• From: England
  • Registered: 2008-07-04
  • Posts: 265

Topic: Cardiff 290409 Review

Great playing tonight by Joe at a rather small venue - 1,800. I won't go into the set because it was much the same as previous sets in the tour.The night was marred a little, for me, by the fact that my seat was too close to the left stack and the volume levels were too high IMO.

The dynamics of this band change every time I see them. The mix, intentional or not , puts Carmine and Rick very much into the background, but  leaving Bogie's excellent drumming to shine through strongly and of course the Boss , very much centre stage. What a night Bogie had, pretty well flawless and powerful drumming tonight. (Maybe not the case at Glasgow, from my contacts) The set went through well and I was  close enough so see Joes's fingers flying on those acoustic peices that reminded me of some old vinyl I had of Chick Corea/ Al Di Meola, pretty stunning stuff. We just don't know how good Joe is going to be - he is improving and progressing like a teenager, noticably better every six/ nine months or so that he seems to cycle on tour.

There were a few tech hitches at this gig , that were not apparant the last time I saw the band.The volume level was way too high for a small venue like Cardiff St Davids. From where I was sitting this was slightly distorting Joe's vocals on peak level. Carmine obviously couldn't hear his playing through his monitor for a long time.He was also playing very much as a background player and looking like he could now play this stuff backwards with one hand.OK, I will be honest - he looked slightly bored. The excessive reverb/ distortion after India and at the beginning of Mountain Time jarred a bit which gave enough distraction to wrong foot the band a little on timing on this track, but the rest of the set went very well.

This was certainly not the utterly flawless performance I saw at Bristol Colston Hall last tour, although Joe was well on form. They looked like a band who were beginning to think of something else - and we all know what that is- RAH on Monday.

Should be a great show, wish I could go, but I can't - I have to work the Bank Holiday. Good luck to the band and hope all you lucky ones with tickets have a ball.

No Ordinary Joe

2 Reply by Bob57 (edited by Bob57 2009-04-30 12:40:10)

  • Bob57
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 4

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

We were sitting in the middle of the stalls area and the sound and view were great. I have played guitar for twenty odd years now and having seen a number of greats, I can safely say that Joe's playing is right up there with them. He handles various styles with ease and manages to get a superb tone out of any guitar he plays.

  • Registered: 2008-02-23
  • Posts: 6

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

Got to admit I was disappointed with the performance and this was easily the worst I have seen the band. The top Hammond keyboard did not work for the first half and there were problems with the mix. Carmine spent more time telling the sound engineers to keep quiet and just didn't seem interested at all. The night was saved by Bogie's drumming, especially the intro to Highwater Everywhere but othwise a forgettable night. There are no excuses at St Davids Hall, as it is in the top 5 for acoustics in the UK. At least I did get Joe's plectrum but then I got threatened by 4 guys to hand it over. I didn't. All in a mixed eveing. Still looking forward to Monday though.

Bomber

4 Reply by varn (edited by varn 2009-04-30 12:55:30)

  • varn
  • New member
  • Offline
  • From: Warminster , u.k.
  • Registered: 2006-08-01
  • Posts: 8

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

Hi All,

Wow what can I say, last nights gig was excellent.

Yes there were some tech issues on the sound but this did not detract from Joe's playing one bit for me or my son Alex whose first ever gig this was.

He was absolutely blown away, I have never seen him smile so much (he is 15 , typical teenager with not smiling much lol)
It made my year seeing him enjoying the show the way he did.

I saw Joe first @ the Cheese and Grain in Frome a couple of years ago and thought that was incredible but I must agree that he does seem to be improving, which I find hard to believe as he is one of the best guitarists I have ever seen play & i've been to over 250 gigs in the past 28 years.

Again won't go into set list details as it was the same as previous nights but even knowing the set list did not detract from the sheer pleasure this gig gave to me and Alex.

My only niggle is with the merchandise i.e. the Tshirts have no tour dates on the back as this was Alex's first gig wanted him to have the date on the T so he could wear it and say I was there.

Did get a couple anyway so he could have a memento of the show and he wore it home with great pride last night.


Thanks go to Joe and the band for an excellent evening & hope they film the RAH show

cheers

Varn

  • Rocket
  • Rocket
  • BONAMEGAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: San Francisco
  • Registered: 2006-04-26
  • Posts: 10,275

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

"Sounds" like they better get it together quickly hmm .


