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RAAR, SEA, KOBI, The Method, Lemontree 10th sept


freddyboy

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Did anyone else get to the Lemontree last Friday. Well here goes, a review of the nights proceedings. In order of appearance

1. The Method. Good solid performance from these guys, every tune an anthem. The venues PA seemed to love their sound as they came over very sweetly. They only played for 30mins I wish it were longer however that was their alloted time so they did not muck about, cramming in as many tunes as they could in the time allowed. I have raved on about this band before this thread, however I believe their music is very universal, if you do'nt believe me try and get to hear some of their tunes on the web. There new stuff since their debut EP is very mature.

2. Kobi. Heard a lot about these guys, however I was disappointed, they appeared to have major tuning problems, not only with their guitars but also their lead singer, I do'nt know how much he had to drink but he was off key all their set.

3. Small Enclosed Area. Good band again a solid performance, can play their instruments well however their set was lifeless. Can you please tell me why the singer did not look at the audience the whole set but preferred to show his profile or the back of his head instead, surelly he cannot be as ugly as the drummer. Not my words they themselves likened him to a norwegian machine gunner!!

4. RAAR. What can I say good music, stage performance crowd participation etc it was all there, would definetely go and see them again, if just to see them mucking about. At one stage the security staff nearly ended up as part of the show (those that were there will no what I mean). I think it was a shame the crowd had thinned out before they came on, possibly due to the performances of the 2 previous bands I am not sure. Lets call them the Darkness of the north, only much better.

Overall a good night. RAAR and the Method were the best on the night the other two bands were in my opinion (Only my opinion) were not in the same class.

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3. Small Enclosed Area. Good band again a solid performance' date=' can play their instruments well however their set was lifeless. Can you please tell me why the singer did not look at the audience the whole set but preferred to show his profile or the back of his head instead, surelly he cannot be as ugly as the drummer. Not my words they themselves likened him to a norwegian machine gunner!![/quote']

I think Small Enclosed Area are a good band who could be great if they'd learn to put on a show. But they've been playing for years and if your review is anything to by they haven't responded to the criticisms of their past performances. Maybe they don't care, maybe they don't feel that jumping around like idiots should be an important part of what they do. I'd disagree.

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Guest stuartmaxwell

sea dont need to jump about like idiots, why bother when you have songs as good as that??

no bullshit, no stupid flyers, great songs, regular shows outta town, fans (i.e. not mates of the band)

a lot of bands should be taking lessons from sea

one of the best aberdeen bands

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sea dont need to jump about like idiots' date=' why bother when you have songs as good as that??

no bullshit, no stupid flyers, great songs, regular shows outta town, fans (i.e. not mates of the band)

a lot of bands should be taking lessons from sea

one of the best aberdeen bands[/quote']

Yes but it has to be entertaining, watching the back of their heads all night is a tad boring on the visual side, I did like some of their tunes but not all. Aberdeen band I think not perhaps some not all live in Elgin, friends of the band, again incorrect I bought a CD of the Method I liked it, went to see them live thought they were just as good live, Before it gets out of hand I also have a CD by SEA and Kobi both cds Very good but stage performance I'm sorry was sadley lacking.

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watching the back of their heads all night is a tad boring on the visual side

Yeah, I don't where it comes from but a lot of front men turn their backs to the audience for long periods. I don't get it, I don't like it.

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Stuart that is a bold statement, do you know the guys from the Method, are they not professional as well. All I am saying from the gig on the night SEA in my OPINION did not do themselves justice, I am only judging them on what I experienced on the night. If you were you there then you would maybe agree. Perhaps when I see them live again (and I hope to soon, whens the next gig) they will have a better night. I suppose my judgement was a bit clouded by their stage presence i.e. backs of heads etc, I did also say I enjoyed some of their tunes. Its sad that you are 'flaming' The Method, but if you read the other posts on this thread SEA are known to not face the audience.

