I set off on the mile or so walk from my hotel to the Albert Hall and the show...let's just say as soon as I saw the Albert Hall, I knew this would be an awesome event.

Yep, super cool.
As I arrived a little early there was plenty of time for a couple of cocktails before, so I headed to the bar nearest to my seat and had a few beers and made sure I pre-ordered a cocktail for intermission (OK, so this is a brilliant idea, you buy your intermission drink before the show then at intermission your drink is just sitting there waiting for you...amazing!  This needs to catch on more).  One quick point here, the only beer they had at the Albert Hall was Asahi.  I found this slightly weird as I don't think I have ever had one when I wasn't enjoying sushi as well (although Asahi is my go to beer with sushi).  Anyway, after my tasty beverages it was time to find my seat...and as I showed my ticket to the usher, he just politely says, yes just head toward the front...so I do and wouldn't you know it, row 10 was actually the 4th row of my section!

Now that's what I call close!
Show time...the principles for the performance were: The Phantom - Ramin Karimloo (Phantom - London, original Phantom - Love Never Dies); Christine - Sierra Boggess (original Christine - Las Vegas, original Christine - Love Never Dies); Raoul - Hadley Frasier (Javert - Les Mis, London).  The cast was Phantastic (ok, that was cheap), but honestly it was just a tremendous cast top to bottom.  The staging was impeccable given the challenges of staging a full production on the scale of Phantom in the Albert Hall including a full orchestra that was elevated above the main stage.  

From the very first strike of the auctioneer's gavel "Sold!  Your number sir...thank you" I was gripped in this performance.  I had seen Ramin and Sierra in the sequel a year prior when I was in London and although that show had its faults, the performers were not one of them, and they did not disappoint on this evening either.  Ramin Karimloo has a tremendous voice that powers through the songs and gives a bit of a rock star flair to the role (it is well documented that ALW views the show as a "rock opera") that doesn't detract from the emotion that the character of the Phantom needs to evoke.  Where a lot of the performers you see in the role have what I would call a more classic voice that brings out the sadness of the character, the performance that Ramin gave brought out a certain edge to the role (he really is a bad guy...I mean he kills two people) while also enabling the audience to feel that vulnerability that hides beneath the surface.  Sierra Boggess, I don't know that words could do her performance justice...flat out amazing.  I generally don't care for the character of Christine all that much, I mean yes it is an incredibly difficult part to sing but most of the time she is this sort of blah character that you don't feel a lot of emotion from.  Not this night, she brought a new energy to the role and a level of independence and empowerment that I had never really seen from this part (maybe Christine is bumpin' Beyonce now).  During Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again (my least favorite song in the show) I literally had goosebumps from the delivery...it brought the house down, I think the applause had to have lasted for 2-3 minutes (I really thought an impromptu standing ovation was about to occur).  Even Hadley Frasier brought some new nads to Raoul, usually he is kind of a wuss just taking Christine away at the end but this guy was still pissed at the Phantom and looked like he wanted to go back for a fight at the end.

Other highlights of the show included Masquerade, with an increased number of cast on the stage this normally big number took on a new life and exploded.  The first trip to The Phantom's layer lair, Phantom of the Opera/Music of the Night was as always incredible.  There is something about the first time the boat appears on stage that always amps this show up a notch for me, and Ramin handled Music of the Night in an effortless manner that was perfect.  Finally, the finale...the final decent to the layer, always my favorite scene in the show...and this was not a disappointment.  As I stated before, Ramin balanced the pure psychopath / broken man sides of the Phantom better than anyone I can remember, Hadley Fraser really bringing some fight to Raoul and Sierra's Christine in the middle of it all...it was really gritty, sexy, and passionate...everything you want out of this show.  Easily the best collective casting I have ever witnessed to take on Phantom.

For as special as the actual performance was, after the curtain calls (as with any of these anniversary type things) Andrew Lloyd Webber came out and gave a couple of words to the crowd then brought out the original creative team for Phantom, the original London cast (sans Michael Crawford...which was disappointing, but he is currently starring in The Wizard of Oz in the West End) and Sarah Brightman who sang the title song with a quintet of Phantoms: Colm Wilkenson (original Toronto), John Owen-Jones (current London), Anthony Wardlow (original Australia), Peter Joback (taking over in London next year I guess...sort of unfortunate, he was the weak link), and Ramin.  The Phantom's then used the bridge into Music of the Night to serenade ALW while they played a video montage of his career above the stage before going into Music of the Night to close out the show.  As I was at the first of three performances that weekend and given ALW's reaction to the little serenade, he had no idea it was coming and was truly taken back by it.  It was really cool being there for the first of the performances as you really just saw all of the emotion from everyone on that stage who was involved in the original and in the evening's cast.  A few quick thoughts on the encores, Colm has still got it.  Really impressed for someone who is 67 to get out there and not just be a nice add to the mix, he really nailed it.  John Owen-Jones, would really like to see him in the role someday and may have to make a trip to London before he leaves the show...that dude can flat out sing.  Anthony Wardlow as well was tremendous and if this Peter Joback dude is the next Phantom then I will be in no rush to catch it, wasn't impressed at all.

Sarah and Andrew
Sarah and the 5 Phantoms











The performance was not without a few flaws in presentation, but this is mostly due to the limited size of the stage and technical aspects of the RAH.  The chandelier doesn't crash (they shot fireworks out of it instead), the elephant doesn't make an appearance in Hannibal, the use of the moveable video screens (although, I imagine these looked good for the cameras), and the managers weren't all that funny.  The lack of Michael Crawford in the encore was a disappointment as well, he did make an appearance at the Sunday encore that was beamed live to movie theaters but didn't sing...so I wasn't totally jipped on that.  Overall, just a tremendous performance and if you have the chance to see it in a theater or can rent the DVD when it comes out, I totally encourage you to do that especially if you haven't seen the show before.  The 2004 movie didn't do the stage production of Phantom any justice and I have a feeling that once you see this version you will agree.  Plus kudos to the people I was sitting next to who were personal friends of Michael Crawford, you guys rocked and were fun to chat with!

As always, see you on the flip.