Oakland California Concert Critic (Page 2 of 2)

Just toin it up!!!!!!!!

Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! "
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.”

Don't ding the critic because you like Joe.  Everyone who paid their money and went to that Oakland show likes Joe, but he is right.  I like Joe, A LOT.  I paid my money and I am unemployed, but the sound was terrible and I was very disappointed.  I wanted to kill the guy who was running the board that night (if anyone was) and take over.  Was that guy deaf?  Fire him Joe.  The damn bass drum was overpowering for the entire concert, and I'M A DRUMMER!   No adjustments were made that I could hear.  The guy running the board set his levels at sound check with an empty theater and then never touched a thing.  I think he went out for dinner when the concert started.  I sat in the middle of the third row from the rear of the house.  All of the sound bounced back to me.  I couldn't hear bass or keyboards at all.  Bogie was a good drummer but weak overall.  Tal is a great veteran drummer and a pro and I am sure that Joe is much happier now that he is on board.  I'm a 55 year old baby boomer and I have been going to concerts of all kinds since the early 70's.  I finally got to see Joe, and that was great, but I wanted  to kill that sound guy with my bare hands!  Joe plays venues like the Paramount all the time.  I don't understand it.

The forum is here for people's feedback. Joe reads it. He is of course not able to be out front to hear it for himself. Of course it matters how the critique is delivered. Is it from a credible source. He has asked me after each of the 100 plus shows I have seen. He knows I'll tell him my honest opinion.  I have enough experience of Joe live that I know when a show sounds stellar.

Even when I feel that the sound could of been better the overwhelming majority  seem to think it was great. Joe wants the sound to be a good experience to everyone  no matter where they are sitting.

My opinion would be if someone walked out with a complaint I would hope it was that the guitar was too loud. After all you came to see a guitar player. I would hope that the complaint would not be the vocals weren't loud enough. Because Joe has become noted for his vocals. I would hope that the Keyboards could be heard.I think the bass notes should have definition to them and the notes discernible.  The kick  adding a percussive element to the string attack. I don't think the kick should be rattling your fillings.   

Every room is different and presents different challenges every seat can have it's own deficiencies. Below is my critique of the last three shows I attended.

I attended three Texas shows one 2,500 seat Verizon Center with a wide seating area I was 8th row extreme right. I was in front of the subs and too close to get the flown line arrays had to rely on the stage front fills. The kick I thought was too loud from my seat. Still could hear guitar and vocal but the kick was overpowering from my vantage point. Moved around and the guitar and vocals were fine. Still the kick could of been down a bit.

The next night was at a 2,500 seat venue but three levels and the floor was not very deep. I thought the mix was perfect that night. Totally different room than Houston. Austin Moody Theater is where they film ACL. I was on the floor 10 rows back to the left on the isle. I didn't think I needed to move around. I could tell it was a sweet sounding room and it was dialed in.

The third night was in a 9,000 seat rodeo arena in San Antonio it was draped half house with 2,000 people. Probably the worst possible venue for sound imaginable. Large hall natural reverberation  but I thought it was one of the best arena sounding shows I had been to. Vocals, and guitar up front the bottom was full and not overpowering.

Three different rooms and only one that I thought could of sounded better. It was the one that I thought was too loud but the dynamics of the show change so much from song to song it never seemed like an onslaught like an AC/DC show does. Even pulled out a DB meter and the average was low 80's to low 90's with occasional peaks in the high 90's

I have seen Joe over 100 times in the last ten years in every room size and shape imaginable. Only a couple of dozen times would I say the sound was near perfect but there has been less than a handful that I thought were sub par. Even the ones I thought that the sound could of been better  I have never heard anyone complain about the sound on the way out. They usually have too big a grin on their faces.

Now my 77 year old mother came to the last show in my town and she thought it was loud which I thought was amazing since she is practically deaf. I think loudness can be subjective.

i sat about 3/4 was back on the  floor, and the sound was stunning.  If you want to enjoy the music, never sit near the stage.  If you want to be amazed by the guitar visually, close is great, but the sound will always suffer.

You got that straight Doc. JDawg, I and crew were 40 feet from him and never heard a wrong note all night long. Loud? Hell yes! Just the way I like it.