I have FAITH that they will indeed ROCK ON Monday, Monday!

Rocket, Anchorman for the Faith Channel News Update Team

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! wink"
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”
  • Registered: 2008-02-23
  • Posts: 2

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

Was there last night as well. Was sitting in the stalls, five rows back, pretty much straight in front of Joe's amplifiers.

Think that was the seventh time I've seen Joe since his appearance at the Boom Boom Club in Oct 2006.

Would agree with the comments so far, whilst the standard of playing was, as ever, superb, the sound was awful. Worst thing was that most affected were his voice, inaudible for much of the time and horror or horrors the guitar sounded muffled and dull front of house. This was rectified at times, only to deteriorate again for the following song.

Up until now I've been amazed by the crystal clear quality of his live guitar sound, but unfortunately last night was very different.

Am hoping that the sound boys clear things up for the Royal Albert Hall on Monday and normal service is resumed as soon as poss.

  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 4

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

OK, here goes!  First of all, thanks to all the reviewers so far on what was a brilliant exhibition of ballsy blues guitar playing. The Royal Albert Hall is in for a great treat! I only wish I had a ticket as I am most definitely sure that the sound will be 101% better than it was last night. Even after saying that, I have to say the quieter sections and most of Joe's blistering solos came across wonderfully. Right from the start the Big man's voice was totally inaudible with all instruments powering along. We were in the stalls row L, dead centre, two rows in front of the console. However, I must say the enjoyment level was sky-high.

Joe has come on miles since seeing him a few years back at The Point in Cardiff Bay (now sadly a victim of the recession). It was great to hear Joe himself mention The Point early on in the show. I even have a cherished plectrum from that one which landed just in front of me after a brilliant and shirt-sodden performance on that steamy Summer night.

The mutterings on the sound quality could be heard as we filed down the stairs. This venue can be an embarrassment to the Welsh "Land of Song". Who the heck decided on all that concrete and hard surfaces for the balconies, etc? Obviously, not an ardent music fan. Let's get these reviewers comments back to the St David's Hall management and get something done. I live locally and so many voices have expressed the same opinion over the years.

Saw Errol Brown there recently and the sound was a lot better. Even the sound quality for Joe Satriani there just before Xmas was respectable. Then, Chris Rea was fine but not great.

So, on a final note, long live the blues. long live Joe. Now can't wait for BB King at the Cardiff CIA in June.  Now,  that would be something - Joe and BB King on the same stage. Yep, it has already happened - and Joe was only 12 years old!!!  One more time, please.

Think I'll start a new thread to campaign for Joe to be on The Jools Holland Show. Perhaps he has a few hours spare next week. Jools, Jools, please make it happen - the country deserves it, and now is the time.

Sorry to ramble on, but it was a fantastic gig.

Wishboneash rules

  • From: England
  • Registered: 2008-07-04
  • Posts: 265

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

Wishboneash wrote:

The mutterings on the sound quality could be heard as we filed down the stairs. This venue can be an embarrassment to the Welsh "Land of Song". Who the heck decided on all that concrete and hard surfaces for the balconies, etc? Obviously, not an ardent music fan. Let's get these reviewers comments back to the St David's Hall management and get something done. I live locally and so many voices have expressed the same opinion over the years.

Wishboneash,

This is what those sound guys get paid for, resolving problems like this. They probably could have improved things a lot by turning all the volumes down two notches for a start. I remember chatting to a concert hall manager about a Bowie gig. David rehearsed his band all afternoon before the show and had them play many tracks without him as he sat in each area of the concert hall checking the sound over and over. The result was a perfect, and I mean PERFECT gig.The only wild card in this process is that a venue sounds  different when it has a few thousand bodies absorbing the sound. No excuses - Joe should kick ar**e and get them on the ball - not good enough for a performer of his calibre and this stuff is basic.

No Ordinary Joe
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 4

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

Fair comment, Crossroads.

Let's really hope the sound guys get it spot on for The Royal Albert Hall. It was noticeably better for the quieter sections, but as you say, still no excuses accepted for a poor sound.

Also, just to say I've found the Joe on Jools Holland thread. Feel such a plonker for missing that and also the performance on his show, but it is on You tube. Seems it was a last minute decision as The Radio Times didn't mention it.

For those not aware Joe is regularly on UK Planet Rock Radio, available on UK DAB radio, sky satellite 0110 and others no doubt. Has his own show on Tuesdays 7pm BST.

