Who Are You Going To Go Hear?

After a long drought of concert road trips, I have two coming up in April. I thought a thread where everyone can post what they are pumped up to go see/hear next would be a nice diversion. Please keep this thread free of "They suck" and "I never cared for them" type comments. This has the potential to be uplifting and fun.

I'll start. April 12th I am driving about an hour to Bloomington, Illinois to hear the Joshua Redman/Brad Mehldau Duo. Redman is one of the best Jazz tenor players working, and at the forefront of the newer guys. Mehldau is a frequent collaborator, on grand piano. I'm going with a best friend who shares music with me every week and is my closest hifi partner in crime.

The next week on April 17th I drive two hours to Davenport, Iowa to hear the Cowboy Junkies in a modest club (my favorite way to hear music). I will probably be solo on this trip. The Junkies have been together for twenty-five years and this is the first time I have managed to hear them live. I am so pumped I get short of breath thinking about it.

Clark

Both trips sound excellent.

Paul Rodgers next weekend in Vegas at The Eastside Cannery

In my tiny town this summer I have a budget dilemma trying to decide what to hear. Choices include:

Bonnie Raitt with Mavis Staples
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Tedeschi-Trucks Band


This stuff is getting really expensive! All shows are outside and offer grass "seating" as cheap alternative but even those cost $35, $38, and $32 respectively. Real seats are as high as $119 each.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BMWCCA

In my tiny town this summer I have a budget dilemma trying to decide what to hear. Choices include:

Bonnie Raitt with Mavis Staples
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Tedeschi-Trucks Band

---

Man, good luck. Choosing between those for me would be like which fingers to cut off.

Clark

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by invstbiker

Paul Rodgers next weekend in Vegas at The Eastside Cannery

---

I see he is going out in early June with Bad Company through Sweden and Germany. He's a Canadian now so maybe the rest of us in the US will be able to catch him somewhere.

I think you're gonna have a great time. :)

Clark

Well this Aprill and June The Moody Blues, Greg Lake and Zappa Plays Zappa. Missed out on tickets to Ian Anderson Thick as a Brick 1 and 2. See what else comes up.

Rob:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ducatista47

Man, good luck. Choosing between those for me would be like which fingers to cut off.

---

The beauty of the venue is that, behind the covered shell, the stage is butted against a public street as it passes over a railroad so I can always bring a chair and sit on the sidewalk and hear the groups even if I can only see them below the knees from the side of the "tent". There's a good spot where the backdrop is open and you can see in from behind and above the stage. The groups that use lots of stage monitors actually sound pretty good from back there! Of course any of these alternative are completely free of admission cost, which is nice since I often have to work late and would miss the start anyway. I heard Lyle Lovett's Big Band from behind the stage and it was one of the best concerts I've ever seen, even if I only caught the second half. :bouncy:

Another advantage of the venue is that my daughter gets to meet some of the nicest people back where the tour buses park:

Attachment 55246

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BMWCCA

Real seats are as high as $119 each.

---

I paid about that recently to see a movie! But it was a hell of an experience... Napoleon, the 1927 silent film with a full orchestra providing the sound track.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardma...eon-triumphant

The Movie is 5½ hours long and pretty amazing... at times on three screens to create the look we take for granted today, but mostly I was blown away by the score! With live music it is so much more than THX...


Widget

What a beautiful venue! I don't want to sound dated but "They sure don't make them like that anymore"!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Audiobeer

What a beautiful venue! I don't want to sound dated but "They sure don't make them like that anymore"!

---

It is an amazing venue... they have been restoring it since the mid '70s. It is over the top Art Deco, not just the auditorium, but in the lobbies, the bar areas, it is just insane. There are macassar ebony and wool sofas everywhere, it really feels like a museum, or a time machine!


Widget

awesome venue...

my favorite local venue is Red Rocks, not as ornate -- but breathtaking also...

[IMG]http://www.redrocksonline.com/portal...ation/rr11.jpg[/IMG]

back on topic, i'm catching Van Halen and Madonna this year with my wife...
also plan on catching Tab Benoit and some other SE louisiana bluesmen when they roll through Denver...

