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| Saturday, December 02, 2006 |
| Skin and Bones |
I have just recently received my copy of the new Foo Fighters DVD and CD, Skin and Bones, and I have been listening to it non-stop. I was lucky enough to see them tour last year in support of In Your Honour, but I had mixed feelings after the event. Allow me to explain.
I have been a fan of them since day 1, and I loved Colour and the Shape. However, just recently I have found a lot of their stuff to be a bit repetitive. It just seems like they are trying to produce the best head banging riff, instead of concentrating on the actual substance of the songs. This has, however, seen them explode in popularity and now everyone seems to be a fan. I guess this is what pisses me off more than anything else. I guess that is one of the cool things about Pearl Jam. I mean, I know they are big in a lot of other places, but over here they have never really been massive. It kind of makes them my band and, although a part of me wants them to be huge, I like the fact that they are my secret.
I first got to se the Foos back in 1997. Back then they were a popular rock band, but they were still relatively small. I guess this was exemplified by the venue I saw them at. It was 26th May 1997 and we saw them at the Southampton Guildhall. This was around the time The Colour... was released and they played mainly small venues. The Guildhall only holds about 1,000 people, so you can imagine what it was like. Even at the back, you felt like you could reach out and touch the band. It was awesome and, along with Radiohead's Kid A gig in London, it was a highlight in my gig-going past. I remember being three rows back and seeing Dave close up and realising that just a matter of inches away from me was the drummer from Nirvana (who I sadly never got to see) and lead singer of a band that were likely to become massive. It was a very cool moment, and I am proud to see that I really was there before they became huge.
Then came the Earls Court gig. Well, on this occassion, there must have been around 20,000 people there at least, so it was a very different experience. Unfortunately we had seats right at the back (bummer) so we did't really get the full experience. But the crowd was such a difference. At Southampton there were some real hard-core rockers, punks and grungers (like myself!), the full alternative experience. At Earls Court, there was a more mainstream crowd. The kind that would go to a Westlife gig if they could get tickets. How disheartening. They seemed to have lost their alternative roots and become an ordinary rock band. I could have cried. Then comes the DVD......
The DVD contains there gig at Hyde Park (which I missed out on). This time there was 85,000 people there. I suppose a part of me is happy that they have done so well, but another part longs for the days where I was one of just a thousand people crammed into a tiny venue. I guess those days will never return. Damn. Thankfully, the acoustic set makes up for this. Some of the songs sound so well crafted that you cannot deny that the guy has immense talent. There are even songs that I ignored on their last album that I have grown to love on this one (Over and Out being one). Although, I do wish they would play the original Everlong (what an amazing song - their best). I guess I should just hold onto my happy memories of seeing them in the early days, but it is hard to think that I will never again experience such an intimate gig. |
posted by korova @ 2:03 pm  |
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| 4 Comments: |
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I've heard the acoustic stuff was good. I might have to get that dvd myself.
It's true what you say- the smaller gigs make for a much better experience, but as bands become bigger it would just be impossible to get tickets.
You will have to find a new band to see in some smaller venues and escape your early 90's rut.
: )
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No damn it!!! Leave me in my early nineties utopia, it's nice and cosy and safe!
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I have thought about purchasing this album too. I have been a fan of the Fighters Of The Foo since their first album, which was huge over here. There is no question that Dave has a lot of talent, and I'm glad that he found an outlet for it. I have seen them twice live, and have never been impressed with their live shows. I find that Dave just screams too much, and overall its a fairly boring set. Their CDs are much more enjoyable.
btw, what do you mean by the original Everlong? Is there more than one version? :)
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yeah, the colour and the shape version is different to the slowed down version they now play. I keep waiting for it to kick in, but it never seems to!!!
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I've heard the acoustic stuff was good. I might have to get that dvd myself.
It's true what you say- the smaller gigs make for a much better experience, but as bands become bigger it would just be impossible to get tickets.
You will have to find a new band to see in some smaller venues and escape your early 90's rut.
: )