Boc: BOC Cleveland Ohio Show

[Swartz, John A.]

Ah, it pains me to comment on this thread, but unfortunately it appears that an excellent BOC show is not the lock that it used to be.  The last BOC show I was at was early 2008 and it was absolutely fantastic (they pulled out lots of old chestnuts), and I know they did a very well-received fans-only show last November.  But based on setlists I've seen of many recent shows, I can understand fans frustration.  It would seem based on the setlists that Eric's ability to sing has been diminished - this happened back in the late 90's for a year or so when he only sang 2 or 3 songs (and "E.T.I." was more "rapped", then sung).  He "came back" after that, and the band added Eric-belting songs like "Astronomy" and "Take Me Away" back in the setlist.  Unfortunately we're back to a mostly Buck-sung setlist (nothing wrong with Buck's vocals, and it's cool to get some otherwise unheard tunes like "Shooting Shark", "Perfect Water", and "I Love the Night" (all 3 verses), but there is something missing without Eric's heavier vocals, and some of the songs that go with them).  

I'm not sure if Buck's injury that kept the band out of action for 6 months is a factor...

However, while they are now "2 Oyster Cult" again, I thought the 3 "other guys" added a good deal of energy to their line-up.  Jules is an excellent drummer, Richie is possibly the most musically talented of all of them (Heaven Forbid!!), and Rudy Szarzo needs no introduction.  

Finally, we can opine whether or not BOC has anything left to offer, but I'd turn this around - what demand motivates them to do anything other than what they're doing?  They're playing for a paycheck and (hopefully) they still enjoy what they are doing, but other than a (diminishing) base of hardcore fans that still hope they might breakout the setlist from *On Your Feet or on Your Knees* (and a few even more disillusioned fans that think the original line-up might still play together some day), what motivation to they have to do anything different?

Keep "living in the pocket of the moment",

John

PS:  I thought *Heaven Forbid* and *Curse of the Hidden Mirror* were excellent albums - understandably though, the demand from the audiences (who are aging as fast as most of the band) is not that great.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Theodore O Jackson [mailto:tjackson at SYR.EDU]
> Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 12:42 PM
> Subject: Re: Boc: BOC Cleveland Ohio Show
> 
> I guess 2ÖC must still be making some money out of playing the county
> fairs with the puppet shows, since I can't think of why else they are
> doing it.
> 
> 
> Yah, if not for the 'Taste of Peoria' type shows and Indian
> casinos, I guess 2ÖC would be out of business...
> 
> 
> 
> The last time I saw any incarnation of the band (in London
> probably at least 5 years ago!), Alan was still aboard to make it
> 3ÖC, but other than Buck (and, actually, Alan) still being able to
> crank out some cool guitar, it was pretty clear that there was
> nothing really going on.  Honestly, Eric's recent "Hamtouchers"
> Warhammer song was more fun than most of "Curse of the Hidden Mirror"
> -- and what's the likelihood of 2ÖC being able to crank out an album
> better than _Harvest Moon_ (which at least had a pretty decent title
> track,
> 
> Heaven Forbid?  But yeah, Harvest Moon is a truly great song.
> I guess they probably quit doing it live a while back, which
> is too bad as it was one of their best songs live...
> 
> 
> 
> for all that it was a retread of something Buck wrote in the
> 80s) or _CotHM_?  Slight, is my lamentable prediction -- in which
> case, what's the point?
> 
> Though I can understand a band that doesn't produce a lot of new
> material but delivers ripping, amazing live performances .... it's
> not like 2ÖC seem to be doing that anyway. :/ Maybe they figure that
> they are now so low on the radar that they can just run the name into
> the ground with no harm done?  I dunno ....
> 
> 
> Yah, sounds about right.  Besides they're at a good age to retire.
> Do a couple more years of municipal festivals and call it a day.
> Well, you can always spin Secret Treaties any time ya want...
> 
> 
> tj