Thanks to the generous sharing of the Brixton Academy and Birmingham NEC shows on this forum, I've spent many happy hours listening and comparing to more recent shows from the last couple of tours.
What really strikes me is today's pitifully weak guitars, both playing-wise and from a sound perspective, and the overall too clean, sterile and hollow live sound, usually (always?) performed at an altogether way too low volume, compared with the glorious, powerful guitar sound of the 1993 shows and the shows in general (AE and the Doktor not least).
Anyone agree? Is the current SoM sound rig inadequate, and part of the problem?
Sisters live sound – the majestic 1993 sound vs today's
I guess it's common fact that guitars aren't what they used to be, quieter, weaker and so, and that AE vox is not to sexy and vox not too strong, nowadays, yet when it still sttract people, it still can be a good or at least decent show.
Didn't we already do this dance?
A million times i think...Pista wrote:Didn't we already do this dance?
The past is another concert, they do things louder there. As somebody probably said.The Chancer Corporation
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markfiend
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Oh well doneabridged wrote:The past is another concert, they do things louder there. As somebody probably said.
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
—Bertrand Russell
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eastmidswhizzkid
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^^Wot he said^^ ( 
smartarse 
)
smartarse ) Well I was handsome and I was strong
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
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Swinnow
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Can I have the 80's mix of 12 string jangle and 6 string crunch please.
The early 90's chase the yanky dollar period was a bit meh to my ears.
The lesson is, we all like what we like, and long may that be the case. It would be a bit boring if Heartland became an echo chamber like, say, Momentum or Conservative Home.
The early 90's chase the yanky dollar period was a bit meh to my ears.
The lesson is, we all like what we like, and long may that be the case. It would be a bit boring if Heartland became an echo chamber like, say, Momentum or Conservative Home.
....if I have to explain, then you'll never understand....
Heh. True!eastmidswhizzkid wrote:^^Wot he said^^ (
As far as I remember in the 90s people were saying ah but it isn't as good as in the 80s. The grass is always greener or as it's the Sisters maybe blacker! The Chancer Corporation
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Swinnow
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The grass is always blacker???? 
It is rumoured, by untrustworthy types, that I always opted for Leb, in a previous life, of course
Just say no, kids!
It is rumoured, by untrustworthy types, that I always opted for Leb, in a previous life, of course
Just say no, kids!
....if I have to explain, then you'll never understand....
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Izzy HaveMercy
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As a comparison, but don't take my word for it because you all know that I especially liked the Sisters 20 years ago and earlier....
Compare a band like G 'n' R today live and in the eighties....
compare FotN back then, and now...
They still have that beefy full-on sound.
If I want to hear a good, full-on Sisters sound or even the lovely twangy new-wave sound of the early days, I go see a Sisters coverband, I'm sorry to say.
So I agree with Yggdrasil and all the other dancers
IZ.
Compare a band like G 'n' R today live and in the eighties....
compare FotN back then, and now...
They still have that beefy full-on sound.
If I want to hear a good, full-on Sisters sound or even the lovely twangy new-wave sound of the early days, I go see a Sisters coverband, I'm sorry to say.
So I agree with Yggdrasil and all the other dancers
IZ.
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markfiend
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...and in both cases Carl may very well have been miming.Izzy HaveMercy wrote:compare FotN back then, and now...
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
—Bertrand Russell
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eastmidswhizzkid
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and yet: Motorhead on the 1916 tour 28 years ago (Leicester DeMontfort Hall, medium sized hall) was THE loudest sound i have ever heard -so loud it was physically painful whilst remaining crystal clear- but in 2002 & 2003 (B'ham NIA, cavernous arena & Nottinham Rock City, medium sized hall) you could talk over the band with no raising your voice.
Similarly Hammersmith Odeon in 2002 for Velvet Revolver was blistering voluminous but the year after -same band- not only was it talkover-able the place was full of wankers wearing ear-plugs , given out free by the venue, in line with the nanny-state's guidlines on looking after our hearing.
Similarly Hammersmith Odeon in 2002 for Velvet Revolver was blistering voluminous but the year after -same band- not only was it talkover-able the place was full of wankers wearing ear-plugs , given out free by the venue, in line with the nanny-state's guidlines on looking after our hearing.
Well I was handsome and I was strong
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
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Drsisters
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I think we need to take in the aspect of size of venues and gear.
1993
Brixton Academy have a capacity around 4900
Birmingham NEC have a max capacity of 15000 if you use the main venue, which I don't remember if The Sisters played. so for argument say the same capacity as Brixton Academy. Remember that The Sisters was backed then by WEA to some point. Take in account of the PA system you need to fill these arenas.
