Sábado 9 Out 2010, 19h:37
Placebo at Moscow Arena, September 21, 2010
The venue
From the inside, venue looked as a night club, organized with a separation of audience by the three service grades. Being an owner of common privileged ticket the initial service was found in form of girl who guided me to the ticket's place. That moment I've had good expectations.
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0Bzg2_YLF9e2bMjkzMDhjNjQtYTRhOC00YzZlLWJjY2YtNzhmMzk5YjQyODll
Having visually comfort point of standing, on the top border of green and purple zones, I've expected sound be appropriate, which also was assured by the sound engineer's spot placed a floor down and a few meters right. Even during a soundcheck, instruments played separately, sounded well.
But… but all luck rarely goes one way. Since the Kitty Litter I've started to realize what a screwed up sound I've been experiencing in mix. The clue of annoyance was the hum in a low-end. First, I thought it goes from bass guitar and occasionally from a bass-drum as it was used. Resulting sound had been made of percussion, some frequency bands of Brian voice so I could hear him singing but barely could recognize the words, not much of guitar parts and some occasional extra things as well. But the beginning of Meds with rearranged intro consisted of Brian pulling open sixth string was indicating because it sounded quite like he’d be playing a bass. Somehow, maybe, in a way of sound reflections and higher floor’s specifics, maybe a poor acoustics of the venue or just a flaw of sound engineer, it made me a neutral consideration of what could be great, in total. That’s sad, because it’s been a trade-off between comfort and sound, the former I chose unintentionally.
Reading other people’s reviews regarding the sound quality their opinions spread from great ever heard to poor and inappropriate. So this proves the old rule of sticking to the sound engineer’s spot to hear it as intended, if the sonic perception is the priority.
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0Bzg2_YLF9e2bZDQ0NmZkZGQtZjE0OC00OGFiLWJiNDAtYWJlM2IxNzc4YjY0
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0Bzg2_YLF9e2bMzdlMThmNzYtZGRmYS00ZDZiLTkyMzEtZTgyZWRiYmM1NTg2
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0Bzg2_YLF9e2bMWE0M2QzMDItNGNlZi00M2U1LTg0NzMtMDRjMzBjNjVkZDZk
When the performance ended, the comfort part of trade-off has become important. Having a separate exit I’ve been waiting a little to see the way crowd drifts away and as the technicians quickly transform the stage.
Technicians
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0Bzg2_YLF9e2bMmYwYTc4ZTQtZTEzZC00YmJiLWFlNzItZTc2MDQ5M2YzMGRm
The control spot comprised a mixer, a few laptops and light control table. So there was sound engineer and light engineer. Additionally there stood a photographer and about four other assistants. These fellows were protected by a guard who’s been looking the faces around for the threat.
As the background were used some, I guess, English sort of indie stuff which I didn’t recognize. The only known words I heard were Radiohead’s Mark Ronson]Just by Mark Ronson. Rather weird one with horns and trip-hop’ish rhythm.
The stage technician were not preliminary at all, checking the instruments after 9 pm, which caused some not acknowledging girls to scream and clap the hand supposing the Placebo getting on stage.
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0Bzg2_YLF9e2bY2MxM2RhYjktYjk2YS00Y2I4LWE0NjEtNTM4Zjk5NjZlYzcy&hl=en
But right after performance ended they were on stage in seconds, busily disassembling the gear and instruments.
Lineup
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0Bzg2_YLF9e2bZDNiMzQ4ZTktMWMzNC00ZTUwLWE4YzEtODM3MjVkY2QzNDlm
Either this is noise-rock band or paranoid considered with stand-by redundancy ;-) They play in three guitars about half of songs. Why? Want to sound exactly as on album? Or maybe it’s just funny to travel with big band? They have two pianos on stage; nevertheless one is not used when violin is used. It’s strange and causes a question of impression they want to make it with.
Besides, Brian hadn’t been talkative, and was about only short, several-word long monologues which might be caused by the day one issues, he didn’t introduce another three back-lineup fellows and Steve Forrest. Last time they were here they were with prior lineup, so it could be quite a lot friendly to introduce the members.
Bill Lloyd, Fiona Brice, Nick Gavrilovic who officially aren’t in the band considering promo photos, at least. Wikipedia states these are three live-only members. So anyway it feels a bit strange with this half-member, half session players who old ones didn’t realize yet, how they would like to treat them.
Mr. Molko and his girls
Well, actually not all of them are girls, in common sense. He also has a gay, as he claims. No, of course, it doesn't involve Stephan, it's about Bertie the guitar, Gibson SG-X, which has a rest this tour ;-)
During the event Brian played eight guitars which he's been changing each a song. In fact, except Meds and Teenage Angst, by the irreversible coincidence, which were played with same one. Mostly, it's caused by different tunings used, like Eb, F with double high C and some other far less common ones, and not by the guitar show-off, which he must have become bored of, years ago.
