DC 2/10/13: Well, It Ain't 1986 Any More.
All,
Keeping in mind, I've been a hard core fan since '84 and have seen Bj well over 30 times, here's the deal and the realy skinny for similia hard core fans....it ain't 1986 any more.
Ok, fine....it's 2013. Two tickets on upper tier 1, 3/4 toward the back cost nearly $500. Awful looking Tshirts were $50/ea.(really). Will get those later on Ebay for cheaper. Beer? $9/ea. The beer seemed like a better investment. The floor seats I read were $400/ea, while the pit was $1700/ea. I keep saying, "it's 2013, ok.".
Simply put, the band is getting old like the rest of us. I used to leave BJ concerts dripping in sweat from dancing so much, and now when one looks around, people sway, wave their hands, move their shoulders. And sit. No one was breaking a sweat tonight. That includes our beloved band.
Someone once said on this board that BJ doesn't make rock n roll anymore. That's partially true....they've fully immersed themselves into a contemporary rock band, something alot safer than what they used to be. Now, keeping in mind the acoustics in the Verizon Center suck ass, the guitars weren't sharp, the drums muffled. The stage design was completely inconsiderate for the other folks that paid $200/seat to sit behind the stage as the backdrop that rose and fell sometimes completely blocked the back. Buyer beware...do NOT buy those seats!!
There was also not as much happening on stage though. Except for a few times when he moved around the outer stage perimeter, Jon stayed in one place. Richie hardly existed, and it could have been anyone playing guitar tonight.
The new songs sound cool but again, it's not rock and it's clear we'll never see Jon flying out of the stage floor for the intro of Let it Rock. He sauntered on, sauntered off.
Could I read this guy's a mind? A little, we all could when he played a block of the new songs, and literally, most of the stadium crowd was sitting. I've never seen a performer ask a crowd of their faithful followers to "be patient". And then ask everyone to get back on their feet when the old stuff came back (think about that...he saw people sitting and told people to satnd up when the new stuff was over...the man could see the energy just let the room)...but those songs really didn't...there was no edge, no hard guitar. They didn't quite phone it in but i wold have felt somewhat robbed if my ticket cost was any higher. Thank god I didn't waste money on that tshirt.
Jon asked the crowd to be patient twice, and I get it...they need to play some new tracks to sell the album. But he could feel the vibe flee the stadium once the crowd couldn't recognize the third song. As he said, they're still making music rather than touring will a greatest hits albums and talking about the old times. But I used to sweat and dance in those old times, not sway my shoulders, and tap my foot to Captain Crash. As someone alluded to, anything past 2006 has that contemporary feeling, and Jon may seem to not know that stuff doesn't have the same biting edge.
He sings about glasses of wine and technicolor kisses nowadays.
To note: hearing Wild is the Wind was awesome and made the night that much better.
Again, I'll buy the new music and probably like it a lot as a dedicated and faithful follower of this band that's been an integral and meaningful part of our lives. They have been good to us, and I am thankful, so please take this criticism akin to watching Superman being no longer able to lift a car or bend steel with his bare hands. It's sad to watch, but this happens to every rock band and these guys have nothing to apologize for. They gave us alot of good years and tons of great music. But make no mistake about it, the real rock band is gone.
I don't think we'll ever break a sweat at a BJ concert again. Just need to decide if waving my arms and sashaying my shoulders are worth minimum $250/seat.
Last edited by jlewchuk; 02-11-2013 at 07:53 AM..
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02-11-2013, 06:35 AM
