ST601287@BROWNVM.BITNET (Mark Hessman) (02/11/90)
Brief concert review :
I saw the Feelies here last night, and it was a decent show, though
I've seen better. The opening act was bearable -- a typical RI band
with not much songwriting talent (but the drummer was actually not bad).
Then, after a long wait (45 mins), the Feelies came on. The set delved
heavily into *Only Life*, their most recent (if you can call an album
from 1988 'recent') album -- they played about 8 of the 10 songs from
that. Also a fair amount of covers, including "Paint It Black" and
"White Light/White Heat"... and "Everybody's Got Something To Hide
Except Me And My Monkey" (the only cover which they've ever recorded
on an album... it's on their debut, *Crazy Rhythms*). A few others
which I didn't recognize, and a couple of songs from each of the
other two albums. I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more
material from what I feel is their best album, *The Good Earth*,
which is a bit more mellow than the other two.
The band themselves played quite well... the title of their
debut is apt; these folks are very crazy and chaotic with tempos
at times. Lots of songs vary the tempo at some point, either
gradually speeding up to the point of breakneck playing (which
very much impressed me), or switching tempos abruptly and then
changing back about halfway into the song, etc. All five of
them (singer/lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bassist, drummer, and
percussionist) played well... On the other hand, though, the
band seemed somewhat aloof -- none of them said a word the whole
show, it was just the music and singing and such. Even so,
they connected pretty well with the audience. The set was
about 80 minutes, and I feel that it was worth it.
Remember, by the way, that this was the band that played
in "Something Wild," in the highschool-reunion scene... =)
-- MarkCM193C@GWUVM.BITNET (Michael Rosen) (02/11/90)
Didn't they play "She Said, She Said?" That's another cover they do, it's on a 12" w/ a song from "The Good Earth" which I can't remember right now. I got G lenn Mercer's autograph on my cd of "Good Earth", they played the 9:30 Club las t February 14th, awesome show... On another note: I was wondering if I could get all of the drummers' opinions on Bill Berry (drummer for R.E.M.). Do you consider him to be a good drummer i n comparison to others and just in general. I'm a bit biased since I happen to love R.E.M.... Mike
SEG92@GENESEO.BITNET (the Talking Drum) (02/12/90)
Bill Berry rules. Technically he is not all that impressive (although I suppose he could be and just doesn't show it) but what he plays fits the music perfectly and adds so much energy and life to the songs--for example the sixteenth note beat he plays at the beginning of the Document mix of Finest Worksong is carried over onto the ride cymbal . . . with one hand. Big deal, one might be inclined to say. But it fits the music PERFECTLY. And what else is there? If the best drummer in the world sounds like sh*t with his band, what's the point? --the Talking Drum Mr. Smoke-too-much
GWO101@URIACC.BITNET (Michael Lehnertz (Drummer)) (02/13/90)
REM's drummer? Feh.
- Drummer -