Report from the Cleveland show

[Ghostrider]

I expected them to have mastered the albums that they brought out 20 years ago, instead it sounded like they were trying out the songs for the first time.

almost correct.. they've been trying most songs for 2 years now.. and some songs only since a few gigs..

but then again.. for a big fan like you this isn't any news, is it?


you didn't offend anyone.. just don't expect a warm welcome when you crash the party upon your first post...

[industrialgrrl]

I expected them to have mastered the albums that they brought out 20 years ago, instead it sounded like they were trying out the songs for the first time.

almost correct.. they've been trying most songs for 2 years now.. and some songs only since a few gigs..

but then again.. for a big fan like you this isn't any news, is it?

I'm speaking in terms of Andrew. He is the band. Just like Melora is to Rasputina, Trent is to NIN, and Nick is to the Bad Seeds. Any frontman should be able to pick the right men (or women) to play and perform like they were there from day one. I saw Rasputina last night, and they had a whole new band, first date on the tour, and it was phenomenal!!

[Prescott]

I expected them to have mastered the albums that they brought out 20 years ago, instead it sounded like they were trying out the songs for the first time.

almost correct.. they've been trying most songs for 2 years now.. and some songs only since a few gigs..

but then again.. for a big fan like you this isn't any news, is it?

I'm speaking in terms of Andrew. He is the band. Just like Melora is to Rasputina, Trent is to NIN, and Nick is to the Bad Seeds. Any frontman should be able to pick the right men (or women) to play and perform like they were there from day one. I saw Rasputina last night, and they had a whole new band, first date on the tour, and it was phenomenal!!

Whatever, you're just mad because Andrew turned his rock band you and a bunch of other hopeless G*ths thought was a g*th band into a HARD rock band.

Admit it, you don't like it because it doesn't sound all jangly and spooky like The Reptile House E.P. or Colours.

They are a rock band. Get used to it. Chris and Ben are very talented guitarists and the songs sound the way they do now because that's how Andrew wants them to sound. Otherwise he wouldn't have picked Ben or Chris in the first place.

I'm sure that a HUGE fan like yourself already knows all this though.

[Petseri]

You have just as much support for your right to express a negative opinion, and my gut feeling is that most around here will agree that you have a right to express your opinion even if it is not their own. I doubt that people are coming down on you for that. Your description of the show in many ways is in line with what others have described. In fact, it largely echoes what AdrenochromeOH wrote in the first post. Maybe the problem was the manner in which it was presented, not the message it contained.

On the other hand, you may have a point here:

WOW....what a bunch of angry vultures you people can be.

Do you at least dislike You Could Be the One?

[industrialgrrl]

Whatever, you're just mad because Andrew turned his rock band you and a bunch of other hopeless G*ths thought was a g*th band into a HARD rock band.

Goth? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually, I'm a metal chick. I love Tiamat, Moonspell, and Behemoth. AND....I teach 2nd grade, so I look fairly normal. So, no...I'm not goth and never have been. I love all the recordings from SOM brought out through the various record labels. I'm not one to dig into bootlegs and such. Though, I have quite an extensive music collection. You guys make me laugh so hard with your responses....lol.

[dinky daisy]

WOW....what a bunch of angry vultures you people can be. The title of the forum was "Report from the Cleveland Show." I thought I'd simply be able to post my opinion like everyone else does on this board. I guess it should have been titled "Positive Comments about the Cleveland Show ONLY!" Thanks to those that did stand up for me.

Sorry if I offended all of you, but those were my thoughts on the show. I'm 30 years old, and have been listening to SOM since I was 12. The last time they came through Pittsburgh, I was 13. I was unable to go to the show due to my age. I've been to hundreds of shows. I listen to a wide variety of music. The Nick Cave show in DC last month was awesome....and I'm not even a fan of his music!! This was seriously the worst show I have ever seen in my life.

I don't ever carry a cell phone, nor was I chatting much during the show. I was desperately trying to appreciate the music, but I simply couldn't because of the lack of sound. I don't care about the smoke/fog, I could care less about actually seeing them. The sound was what I care most about, and it was nearly nonexistent. You could not dance to anything being played, let along figure out what he was singing. There was little to no effort being put into the music. You cannot deny that...and if you do your expectations are quite low for this band. I expected them to have mastered the albums that they brought out 20 years ago, instead it sounded like they were trying out the songs for the first time.

