BOC: Fireworks over Central NY

[Ted Jackson jr. 6L6]

> From:          Torgo <torgo at NORWICH.NET>

> Hey Gang:
>
> Caught BOC today at the Fireworks over Central New York festival. It felt
> good to finally catch the recent incarnation of the band live, as the last
> time I saw them was right after Club Ninja came out. The band played 6th
> out of 8 bands, right in between Government Mule and Matchbox 20, before a
> hammered crowd of local ninnies soaking up the sunshine on this Sunday
> afternoon.
>
> The setlist was:
>
> Stairway to the stars
> ETI
> Buck's Boogie
> Dominance and Submission
> Cities on Flame
> Last days of May
> Burnin' for You
> Godzilla
> Don't fear the Reaper
>
> The band opened up with STAIRWAY TO THE STARS, and the first thing I
> noticed was how Eric Bloom's voice really didn't have much spunk. His voice
> seemed very high and strained, and not the deep, menacing growl I remember
> from live BOC albums and the last time I saw them live 10 years ago.

Yet this was far and away the best he's sounded overall in the last 4
BOC gigs I've seen since December!

> Overall band sound was good, although they were not nearly as ear splitting
> as Government Mule before them.
>
Oh man, but GM rocked out, didn't they?  Way loud, and sometimes
rambling, but those 3 dudes can rule the stage.  Warren's way too
good a singer to be relegated to 2-3 songs during an Allmans show.
And given the depth of his songwriting ability, it only makes sense
that he'd want his own gig...


> By the time the band got around to Dominance and Submission, Eric's voice

Hey, it was great to see even this one variation from the stock
setlist.  I might be imagining this, but I was directly in front of
BD in the first row, and I swear he winked at me when he saw my
reaction to DaS...

> seemed to have improved, and he summoned up some of that power and passion
> in his voice that I always remembered. It seemed as if he saved himself up
> on Stairway and ETI, took a break on Buck's Boogie, and then let loose what
> he had left on the two "Albert songs" that were paired with each other,
> knowing that Buck would be taking over Vocals for the bulk of what remained

Yeah, I was almost encouraged.  And he showed a lot more animation
than I've seen in other shows.  He really warmed up to DaS.  I've got
many pictures of the performance.  Hope some of them come out
okay...Also some good shots of GM.  Warren used a Firebird for the
first couple songs.  Looked and sounded cool...

> ahead. Although many debates remain unsettled over whether Bloom can pull
> of the Albert songs of not, the band ripped the heaviest through these 2
> songs, and for me it was the highlight of the show. Lets just say D&S and

They were great, but I think TCtLDoM was the best thing they did,
maybe tied with Buck's Boogie, and I can't leave out DaS, as I
desperately want them to open up the setlist a little...

The EB vs, Al debate?  Well, I have my reasons for actually
preferring EB on DaS [at least in his prime] but, they need to be
private.   CoF?  A sacrilege that anyone other than Al should attempt
this song...

> Cities are good enough tunes that they smoke no matter who plays them.
>
> I was clever enough to be on the Allen side of the stage, my fave place to
> be. Allen for me has always been the unsung hero of the band, as I can't
> imagine BOC ever nailing down that overall eerieness they have in their
> sound without the man. He smoked, he jammed, he pounded keys, and all in
> all just did the Allen thing that he does so well. Never says a word, but
> for me the man is the biggest presence on a BOC stage. Buck is Buck and he
> threw out some amazing leads, but gimme Allen anyday.
>
I agree that Allen is underappreciated, but I think you go too far in
the other direction.  BD IS the band, pointe finale, c'est tout...


> Then came "the big three" and the crowd started picking up on who the band
> was. It was funny during Burnin' to see throngs of 13 year olds with
> everything from their eyelids to the colons pierced, turn to each other and
> say "Oh, like wow, I know this song". Which brings us back to the debate on
> whether the big 3 are as BIG as they are, or a low point in the show for

Oh, they're big all right.  The only one I really don't like is
Burnin.'  I though Reaper was amazing last night.  Although I am sick
to death of the song, BD still smokes the hell out of it every time.
And who am I to begrudge my favorite band for having an actual
monster hit song [other than Godzilla]?  And speaking of big songs,
did you see how the crowd poured out in droves during Matchbox 20's
[a most pleasant surprise, BTW] set after they played their big hit?

> those of us who have heard them 1,000 times. The crowd didn't really
> respond until the big 3, and they seemed to sort of expect them. Godzilla
> IMHO is still great on stage, it thunders, it booms, and its a perfect
> place for Bass and Drum solos.
>
> Danny had a bass solo which rumbled in your belly a bit, which led into
> Bobby's drum solo. I remember Bobby from his Rainbow days, and he still has
> all the panache on the drums he always did. Bobby also looked like time and
> twinkies have been good to him. He's a hulking menace of hair and belly
> behind the skins, and of course I mean that in a good way. I like the way
> he looks back there. :^)
>
> So all in all it was a good set. I didn't get to hear really anything
> different from the last set I saw them do 10 years ago, but anytime I get
> to see BOC live I will take it, if you know what I mean. Would have liked
> to hear one of the newer tunes people on the list have talked about, but
> alas, it wasn't to be today. Eric never said a word about an upcoming
> album, and I certainly didn't ask.
>
> And there you have it.
>
>
> Torgo has left the building......
> torgo at norwich.net
Torgo, Sorry I couldn't meet you.  I figured you'd be on the BD side
of the stage, so I didn't even look over toward Allen's side for ya.
You couldn't have missed me, as I was right in front of BD, taking
pictures...

theo