Just to top it off, Planet Rock played a track as we were driving home after the Cardiff show.

  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 2

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

I was at the Cardiff show on one of the higher tiers towards the right.

I didn't know a great deal of Joe's music... just the one album and few other songs here and there and that was about it so I jumped at the chance when I saw available tickets as I liked what I had heard.

However, the Cardiff show left me disappointed. The volume was far too loud. At certain points, I just wanted the band to get the song over with because it was getting too much. During quieter passages, the volume was almost perfect but for the majority of the show all I could hear was a wall of sound from the band but I couldn't make out a single word Joe was singing. I would have really enjoyed the show if they had sorted the sound out, and even though I know I was there to see Joe, I actually prefered Ben Montague, the opening act, just because I could actually enjoy the music he was playing.

I noticied Joe is in Llandudno in November on one of the flyers at the show. I may give it another shot there but overall, Cardiff was a bit of a let down for me.

  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 2

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

Bob57 wrote:

We were sitting in the middle of the stalls area and the sound and view were great. I have played guitar for twenty odd years now and having seen a number of greats, I can safely say that Joe's playing is right up there with them. He handles various styles with ease and manages to get a superb tone out of any guitar he plays.

Joe had me impressed too. I've been playing for almost 10 years and I was in awe at how cleanly and quickly he pulled off a lot of the passages in the acoustic guitar solo.

  • From: Devon UK
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 5

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

1st time we had seen Joe and the band and we were blown away a great show - went to see Bob Dylan the night b4 at Cardiff Arena and so had a cracking couple of days in Cardiff
We were sat at the side of the stage and was great to see the band up close a real treat but the sound from there was not great on some of the songs john Henry was one overall a great night though
We are looking forward to seeing Joe on his next tour - how about playing Bristol or Plymouth!?!!

  • Registered: 2009-05-11
  • Posts: 5

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

nickandrews wrote:

Was there last night as well. Was sitting in the stalls, five rows back, pretty much straight in front of Joe's amplifiers.

Think that was the seventh time I've seen Joe since his appearance at the Boom Boom Club in Oct 2006.

Would agree with the comments so far, whilst the standard of playing was, as ever, superb, the sound was awful. Worst thing was that most affected were his voice, inaudible for much of the time and horror or horrors the guitar sounded muffled and dull front of house. This was rectified at times, only to deteriorate again for the following song.

Up until now I've been amazed by the crystal clear quality of his live guitar sound, but unfortunately last night was very different.

Am hoping that the sound boys clear things up for the Royal Albert Hall on Monday and normal service is resumed as soon as poss.

  • Registered: 2009-05-11
  • Posts: 5

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

I was at the gig, sitting in tier 1... actually behind the desk and the sound was terrible. Indistinct, swamped in reverb and generally a poor, no, BAD mix. I saw several people chatting (complaining?) to the engineer during the evening. I've seen Joe many times before and this was the least enjoyable time.
I was also at the Albert Hall , and though the sound was better, it was still nowhere near as good as previous ocassions. The Halls will blame the engineers and the engineers will blame the accoustics; it's an age old problem that in these days of technology should be resolved.
I hope for Joe's sake that he's aware of the grumblings of his fans; he is after all very very particular about his personal guitar sound, and it's a shame that his entourage cock it up.
Lets hope its better in Llandudno.

  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 4

Re: Cardiff 290409 Review

Wouldn' it be interesting to have some "feedback" from one of the sound techies at this Cardiff gig?  Wonder what they thought of the sound quality that night! Yes, as suggested, surely turning down the level would have helped. Did I read a reviewer of the RAH London gig saying the sound wasn't quite spot on? I'm sure it'll be fine on the DVD - already on the Xmas pressy list. Must get some new speakers!

Let's give the Cardiff International Arena a fling next time, Joe. No, wait a minute, don't beat about the bush, just bypass that one and just go for the Wales Millennium Stadium with Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck thrown in for good measure! Perhaps even good ol' BB King can be persuaded to do a third final farewell in Cardiff!! All four on stage together would be something - dream on Cardiff, dream on Joe. OK then, ow about Bridgend Recreation Centre just a few paces away from me?

Is Joe at legend status yet? Only the Jeff Beck ambition to play together left now. Come on Joe, get that thinking cap on!

Wherever in or near Cardiff next time, no doubt it WILL be a sellout. Can't wait for the return of the genius.