2019
London Roundhouse have an capacity of 1700. Trädågrn in Gothenburg around the same capacity. Imagine if you cranked in the PA system you need to fill Brixton Academy in such a small venue, it would be a mess. Flip the coin around and crank in the PA system from Roundhouse into Brixton Academy, It would sound utter garbage on all account.
Another aspect you have to take into account is the gear the different guitar players use. Ben and Dylan uses digital amps, Adam and Andreas used analogue amps. Different doctor as well...
Very hard to compare past and present due to these factors.
1993
Brixton Academy have a capacity around 4900
Birmingham NEC have a max capacity of 15000 if you use the main venue, which I don't remember if The Sisters played. so for argument say the same capacity as Brixton Academy. Remember that The Sisters was backed then by WEA to some point. Take in account of the PA system you need to fill these arenas.
2019
London Roundhouse have an capacity of 1700. Trädågrn in Gothenburg around the same capacity. Imagine if you cranked in the PA system you need to fill Brixton Academy in such a small venue, it would be a mess. Flip the coin around and crank in the PA system from Roundhouse into Brixton Academy, It would sound utter garbage on all account.
Another aspect you have to take into account is the gear the different guitar players use. Ben and Dylan uses digital amps, Adam and Andreas used analogue amps. Different doctor as well...
Very hard to compare past and present due to these factors.
Andrew Eldritch Dour Festival 1997: Yeah, We take any request... As much as we ever do.
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eastmidswhizzkid
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Also: no offence but the live sound of the so-called 'golden-age' Sisters cannot really be judged from concert recordings and nor can the modern day sound be judged from concert recordings. even if you have been to see the Sisters since the 00's you cant really do more than generalise. Last 2 gigs i attended were different sound-wise and they were on consecutive nights in the same venue! Anyway -if you tell the Dude it needs turning up he goes and does it. 
Well I was handsome and I was strong
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
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Swinnow
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- Location: In the Gazebo Of Badness, just outside BD3
You did, but only for those evangelists who would applaud Von farting 'Ode To Joy' through a stylophone and call it art.
Jesus loves the sisters, but only in appropriate shirts :p
Jesus loves the sisters, but only in appropriate shirts :p
....if I have to explain, then you'll never understand....
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eastmidswhizzkid
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Jesus Loves The Sisters but not as much as we do.
Well I was handsome and I was strong
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
Exactly my point – I've seen many bands (FotN included) in recent years who all had a fantastic, full, rich live sound, in equally sized venues that the Sisters are playing these days.Izzy HaveMercy wrote: compare FotN back then, and now...
They still have that beefy full-on sound.
If I want to hear a good, full-on Sisters sound or even the lovely twangy new-wave sound of the early days, I go see a Sisters coverband, I'm sorry to say.
So I agree with Yggdrasil and all the other dancers
IZ.
It feels like a lot of people here are in denial that the SoM live sound is objectively worse these days than it used to be.
I'm not saying that the band sucks or that I can't enjoy them – it's just that for me, the Sisters sound piffling and weak these days (and you can talk over the music), and nothing like the industrial groove machine they ought to sound like.[/i]
Thanks, it appears I did...Swinnow wrote:You did, but only for those evangelists who would applaud Von farting 'Ode To Joy' through a stylophone and call it art.
Jesus loves the sisters, but only in appropriate shirts :p
It's funny how some fans are like the type of tragic football fans who support a team no matter what, regardless of who the players are, the owners, or the quality of the playing.
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Being645
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As long as there are objective people, the world is saved.Yggdrasil wrote:Thanks, it appears I did...Swinnow wrote:You did, but only for those evangelists who would applaud Von farting 'Ode To Joy' through a stylophone and call it art.
Jesus loves the sisters, but only in appropriate shirts :p
It's funny how some fans are like the type of tragic football fans who support a team no matter what, regardless of who the players are, the owners, or the quality of the playing.
While that's true (I've been a fan through all incarnations, and like them all), that's not what I'm getting at – if the band played just like they are playing now (setlist, performance) I wouldn't have a problem with it. It's the fact that the sound is weak, and that they sound nowhere near as good as they ought to be able to sound – a problem e.g. FOTN (and most other bands) simply don't have – something which became especially obvious to me listening to the 1993 shows.abridged wrote:
As far as I remember in the 90s people were saying ah but it isn't as good as in the 80s. The grass is always greener or as it's the Sisters maybe blacker!