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Guest stuartmaxwell

yes, but i dont care if they dont face the audience, they do what they want to do, why should they play up to a crowd?

some people jump about like idiots and they believe that it shows passion and emotion, some people work out their stage "moves" and what they are going to wear etc some people take the piss by throwing macho rock poses, some people shoe gaze, some people act like knobs, etc etc

everyone is different

sea obviously like to keep it strictly musical, they prefer to concentrate on having a balanced sound between instruments, which adds dynamics to a band no end!!

When you watch two bands, one has the perfect sound that lifts you away, one has a crap sound where you cant hear the drums/bass/keys etc, but the shite sounders jump about like fannys!i know which one i would go for everytime!!

i think it works as their songs are strong enough, go buy the new ep in october and you will see my point!

the method are a very average band, they lack the perfect balance on their sound!they havent been around for years and years and i dont dislike them, whereas sea have been around for a while!you learn professionalism from experience, they have loads of experience. the method do not

therefore you might get my statement "sea are in a different league to the method"

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Yeh, whatever, stuart, everyone is entitled to their opinion, however your statements are flawed, especially your fist sentence. Anyone else agree...bands should not play to the audience....maybe if they had a big fan base I could understand, but their fans were very much in the minority on that last gig. However I am looking forward to hearing their next record, when is the release date?

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yes' date=' but i dont care if they dont face the audience, they do what they want to do, why should they play up to a crowd?[/quote']

Because the only reason the band is there is to entertain an audience.

If you're not interested in doing that you should keep your "gigs" in the garage or in your bedroom. A band not performing for the audience so they have a great sound is like a bus not stopping for passengers to ensure the timetable remains accurate. It's the people that are the most important factor, if you start putting other issues ahead of them the whole point is lost.

When you watch two bands' date=' one has the perfect sound that lifts you away, one has a crap sound where you cant hear the drums/bass/keys etc, but the shite sounders jump about like fannys!i know which one i would go for everytime!![/quote']

Is this on the same night? What's wrong with the sound engineer? Standing with your back to the audience has sweet fuck all to do with acheiving a great sound, it just makes you look like you don't give a shit about the audience.

Stop speaking through your arse Stuart.

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Guest stuartmaxwell
Because the only reason the band is there is to entertain an audience.

If you're not interested in doing that you should keep your "gigs" in the garage or in your bedroom. A band not performing for the audience so they have a great sound is like a bus not stopping for passengers to ensure the timetable remains accurate. It's the people that are the most important factor' date=' if you start putting other issues ahead of them the whole point is lost.

Is this on the same night? What's wrong with the sound engineer? Standing with your back to the audience has sweet fuck all to do with acheiving a great sound, it just makes you look like you don't give a shit about the audience.

Stop speaking through your arse Stuart.[/quote']

1. there are other ways of entertaining an audience without jumping about like a fanny, saying that though, i think its funny when bands do comical rock posing in a tongue in cheek manner etc

you play for yourself, you express how the music makes you feel (shoegazing etc), who gives a fuck about the audience?if they dont like the music then its the wrong audience (or you are shite!)

2. sorry, but i hate watching bands with shite guitar/bass/tone sound, to me, that is waaaay more important than "stage prescence"

( i use that loosely as people on these boards seem to believe that stage prescence is jumping about and showing "passion" and "emotion")

3. im not condoning standing with a back to the audience, i am just saying it isnt really important to me. most bands i have seen with shite sound seem to be part of the jump about like a prick-usually forced

surely you dont agree that "stage prescence" is more important than how you good you sound?

i am truly guilty of all of these crimes, i had to play a lot of truly awful gigs to realise this :(

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Guest stuartmaxwell
If you wish to me even more pedantic then Moray-shire..

As Elgin is in Moray.

damn you morrisson :partyboy:

i expect you will be taking wednesday 6th october off for the oxes, ymss, senator show in edinburgh??

