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Live Bands vs. Studio Bands


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People, myself included, keep bumping a Red Fang thread in the other section after seeing them live. For good reason too, they never really clicked for me on the record until after the live show. It's a completely different experience and sound. Interestingly enough, I don't feel that way about the Sword, who always are just sort of fine live.

For me, I'm seeing Red Fang and the Bronx live every chance I get. What other bands do you prefer live? I ask the question to get a conversation going but also to keep my eye out for bands I might not have gone to see live without your recommendation.

Also, if you're so inclined, what bands are better on record?

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Riverboat Gamblers....I'd heard buzz about them, checked out the records and their studio stuff didn't really do shit for me. As per Mike's request we went and watched 'em at whichever year SXSW it was and I was blown the fuck away, I've yet to see a more enthusiastic/charismatic front-man

Dexateens....living in Tuscaloosa for 7 years, I'd heard and been forced to listen to them several times, just writing them off as another southern-rock/DBT wannabe band....until I went and saw them live for the first time, dude's still play like their fucking 17 years old playing a basement full of their best friends every fucking time they play. I've seen them play so loud they killed the power amp to the House Main speakers, but their wedge monitors were still blaring, so they just kicked over the wedges without missing a beat, lead guitarist jumps on the lead singers shoulders and they run around stage blaring guitar solos and screaming into the mic (I assume to try and hear themselves) for the remainder of the set....

those are the first two that came to mind....i'm sure i could think of more if i went back and thought more, maybe i'll post more later

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shit....two band better on record than live

back in the day used to listen to Sum41, caught 'em at whatever warped tour '02 or '03......one of the few bands I really really really enjoyed at the time that I couldn't bare to watch more than like 2 songs, not playing together, dude couldn't sing, out of tune guitars and bass....horrible, absolutely shit

Fenix TX.....or RiverFenix....whatever you want to call that train-wreck of a studio band. The Blink/Bad Religion/Fenix TX tour back in '99 or '00.....Loved FenixTX at the time, jaw dropped when I saw/heard how horrific they were live, it was my first arena type show ever, so I couldn't figure out if just the sound sucked at arena shows or what, but it was fucking horrific....then Bad Religion came out and fucking killed it....and suprisingly Blink played very well that night, I had seen them before, and have seen them after this tour and they were spot-on that tour, not sure if they were using pitch-correction live that tour or maybe they practiced like maniacs for that tour or what, but they sounded awesome that night as well...which brings me to...

Blink-182, one of my all-time favorite bands.....that shouldn't be playing live-shows anymore....seriously Mark Trombino is some sort of Wizard to get those performances out of those guys at that juncture in their career....hats-off to Mark

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Birdwell, was i with you for that Gamblers show? i can't remember, because, well i've seen them so many times it's a blur, but they have yet to even be remotely decent live. dudes fucking tear it up live.

When i saw them play before THE HELLACOPTERS, the drummer was right in front of me and told one of the other guys "dude, we have to go on after them" those dudes were totally digging the show, hell Mike broke 3 mics, before the end of the 2nd song.

as for me:

LIve Bands: Gordon Solie Motherfuckers or Annihilation Time. While i like their albums, the records don't do them justice. While neither one can be seen live any time soon, both these bands throw a hell of a show. You might be caught in the melee that ensues, but that's part of the fun.

also: Big Freedia. I can't say this enough, go see her! Music may be "Meh" if you don't like NO Bounce, but watching one of her shows live is a spectacle and a whole lot of fun whether you're in the back of the club or in the front row.

other bands: Hard Skin, Iron Age, Screaming Females, Neurosis

Studio Bands: Pallbearer, Rush, Get up Kids, Wilco, The Sword, High on Fire, Lucero.

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The Slackers - Absolutely amazing live. As good as their albums are, they're amazing live. I couldn't see them too many times.

The Aggrolites - Same as above. One of the best bands I've ever seen live.

Against Me! - Last time I saw them was around the time New Wave came out and everybody was giving that album shit. Those songs translated alot better live, and I'm sure the same is true of White Crosses when everybody was giving it shit too.

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Birdwell, was i with you for that Gamblers show? i can't remember, because, well i've seen them so many times it's a blur, but they have yet to even be remotely decent live. dudes fucking tear it up live.