Just got our schedule for the Wolf Trap center nearby (Vienna VA) and noticed "The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue 2012"
were scheduled to play Mon Aug 6. Looked it up and its Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs with about 8 or so side folks to fill in the sound.
I googled them and found some YouTube videos from the 2010 tour and it looks like a lot of fun -
Looks like a blend of some hits, and then some other stuff they just enjoy playing.

The videos include the GD's Shakedown Street, BeachBoys' Help Me Rhonda, The Band's Rag Mama Rag,
and a bunch of other stuff - they sounded good and it looked like they were having fun.
Who knows what they might play?
I bought a pair of tickets right away.

Hoping for a big fun time, indeed!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hjames

Just got our schedule for the Wolf Trap center nearby (Vienna VA) and noticed "The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue 2012"
were scheduled to play Mon Aug 6. Looked it up and its Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs with about 8 or so side folks to fill in the sound.

....

I bought a pair of tickets right away.

Hoping for a big fun time, indeed!

---

seems like a good move IMHO.... :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hjames

Just got our schedule for the Wolf Trap center nearby (Vienna VA) and noticed "The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue 2012"
were scheduled to play Mon Aug 6. Looked it up and its Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs with about 8 or so side folks to fill in the sound.
I googled them and found some YouTube videos from the 2010 tour and it looks like a lot of fun -

---

I worked that tour in 2010 when they performed in Richmond, Va. I helped fly the SR system (JBL) and with putting Fagen's Steinway together! I had a blast and then got to watch the rehearsal (about two hours!) from the front row. Fagen was definitely the leader and arranger as they worked their way through the entire set with some new vocalists. Come show-time, Boz was the real crowd pleaser. The way it worked then they all played on each other's hits and then each one took the lead on covers from other artists. Quite a variety, very well performed. One of the better shows I've seen, and it was packed!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BMWCCA

I worked that tour in 2010 when they performed in Richmond, Va. I helped fly the SR system (JBL) and with putting Fagen's Steinway together! I had a blast and then got to watch the rehearsal (about two hours!) from the front row. Fagen was definitely the leader and arranger as they worked their way through the entire set with some new vocalists. Come show-time, Boz was the real crowd pleaser. The way it worked then they all played on each other's hits and then each one took the lead on covers from other artists. Quite a variety, very well performed. One of the better shows I've seen, and it was packed!

---

From the You Tube videos I saw, it sounded like a lot of fun!
There is a knock down and happy version of the Grateful Dead's Shakedown street -
now, of the big artists, who does Dead covers anymore?

Looking forward to it!

Well, the Dukes show was Monday night, 8/6 - and what a GREAT show it was!! Kinda reminded me of some of the STAX tours I've seen on DVD

I had done some reading ahead of time and from what i could read of the 2010 tour, its not a Hit parade show like we'd normally think of it.
If fact, some fans got angry on previous tours because they didn't know all the songs that got played.
So we went to the show with a very open minded attitude, not expecting "Steeley Dan's Greatest hits live" or any such nonsense ...

Fagen was def in charge - but they all were having a blast - the premise was a summer tour of the songs they grew up with and loved ... and so it was!
we got "Summer in the City", "If you don't know me by now", "Who's That Lady", Aretha franklin's sister's very of Piece of my heart (not joplins') and a bunch of other great tunes - with some hits from each ... we did get Peg, Hey 19, Reelin' In the years, Low Down (Boz) What a Fool Believes (Michael) and a number of other great songs ...

They ended, did a number of songs in an encore and finished with "Thank You Falettin Me" which got everybody up and dancing as much as possible ...
The band was great - they turned on a dime a couple of times and really hit some great grooves.

If you have a chance to see any of the remaining shows in the tour - GO SEE THEM.

Its probably the best show I've seen for a couple of years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hjames

Just got our schedule for the Wolf Trap center nearby (Vienna VA) and noticed "The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue 2012"
were scheduled to play Mon Aug 6. Looked it up and its Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs with about 8 or so side folks to fill in the sound.
I googled them and found some YouTube videos from the 2010 tour and it looks like a lot of fun -
Looks like a blend of some hits, and then some other stuff they just enjoy playing.