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Stuart I agree the music must be good, but I was standing near the front during their performance and had to close my eyes because the visuals were irritating me a bit, why was I standing at the front, I was showing support for your band as most of the audience had departed for the seedier parts of Aberdeen, these yokels from MORAYSHIRE ( for Ross) hav'nt seen houses more than 2 storeys high. Gosh now I'm flaming others. Sorry all. To be perfectly honest I was there to see the Method and like you I am biased to them, however I gave all the bands on the night my full attention.

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you play for yourself' date=' you express how the music makes you feel (shoegazing etc), who gives a fuck about the audience?if they dont like the music then its the wrong audience (or you are shite!)

([/quote']

utter bollocks!!

You say you used to play in a band yeah?? I can see why you never went anywhere with an attitiude like that. Without the audience there would be no gig. Surley you can see that.

A band should be going out its way to make sure the audience is happy and enjoying themselves. Yes the music is important but so is the stage show as well. There is nothing worse than watching a band just stand still on stage when they play for me it shows a lack of effort. Fair enough it takes some bands time to develope this but it should always be a factor in a gig. I'm not just meaning jumpimg around cause that obviously doesnt suit every kind of band.

As for if the audience dont like you......... again utter bollocks before you try and educate us i think you should go back rethink your own ideas on this cause you dont have a clue at all mate.

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Hmmmmm

Hmmm...well ive been reading through this with interest, as I do like constructive critisism. I do believe from most comments that we've got from the Lemon Tree gig have all been the same, (and the all dayer) Good to listen to, boring to watch. Fair enough, thing is....Im not sure HOW we could improve our visual's.

A couple of years ago our stuff was a bit more...how to put this, upbeat sorta rocky and I remember getting belted by the bassist at the time, flying across stage, then jumping off the stage at Edinburgh spinning on the floor. Rock! haha but I dont know what it is now. Ive leapt about and cut my thumb and broke 5 strings and all that RAWK in the past BUT... Our stuff is more slower/darker and it feels kinda...wrong, to leap about. If I was jumping up and down I feel Id be acting "Fake" as I dont think our music is jumping up and down type stuff. Before it just came natural, I didnt think about it, but...sigh. Im not sure.

I DO wanna put on a good performance for people as they pay money to come see us (Dont wanna change our songs to suit tho def not) but as far as visuals go, what do we do? I believe its more a feedback thing, there is an atmosphere that if the audience are going wild, you feed off them and enjoy it more, whereas playing to people that you cant see, giving polite claps, you get lost in your own world while playing. Should I get past the "fake" feeling and put on the crasziest moves. Would it go after a while or would i come off feeling like a prick trying to get attention?

I was entertained by RAAR doing the onstage banter to get crowd participation but would that type of thing really go down well with us? I doubt it, perhaps, who knows. What do you all think?

So improving our stage presence?

Keeping in mind the type of music we play......

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Guest stuartmaxwell
utter bollocks!!

You say you used to play in a band yeah?? I can see why you never went anywhere with an attitiude like that. Without the audience there would be no gig. Surley you can see that.

A band should be going out its way to make sure the audience is happy and enjoying themselves. Yes the music is important but so is the stage show as well. There is nothing worse than watching a band just stand still on stage when they play for me it shows a lack of effort. Fair enough it takes some bands time to develope this but it should always be a factor in a gig. I'm not just meaning jumpimg around cause that obviously doesnt suit every kind of band.

As for if the audience dont like you......... again utter bollocks before you try and educate us i think you should go back rethink your own ideas on this cause you dont have a clue at all mate.

used to play in a band, started a band in glasgow

i never really played in a band to "go anywhere" although we did play in glasgow and had a mini tour booked, but it only lasted for 1 year

i am not here to "eductae" or "preach", you have obviously been around in a band for a long time, played a lot of shows all over the place, so perhaps you know better.

either way, its opinions

??