When i saw them play before THE HELLACOPTERS, the drummer was right in front of me and told one of the other guys "dude, we have to go on after them" those dudes were totally digging the show, hell Mike broke 3 mics, before the end of the 2nd song.

as for me:

LIve Bands: Gordon Solie Motherfuckers or Annihilation Time. While i like their albums, the records don't do them justice. While neither one can be seen live any time soon, both these bands throw a hell of a show. You might be caught in the melee that ensues, but that's part of the fun.

also: Big Freedia. I can't say this enough, go see her! Music may be "Meh" if you don't like NO Bounce, but watching one of her shows live is a spectacle and a whole lot of fun whether you're in the back of the club or in the front row.

other bands: Hard Skin, Iron Age, Screaming Females, Neurosis

Studio Bands: Pallbearer, Rush, Get up Kids, Wilco, The Sword, High on Fire, Lucero.

Yeah dude, you made me go see them Gambler's and it was badass. Annihilation Time were great live, but I really dig their albums as well. The Get Up kids in their prime were great live, I love Wilco live more than their records...but only by a hair....Lucero I feel is ten times more fun live, better, meh??? but waaay more fun live.

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Bad Rabbits are a pretty good studio band, but their live show is spectacular. It's so much fun and they're just natural performers and they're so tight as a band. Just makes you want to dance!

I may get shit for this, but A Lot Like Birds is a great band live. Their show is insane. However I tried listening to their recorded stuff and couldn't get through a song.

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Guest realtalk

Also Powerman 5000 has a great live show that's very fun and high energy, but I get bored when listening to them at home.

:blink:;)

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Riverboat Gamblers....I'd heard buzz about them, checked out the records and their studio stuff didn't really do shit for me. As per Mike's request we went and watched 'em at whichever year SXSW it was and I was blown the fuck away, I've yet to see a more enthusiastic/charismatic front-man

gamblers are fantastic live, and i don't enjoy any of their records!

i saw them open for against me! like 4 or 5 years ago, and it was amazing.

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gamblers are fantastic live, and i don't enjoy any of their records!

i saw them open for against me! like 4 or 5 years ago, and it was amazing.

That Against Me!/Riverboat Gamblers/Fake Problems tour was great. I bought a Riverboat Gamblers album after that show and it's not that great, though. Oh and when I try to play their CD in my car stereo the speakers can't handle it and cut in and out. It's the only CD I have that does that, and I think it might have something to do with how loud the CD is...it's super loud.

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That Against Me!/Riverboat Gamblers/Fake Problems tour was great. I bought a Riverboat Gamblers album after that show and it's not that great, though. Oh and when I try to play their CD in my car stereo the speakers can't handle it and cut in and out. It's the only CD I have that does that, and I think it might have something to do with how loud the CD is...it's super loud.

i don't think fake problems played the saint louis show.

the gamblers set became unforgettable once the singer walked across the bar tables, and onto the bar while singing. pretty sure he kicked over a few peoples drinks, too. i believe some rafter climbing was involved later on, as well.

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i don't think fake problems played the saint louis show.

the gamblers set became unforgettable once the singer walked across the bar tables, and onto the bar while singing. pretty sure he kicked over a few peoples drinks, too. i believe some rafter climbing was involved later on, as well.

i always tell people if they've never heard them, to see them live first as the albums don't do them justice one bit. i personally only really like "something to crow about" and only regularly listen to that album, but watching them live brings mediocre songs to life and while most bands lose steam about 3 to 5 songs in, they for some reason get through a whole set with the same energy they started with.

i'm glad a lot of people like them and makes me really happy when people take my suggestion to see them and come back to me saying they were awesome.

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A couple of months ago I saw St. Vincent with a friend and I had never heard of them before going, but I was really impressed with their live show. Annie Clark is nuts. However they do their songs differently live than they do in studio and I'm not as big of a fan of most of the song's studio versions as I am of how they did them live.

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Some of the best live performances I've ever seen:

- Bright Eyes on the People's Key tour

- Hold Steady

- Cursive (never seen them put on a band show)

- Lawrence Arms (most people think they're shit, and most of the time they are but fuck something about seeing them play gets me every time)

- All Get Out (I was absolutely blown away by them on the Wildlife tour and they were even down a second guitar player. Chills most of the set)

I feel like 95% of bands play too long so it's tough for bands to really keep my attention.

Bands that should stick to the studio:

- Banner Pilot (Fest 7 there wasn't a single band I was more stoked to see and holy fuck were they awful. That drummer man, questionable.)

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