The videos include the GD's Shakedown Street, BeachBoys' Help Me Rhonda, The Band's Rag Mama Rag,
and a bunch of other stuff - they sounded good and it looked like they were having fun.
Who knows what they might play?
I bought a pair of tickets right away.

Hoping for a big fun time, indeed!

---

I will hear today:

Attachment 56621

Victório Benatti

Today is Madona's birthday. To celebrate, I'll listen to this album:

Attachment 56637
Victório Benatti

Back on topic, I'm going to see Steve Martin later this month at The Mountain Winery.:bouncy:

April 21st, back to the Bloomington Performing Arts Center to see/hear Julie Fowlis. It is the final stop on her Spring US tour and will uncharacteristically and festively occur at 3PM on a Sunday afternoon. Her full tour schedule is at http://www.juliefowlis.com/tours/

Seeing Ms Fowlis will be near and dear to my heart. She sings mostly in Scots Gaelic (which is pronunced gal-ic in the Outer Hebrides, where she is from, North Uist specifically). I am by ancestry mostly a Scot, and while the Scots Gaelic is much reduced in the Highlands, it is still a main language in the Outer Hebrides.

She is a major talent and if her tour is within reach, you might enjoy hearing her. Still young in her early thirties, she has already been repeatedly honored in the British Isles and is something of a star there. She plays many instruments and sings in a variety of native styles, from angelic to rousing in her interpretations. She is best known here for singing in Scots Gaelic and English on the soundtrack from Brave. She is well represented on YouTube if you are curious.

I'll be in the second row with a young friend who is similarly enthused. I know those seats. It will be live sound bypassing the PA.

Clark

I heard good things about her from a local AK member that saw her show last time around, so I checked and found she is playing locally, 2 shows - April 15th, at a newer venue here I have not yet been to, Strathmore Hall.
7PM is sold out so I grabbed a pair of tickets for 9PM show - General Admission is all they offered!
Looking forward to it, and thanks for the heads up.

===============================
Monday - 15th Apr 2013
Julie and her band's much anticipated US Spring Tour
continues tonight with TWO (2) great shows -
7.00pm (to 8.10pm) & 9.00pm (to 10.10pm)- both with no intermissions.
See Venue Website for full location, shows and ticket sales, etc, details.
Web: www.strathmore.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Fowlis

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ducatista47

April 21st, back to the Bloomington Performing Arts Center to see/hear Julie Fowlis. It is the final stop on her Spring US tour and will uncharacteristically and festively occur at 3PM on a Sunday afternoon. Her full tour schedule is at http://www.juliefowlis.com/tours/

Seeing Ms Fowlis will be near and dear to my heart. She sings mostly in Scots Gaelic (which is pronunced gal-ic in the Outer Hebrides, where she is from, North Uist specifically). I am by ancestry mostly a Scot, and while the Scots Gaelic is much reduced in the Highlands, it is still a main language in the Outer Hebrides.

She is a major talent and if her tour is within reach, you might enjoy hearing her. Still young in her early thirties, she has already been repeatedly honored in the British Isles and is something of a star there. She plays many instruments and sings in a variety of native styles, from angelic to rousing in her interpretations. She is best known here for singing in Scots Gaelic and English on the soundtrack from Brave. She is well represented on YouTube if you are curious.

I'll be in the second row with a young friend who is similarly enthused. I know those seats. It will be live sound bypassing the PA.

Clark

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hjames

I heard good things about her from a local AK member that saw her show last time around, so I checked and found she is playing locally, 2 shows - April 15th, at a newer venue here I have not yet been to, Strathmore Hall.
7PM is sold out so I grabbed a pair of tickets for 9PM show - General Admission is all they offered!
Looking forward to it, and thanks for the heads up.

---

At least if you don't like them I won't get all the blame!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ducatista47

At least if you don't like them I won't get all the blame!

---

Nope - you've pointed the way to much good music, but never blame!

Thanks again for the heads up - if they didn't have 2 shows it would have been sold out!

