On Matthew Good

[chezmax]

So, J and I attended the Matthew Good concert at Center in the Square last night. Somehow, we managed to end up with fourth row seats, so the view was quite good, but it was quite loud. Matt is touring with a band again, rather than playing near-acoustically, and thus the volume MUST BE LOUD, which is too bad, cause it doesn't do much justice to CITSs acoustics. Or perhaps I'm just getting crotchetty and need to bring ear plugs (I probably will now...)

The opening band was The Spades, who seem to be a somewhat decent up-and-coming pure rock band. They've got some catchy riffs, and great solos, and a great drummer (I was quite impressed by their instrumental/drum solo song), but the vocals and main parts of their songs need some tightening up. Although, listening to their samples on their web site, they seem to be much more... toned down in the studio.

Matt Good opened with Avalanche, and the other songs I recognized in the mean set were Weapon, Load Me Up, and Born Losers. He also played his newest single The Devil's In Your Details.

Unfortunately, I really really like Matthew Good Band stuff, and his first solo album (Alvalanche) and some of his second (White Light Rock & Roll Review), but I don't find the newest (Hospital Music) especially catchy. So, a lot of the show just had a 'wall of noise' aspect. A bunch of noise was being made that wasn't particularly catchy or memorable (and which is probably good background listening music at normal volumes, I probably would like the newest CD if I listened to it some more...) and so I started finding myself kind of bored. Also, stop shining the really bright lights into the audience eyes for minutes at a time. We can't *see* when you do that.

The encore was good: he played Giant (K-I-C-K-A-S-S, that's how we spell success!), which is a favourite of mine from the MGB days, Apparitions (his best known song, but not my favourite, but it has grown on me over the years), and ended with It's Been A While Since I Was Your Man. So overall, the concert was mediocre. Maybe I'd have enjoyed it more with ear plugs, but he's just not rockin' out these days.

Comments

[gx7.livejournal.com]

Wasn't it Matt Good that played in Fed Hall when we were frosh?

I'm pretty sure it was... and that I ended up leaving because of the "wall of noise" aspect. Their stuff was too loud and not well balanced for the room. I love a good rock concert - heck I stood in front of the speakers, at the stage, for Metalica when I was 14 - and I thought that he sucked live. :/

[chezmax]

Yes, I believe he played Fed Hall for Villagers. I was Off Campus, so I wasn't invited. I saw him a little later at Lulu's.

But yeah, his live sound engineering could use some work. It was ok when he was playing nearly acoustically cause there was a lot less *stuff* to make noise. Sigh. I'll have to start wearing earplugs. That makes me feel so old :)

[phantasm13.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear that Mr. Max.

Andrew wears ear plugs even to the movies.

So are you coming tomorrow now that it's at noon instead of one?

[chezmax]

We are!

[phantasm13.livejournal.com]

WOOT

[jennyrhill.livejournal.com]

I always wear earplugs at concerts, but I'm probably a little more protective of my hearing than most people, since I don't hear all that well to start with.