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used to play in a band' date=' started a band in glasgow

i never really played in a band to "go anywhere" although we did play in glasgow and had a mini tour booked, but it only lasted for 1 year

i am not here to "eductae" or "preach", you have obviously been around in a band for a long time, played a lot of shows all over the place, so perhaps you know better.

either way, its opinions

??[/quote']

Fair enough man.

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Hmmm...well ive been reading through this with interest' date=' as I do like constructive critisism. I do believe from most comments that we've got from the Lemon Tree gig have all been the same, (and the all dayer) Good to listen to, boring to watch. Fair enough, thing is....Im not sure HOW we could improve our visual's.

A couple of years ago our stuff was a bit more...how to put this, upbeat sorta rocky and I remember getting belted by the bassist at the time, flying across stage, then jumping off the stage at Edinburgh spinning on the floor. Rock! haha but I dont know what it is now. Ive leapt about and cut my thumb and broke 5 strings and all that RAWK in the past BUT... Our stuff is more slower/darker and it feels kinda...wrong, to leap about. If I was jumping up and down I feel Id be acting "Fake" as I dont think our music is jumping up and down type stuff. Before it just came natural, I didnt think about it, but...sigh. Im not sure.

I DO wanna put on a good performance for people as they pay money to come see us (Dont wanna change our songs to suit tho def not) but as far as visuals go, what do we do? I believe its more a feedback thing, there is an atmosphere that if the audience are going wild, you feed off them and enjoy it more, whereas playing to people that you cant see, giving polite claps, you get lost in your own world while playing. Should I get past the "fake" feeling and put on the crasziest moves. Would it go after a while or would i come off feeling like a prick trying to get attention?

I was entertained by RAAR doing the onstage banter to get crowd participation but would that type of thing really go down well with us? I doubt it, perhaps, who knows. What do you all think?

So improving our stage presence?

Keeping in mind the type of music we play......[/quote']

Hey man i know its a tough one. As you say jumping around might not be the thing with your style of music. At the same you could still incorperate "rocking out" in your show just in a different way. Try watching live performances from other bands and see what they do on stage. Obviously im not saying go out and do what they do but take heed and see what you can come up with from there.

I know from expeirence as well how difficult it can be to practise that kind of thing you just cant do it the same in a practise room as you can when you have a crowd to work off.

Hope this helps slightly.

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Guest stuartmaxwell
Hey man i know its a tough one. As you say jumping around might not be the thing with your style of music. At the same you could still incorperate "rocking out" in your show just in a different way. Try watching live performances from other bands and see what they do on stage. Obviously im not saying go out and do what they do but take heed and see what you can come up with from there.

I know from expeirence as well how difficult it can be to practise that kind of thing you just cant do it the same in a practise room as you can when you have a crowd to work off.

Hope this helps slightly.

patronising git :p

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Here's my two cents,

The Lemon Tree show wasn't our best i admit. we were ok in terms of tightness, but could've been better.

In terms of stage performance, we have been lacking for a wee while. I remember last summer we were a lot more mobile on stage and getting a lot of praise for it. However, it is hard to "rock out" to the slightly more progressive/darker stuff we are doing now. And with having diverse songs throughout the set, it feels a bit weird to throw yourself about for a song or two, then calm down at the long quiet, intricate parts, then go crazy again.

The best example of a band that don't rock out, but still totally own the stage are A Perfect Circle. Seeing them in Glasgow was immense, with MJK on a platform at the very back of the stage, where you couldn't even see his face for the entire set. Also,the fantastic lighting obviously made a huge difference. An anthemic sound, brilliant musicians, and superd lighting will lend well to a band who aren't mobile. However, as we can't get that lighting etc, we will tend to appear lacking in oomph

Stage presence is something we are going to have to work on, as well as a new set, as after these EP launch dates end Sept/start Oct, i can't see us keeping many of our existing songs that often. Got a couple of new tracks in the process of finishing, so hopefully they'll get the thumbs up :up:

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