Fender
- 1. Fender Jaguar, red with white pickguard, Molko's lovely Bitch
- 2. Fender Cyclone, cream with tortoise pickguard
- 3. Fender Tornado, black with tortoise pickguard
- 4. Fender Cyclone, blue with white pickguard
- 5. Fender Telecaster, black with white pickguard
Gibson
- 6. Gibson SG Standard '70, red with black pickguard
- 7. Gibson SG Standard '78, red with black pickguard
Gretsch
- 8. Gretsch Duo Jets with Bigsy, black
The Parade
- 1. Nancy Boy - #1
- 2. Ashtray Heart - #2
- 3. Battle For The Sun - #3
- 4. Soulmates - #6
- 5. Kitty Litter - #5
- 6. Every You Every Me - #7
- 7. Special Needs - #6
- 8. Breathe Underwater - #4
- 9. The Never-Ending Why - #2
- 10. Bright Lights - #7
- 11. Meds - #2
- 12. Teenage Angst - #2
- 13. All Apologies (Nirvana cover) - #4
- 14. Song To Say Goodbye - #8
- 15. The Bitter End - #6
- 16. Trigger Happy Hands - #7
- 17. Post Blue - #1
- 18. Infra-red - #8
- 19. Taste In Men - #5
Battle For The Sun vs The rest of stuff
In other words it could be said, Steve v1 versus Steve v2 ;-) Nevertheless its not the only reason, as it seemed to me.
At first, listening to Battle For The Sun I caught myself surprisingly disappointed with a complaint of another great band which has disordered own sound during, say, the evolution leap of next studio recording. The perception has been formed, mostly, by the For What It's Worth, which I'd swapped with Worst in last word. Completely Placebo irrelevant sound, disco-like, horn filled bright-colored circus of 80s for my expectation. Dynamically flat, and that damn backing vocals. That's a fail, was an solid and complete opinion. So I didn't listen to the record a lot until the event. After I tried to figure out, what has happened.
At the glance the threat was considered in drummer's actions. Who's that wannabe, version-two-the-naming-comfort, why does he do that disco rhythms and silly backing? Where did they get that groupie mascot? I was filled with questions. If he'd play that, new-feature, horns at the same time, he'd be a scapegoat, undoubtedly ;-)
First thing turned me in doubts was his PR skills. That was impressive, good words, corresponding faces, right tone and so on ;-)
Second confusion was the Evaline. Their Postpartum Modesty video I, say, had fun with, at least.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR1waRoS2X8
I couldn't say it's something literally amazing or that it makes some sense of new music, but it's co-ordinated, has consistent sound, and Steve's drumming fits this well. Also, after seeing the strange titled, Placebo presents: Steve Forrest, where he exposes his skills I'm about to admit, he's fair well drummer with a modest drum-set ;-) But I wouldn’t be sure of current and future compatibility of them; it could take years to roll smoothly.
Watching Steve Forrest interview at Berlin has been worth to understand the writing process of the Battle For The Sun and the value of his contribution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0bERq8XtnE
Following the 3rd way, where Steve has been initially involved in creation process of Battle For The Sun and Speak In Tongues, the guy is a savior. These two are the best songs of the record, being valuable by themselves, irrelatively to overall level. They helped the record not be a complete fail. Songs written in other ways are either “disco”, old-sounding attempts, or just of filler-kind ones. As the exclusion goes the bridge of Ashtray Heart which is intense and remarkable, as opposed to the rest of the song’s parts.
Also interviewer reveals Forrest’s tempo issue where he’s “driving up the speed”. That’s been clearly seen at Nirvana’s All Apologies. Generally that could be a serious flaw when performing old stuff, but, fortunately, it hasn’t been heard on other songs. Maybe that’s a reason why some of then were rearranged ;-)
On the May 2009 interview, Brain has definitely described the concept of the record, it’s premises and aims.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0RZIa9vxRY
That’s quite am… I don’t know; obvious and clearly seen. As they are pushing the boundaries of the identity and the sound and so. As reacting against the somber, grainy, black and white film. And the way it affects the record. Brian says, they couldn’t make a record darker then Meds, so they were armed with colors, modern tapes, with hope and optimism. Also he introduced a very neat feature, the horn sections, which he claims to be a little bit scary for people of rock music. Well, Brian, a little scary, no. It’s really fucking frightening a lot! It points your attention on, whether you are really listening to Placebo. Gospel backing vocals in Bright Lights scare as well.
The certain amount of darkness has been initially essential to the band. Some, like Without You I'm Nothing and Sleeping With Ghosts were lighter, whereas Black Market Music and Meds were recognizably darker. But all of them were dark. It's been an essential part of perception of their music. Dark purple, if talking about the hue. Of course, each record has its own distinct flavor so the band evolved around its origin. But with last album the origin awareness has been broken. As a little bit of proof goes the new songs reduction from half to third, during tour set-list changes. Because of Hewitt or not, it's unclear for me.
The creative disorder. For people who work together for longer than ten years, it must be really fragile state of ability of making music together. And I hope they’ll pass it away in next recording. Though there’s always enough space for sexy disco gospel kind of tunes, powered with horns, three guitar lines, violin and piano. The avant-garde post-punk cabaret, dammit ;-)
Epilogue
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0Bzg2_YLF9e2bMjczNjUyMTgtZGYxMS00NTgwLWI2N2YtNWIwZjQyNjZiNGI1
Anyways, in spite of all quirks this event as long as in a few weeks will loose all the negative points, as it is natural to the way we memorize. And will hold the state of the great band’s live I’ve seen. Yes, great enough.
Get through, this nightOther photos and reviews:
There are no second chancesThis time, I might
To ask the sea for answers
