BOC - Baltic, CT gig last Saturday

[John A Swartz]

>Seems like kind of a short show?  How was EB's voice?

Went from midnite to about 1:45.  Compares to what they've been doing
latetly from what I've read, although only 1 encore instead of 2.  While
it didn't show, I understand they were all pretty wiped out from trying
to get there from Niagara Falls the previous night in very bad weather.

As for EB's voice - based on what I heard on a few tapes from about a
year ago, it has improved tremendously.  Speaking honestly, while trying
not to be negative, it isn't back to the level it was a few years ago
(and, at Eric's age, and the years of toil he's put his voice through,
that is perhaps to be expected).  But, for the numbers which he did
sing, he sang very powerfully.  See You in Black and Flaming Telepaths
in particular, two not-exactly-easy-on-the-vocal-chords songs were
delivered without a hint of difficulty.  ETI, on the other hand - he
does it more like a rap than singing which I don't like as much as in
days of old.  Cities on Flame was done well, but not as well as SYIB
and FT -- maybe the guy just needs to get "warmed up" more these days?
Domminance and Submission and Godzilla were also delivered with no signs
of problems.  I also noticed that with Buck singing more, Eric has been
doing a bit more keyboards than in the past, with Allen doing more guitar.
All in all, Eric suprised and impressed me.

John