Unfortunately, I don't have time to waste on discussion boards. I just wanted to make people aware of the poor quality of sound and presentation of this current tour. I wish I would have read the message boards before attending the show. I might have been slightly less disappointed.

You ARE right, the sound is sometimes f**ked and it was a hard time for me the first time BUT... it's like wine. You have to understand Sisters is not a Vin de Las Vegas du 1981, but a hangout in a deranged Hamburg anno 2080. If you expect skull-print bandana's, chains, fire, a 12-string guitar that plays Walk Away and bats flying around in holograms: it's time to take another sip.

BTW i saw Cave last year and it went in and out. Sound was perfect, though.

[7anthea7]

I'm not one to dig into bootlegs and such.

That's where you may have missed the boat - they would have given you a clue as to what you might be in for at a live show, i.e. enormous variation in both quality and arrangements. If you stick entirely to the 'official' catalogue, you wouldn't have any idea what the Sisters actually sound like - because they are and always have been all over the map. Although I suppose you could also have assumed it was a lack of expertise on the part of whoever did the recording...

[bismarck]

I saw Rasputina last night...

Who?

I love all the recordings from SOM brought out through the various record labels.

Which labels were those?

I'm a metal chick.

Not an industrial grrl, then?

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That says it all. For me, personally.

But please, do stick around. This is a lot more fun than the bunch of 40-ish English wags and few South American teenagers we usually get.

[Ozpat]

I just wanted to make people aware of the poor quality of sound and presentation of this current tour.

No...you urged people to stay at home and not to waste money (in capitals). A huge fan would not say such thing. A huge fan supports the band and can even criticize it to full extend.

Obviously you can't judge all the shows on the TOUR as you have not been to all of them. The quality of sound from the start till now ranges from poor to great.

As Petseri said the problem was the manner in which it was presented, not the message (that would be ridicilous).

Your not goff but a metal chick who teaches and look fairly NORMAL?
Well I'm neither goff nor a metal chick but wtf is normal?

Somebody seen me coat?

[Ghostrider]

I'm speaking in terms of Andrew. He is the band. Just like Melora is to Rasputina, Trent is to NIN, and Nick is to the Bad Seeds. Any frontman should be able to pick the right men (or women) to play and perform like they were there from day one.

that's where you're wrong.. it USED to be this way.. but not anymore since Chris and Ben joined up.. these days, you can see a real band on stage, where the guitar guys seem to have a pretty big say in the band thing.. they get opportunity to play songs differently, just check the way Flood I, Giving Ground and some other songs are played these days, with more agressive guitar riffs.. they do backing vocals on almost all songs..

this is hardcore fan country.. Heartland..
where most people know the band inside out and buy tickets the first second they are available..
where people visit the official site every day to check for updates on the live page..
this is a familly, which doesn't get mad because of one bad gig.. hell.. a bad gig is better than no gig at all..
and we know the band well enough to know they do surprise us on a regular basis by now..
so understand we don't appreciate it when someone comes along and just posts "it sucked, don't waste money, stay at home"
that would have een like going to an Obama meeting and saying, don't vote for him, i didn't like that 1 word he used..

imo, you should have listened to a recent gig first, just to be prepared to what to expect.. i bet you even never heard "Still" before you went to see them now (even though that song is over 2 years old now)..

don't be mad at Andrew.. he could have easily let the sisters die when Whammy left in 2005.. but instead he took on a young tallented guitarist and continued making the sisters more and more into a genuine rock band..

there were many who had doubts about Ben when he first joined.. but after seeing all the changes, most of the fans have embraced him as a real sister (sorry Ben, i know this sounds wrong in so many ways.. )

finally, i have 1 advice for you, industrialgirl:
whenever you're gonna see a band live for the first time (in a long time), check out some of their recent live setlists and reviews.. unless you wanna go see a band which never changes what they play and how they play it..

but do stick around.. somehow i like the stuborn way in which you keep to your negative thoughts..

[dinky daisy]

"I love Tiamat, Moonspell, and Behemoth."

That's at last a benefit of The Sisters: it's a universe where 'your' type of music hits 'my' Pet Shop Boys.

[Prescott]

industrialgrrl, just wanted to apologize if you think I was too harsh. You are definitely entitled to your own opinion.