Well, I have been doing my homework and it seems Julie Fowlis is at the forefront of the Scots Gallic revival. This program demonstrates what a force she has become for Celtic Scotland.

http://www.pbs.org/soundtracks/stories/fowlis/index.php

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ducatista47

Well, I have been doing my homework and it seems Julie Fowlis is at the forefront of the Scots Gallic revival. This program demonstrates what a force she has become for Celtic Scotland.

http://www.pbs.org/soundtracks/stories/fowlis/index.php

---

Thanks for the link.

Here's a link I got today, from my friend DrRyman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvi5io8APMI

From a gig I helped with back in October, so kinda on topic, I'll definitely be going to see them next time they come out to play.

We got tickets for the Garrison Keelhaul Prairie Home Companion NPR Broadcast show At Wolftrap Sat May 25th, and Gordon Lightfoot July 25th also at Wolftrap. (Emma is a huge fan, tho Gordon has had some health problems over the last decade).

Julie Fowlis was tonight.
Just back from that GREAT SHOW - we got there early & it was general admission so I picked 3rd row aisle seats -
we were maybe 10 foot from Julie in a small place that only seats 100-Max -
My first show in that repurposed mansion ... very intimate venue!

Thanks for the heads up on this ... woohoo!
(took hall pix before the band arrived - didn't want to disturb the music)
Attachment 58683

Well so far Rush, Yes, Ian Anderson Thick as a Brick, Zappa on Haloween, Rodger Hodgsons Super Tramp, Marshal Tucker and Charlie Daniels. No doubt the list will keep growing as new shows are announced.

Rob:)

And Steely Dan just announced they are on tour this summer ...

http://steelydan.com/tour13.html#dates

with this band -
http://steelydan.com/2kband.html

My 80's weakness - going to see Pat Benatar and Cheap Trick in June. Right after buying tickets, I was warned by a friend that Pat's voice hasn't held up so well - anyone gone to see her sing recently?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hjames

We got tickets for the Garrison Keelhaul Prairie Home Companion NPR Broadcast show At Wolftrap Sat May 25th, and Gordon Lightfoot July 25th also at Wolftrap. (Emma is a huge fan, tho Gordon has had some health problems over the last decade).

Julie Fowlis was tonight.
Just back from that GREAT SHOW - we got there early & it was general admission so I picked 3rd row aisle seats -
we were maybe 10 foot from Julie in a small place that only seats 100-Max -
My first show in that repurposed mansion ... very intimate venue!

Thanks for the heads up on this ... woohoo!
(took hall pix before the band arrived - didn't want to disturb the music)
Attachment 58683

---

I see her next Sunday afternoon. The bad news is that my young friend is too ill to attend. I will be able to fill the empty seat, but my heart breaks for her plight.

So glad you enjoyed it. How good were they?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ducatista47

I see her next Sunday afternoon. The bad news is that my young friend is too ill to attend. I will be able to fill the empty seat, but my heart breaks for her plight.

So glad you enjoyed it. How good were they?

---

Very sorry for your friend.
They were very good - I do like celtic music, and tho I don't speak a bit of gaelic, her voice was amazing and the players were great.
Lots of enthusiasm, great energy. She sang, played pennywhistle and did a bit of piping, tho after 2 shows I have no idea where she had the wind left to fill those pipes ... They started this US tour 2 weeks ago - so they are still pretty energized ... Enjoy the show!

...for a Fall USA tour. Details http://www.juliefowlis.com/tours/

I met them (except Eamon Doorley) after the show. They signed my CDs and we talked a little. For a man who may be the best there is at what he does, Duncan Chisholm, a Highlander from Inverness, is a very modest man and very soft spoken. I told him how terrific I thought he is, and he was embarrassed - but he smiled as he looked at the floor and said, "Oh, thank you." His latest CD, Affric, is as beautiful as fiddling gets. Tony Byrne, the guitarist, is amazing but few notice. He never shows off and always plays inside the music. He and Eamon play amazingly together, Eamon generally counterpoint. I can tell they are both hilarious behind the scenes; not surprising for a pair of Dubliners. Julie is either naturally comfortable with her talent and fame, or she is somewhat unaware of them. In addition, when I thanked her for what she is doing for Gaelic and for Scotland, she seemed surprised anyone over here knew anything about any of it.

I sat next to two Gaelic "learners," as they called themselves. The young couple have been studying for two years and were thrilled to be there.

So was Bruce Bergethon, the station manager of WGLT in town there. He is an acoustic player himself and had a keen appreciation for what was going on musically. I called his show, Acousticity (Bluegrass and other roots music, excellent and live for four hours), that evening and he said it was a shock to start hearing live Celtic music at the top. Back on the air, he said "I am still tingling from a concert this afternoon."

I agree, Heather. They are great. What a privilege.

Short notice I know, but I had only two days (after discovery) to get it together and attend this gig. I highly encourage anyone who can attend an Electric Trio Richard Thompson show to do so. See his website for the schedules.

They played several oncore mini sets when encouraged to do so, nearly two and a half hours of music in total. No exageration to say he is at a new peak in his extraordinary powers. How many musicians now working are considered by their fellow musicians to be one of the best instrumentalists in the World AND possibly its most accomplished songsmith? That's right! Only Richard. Unearthly technique in the service of sublime music.

Screw the "great gig" or wonderful show" comments. I was privileged to witness his muse in person, very close up, at a small venue. Privileged and stunned. He's funny, too. Astonishingly, his guitar work is even better in person than on recordings.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Robh3606

Well so far Rush, Yes, Ian Anderson Thick as a Brick, Zappa on Haloween, Rodger Hodgsons Super Tramp, Marshal Tucker and Charlie Daniels. No doubt the list will keep growing as new shows are announced.

Rob:)

---

There's some blasts from the past. Saw Supertramp in Washington DC about 1982 (maybe a couple of years earlier) (at Wolftrap?), it was a great show. One of the best concerts I've ever been to. The sound quality was great, the musicianship was great, the venue was great. The only downside was none of my friends wanted to go, no idea why. I just re-bought several of their albums on CD as I so seldom play the vinyl anymore.

We saw Ringo Starr and the All Starr Band at Wolf Trap June 12th - Kind of a fun mix of combined greatest hits from all parties involved -
Beatles, Santana, Toto, Mr Mister, Utopia, ...
Emma said it was like hearing her iPod playlist done live and very well ...
Only show I can remember with that much variety of nusic was the Dukes of September show (Fagen, Scaggs, McDonald)
a few years back where they played some of their songs plus a bunch of songs they liked from other bands ...

Ringo is in amazing shape, very animated and fun - I want to be like that at 73!

One website said they have a potential playlist of 60 songs they rotate through the tour
... Recommended if you want a great time.


Ringo Starr – drums, keyboards, percussion, vocals
Steve Lukather (Toto) – guitar, vocals
Gregg Rolie (Santana and Journey) – organ, keyboards, vocals
Todd Rundgren (Nazz, Utopia and The New Cars) – guitar, harmonica, bass, percussion, keyboards, vocals
Richard Page (Mr. Mister) – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
Warren Ham (Bloodrock and AD) – saxophone, keyboards, vocals
Gregg Bissonette – drums, percussion, vocals

Got tickets for Crosby Stills and Nash at Wolf Trap next month ...
That should be fun too!

Just got back from hearing Steely Dan - great show! I think Jon Herington is the most understated lead guitarist I've ever seen - no strutting, grimacing, or posing. Great playing, though. Anyway, we really enjoyed it, though we were victims of too good seating (2nd row, middle) as the main arrays missed us, and the fill speakers they had on stage were either off or too low to hear. We were left with a really bass heavy mix that was probably 12 or 15db to much bass and enough to make me want to put in the Etymotic earplugs, but those brought the mids and highs down too much to enjoy. Still a great night of listening and laughing at baked old people in the audience :)

Motley Crue and Alice Cooper this November in Omaha, NE. "Road" trip of course. Big acts don't often come my way. I outgrew Motley Crue somewhere around 1989. But a friend of mine in KC, a single dad with 9 year old twins, somehow scored 4 tix. I don't get to see my friend much anymore so this is a really good excuse.

We recently shot up to Park City Utah to see Jimmy Webb in a 200 seat house that owns a beautiful Steinway concert grand and seven rows back it sounded phenomenal. Geeez O Pete can that guy play!

The stories and insights were entertaining and knowing more about how many of the songs came into being makes them even more enjoyable. I still don't get MacArthur Park and likely never will, and that's OK.

I took my parents and my two teens, who were by far the youngest in the audience and we all had a great time. When we got up for intermission my 15 year old boy exclaimed "what a talent that guy is!" Did I tell you the guy can really play?!? My kids were in awe of the musical depth and his ability and my parents were surprised at how many songs they knew but didn't know were his.

I don't normally spend the time to share this kind of stuff but this was one of the best concerts I have been to in a long long time.

All the best,
Barry.

The Carl Verheyen band is coming to London next month, I would like to check that out.

http://www.carlverheyen.com/

Out of reach for me, but a last reminder. Tour starts today.

http://www.juliefowlis.com/tours/

Well not only did I get to see the Carl Verheyen band, I also interviewed the man hmself.

http://www.jazzlondonradio.com/2014/...carl-verheyen/

Just got back from this one. My wife and I really enjoyed it. Great old orchestra hall and fantastic local musicians John D’earth on trumpet, Jeff Decker on saxophone, Butch Taylor on piano, Peter Spaar on bass and Robert Jospé on drums.

http://music.virginia.edu/node/2425

This month Steve Hackett, Halestorm and Johnette Napolitano

Rob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Robh3606

This month Steve Hackett, Halestorm and Johnette Napolitano

Rob

---

I am so envious. Where will you see her? She lives in the desert in California, not far from James Mankey, and never spends more than a few days away from home.

If you don't have it and she is selling her solo CD Scarred, I had to be persistent on the net to get it for under seventeen dollars. It usually starts at twice that.
Attachment 63566

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BMWCCA

Just got back from this one. My wife and I really enjoyed it. Great old orchestra hall and fantastic local musicians John D’earth on trumpet, Jeff Decker on saxophone, Butch Taylor on piano, Peter Spaar on bass and Robert Jospé on drums.

http://music.virginia.edu/node/2425

---

Wow! John D'earth recorded with Emily Remler. One of the few to tread on that particular part of Mount Olympus. He's on Catwalk, one of my favorites.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ducatista47

Wow! John D'earth recorded with Emily Remler. One of the few to tread on that particular part of Mount Olympus.

---

Yes, indeed. And I have both of her CDs on which he appears. She had nice stuff to say about him back then, too.

D'earth is on the Music faculty at UVA as well as performing a weekly gig in the local restaurant/bar made famous for having been where Dave Matthews tended bar before he got his big break. Bob Jospé is also well-known for his Jazz drumming and knowledge of and pedagogy in percussion throughout history and cultures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D'earth

Hello Ducatista47

I am seeing Johnette at a small local venue called The Boulton Center. Great place to see a show. Last time I saw her was in 2012 at Irving Plaza in Manhattan. I watch her web page about once a month to see if she's touring.

http://boultoncenter.org/

Went to see Styx on Friday and Steve Hackett last night. Both venues were using Vertec and the sound was great in both of them.

Rob:)

Actually a post mortem here. Skipped over to Bloomington, Illinois to the Castle Theater and heard Sonny Landreth. Patrolled By Radar opened. Landreth is well known for having a phenomenal grasp of the electric guitar.

Less well known, Bosco Sheff of PBR is a master of the electrified resophonic guitar. He uses a slide but has a fierce electric tone, several of them actually. I kept looking for a Palm Pedal or a Floyd Rose, but his pedal steel type bends are just his hands, like Roy Buchanan, only better. He gets more out of a twelve fret clear neck than anyone I can remember. I have never heard anything remotely like him.

Matthew Curry, tomorrow night at the Castle Theater in Bloomington, IL. I know two of the four band members.

I saw Trans Siberian Orchestra a couple of weeks ago. Had never seen or heard them but a bunch of friends were going so I tagged along. They are as much a stage performance as a musical performance. The stage show and special effects were spectacular. I don't think I've ever seen so much flame shooting all over the place. At 2 points in the performance the lead guitarist and the violin player were on small platforms the raised up and extended out over the audience, they must have been 30' above the spectators. It was a lot of fun and I quite enjoyed it but somehow not as musically satisfying as a lot of other bands. Some of that may be my lack of familiarity with the music.