From: JDK
| I saw the band... Great show, basically the same set with the exception of SLIDE AWAY not being played, and WEEPING WILLOW being added... Come on, Sonnet, History, New Decade, This is Music, were my faves... Some quick notes... I don't know who is more stoic, NICK MCCABE OR SIMON TONG... RA was feelin pretty good, if ya know what I mean... Kate was there....RA had that Ring on his finger... THE verve are playing some Christmas thing near DC with the CURE... A documentary of their tour in America is being shot, I spoke with one of the camera people |
From: KCD
| Last night was the best night of my life...I'm still
stunned at having had my mind *totally* blown away. I'd kill to go to other
concerts in the tour if I had tickets, but at least I'll see them at that
thing on November 30th, screw studying for finals! Anyways, here's my story...might be a bit long but I just have to share it (as Urban Hymns blasts on my stereo). I left campus at 2:00 looking forward to the show, expecting it to be good, but I didn't know how good. I got there at 3:00 pm and there were only two blokes there at that point, which had come from the Atlanta show to D.C. Which was neat cos I pressed them for info on the D.J., who up to that point had remained a mystery to me. Anyhow, at one point the band wanted some pot so they got to go backstage with them for a while and got free beer and some stuff signed. I, of course, sitting outside in the cold got jealous. But then again, it paid off in the end. The video bloke came up to me and was like: "we have three minutes left on our tape, its for a verve documentary, so say something". I think I managed to spit something out but then the other blokes he was with told him he was being cruel so he apologised, lol. Then at around 5:30 this roadie dude came up to me and said "Have you been out here all day? You must be freezing" and then said he wouldve invited me to the bus if Nick hadn't been hiding.. Eventually 7:30 rolled around and we were let inside, and I was rather entertained for a while watching the slides and staring at the dj...I could see him clearly from where I was as I was dead center in front of Richard, front row...Really good place to be despite nearly getting my ribs to collapse in on themselves. I really liked the dj at first, but after a while everyone got restless and kept asking for the verve...I saw Richard at one point dancing around back there, and Kate was stationed up in the balcony staring down at the crowd with the videocamera bloke. By 9:45 or so the lights finally dimmed and the band stepped up to the stage. I was in a bit of shock, as is my usual concert thing: "oooh err that's not the band". They opened with a new decade if I'm not mistaken...A song I liked on the disc but live just destroyed all previous conceptions I had of music or of the Verve's talent...Richard's dancing around was fab! Nick seemed as calm as Alex James from Blur though, it was great to glance over at fingers working their magic..and Simon! Ack! I kept giggling every time I stared at him! He was bouncing around as he played...Yay! Mind you I've never seen The Verve live before so I thought this was really amusing! I didn't really know how to react to the music.. which must sound really daft but I was in total shock. I kept screaming at the top of my lungs and trying to push back the drunk girl behind me who kept clawing at me and telling Richard he was 'so fucking hot'. There's always one of those trying to ruin your concert experience...Some songs that really stand out in my memory are...well, Weeping Willow for one. I had heard it during soundcheck but it was still amazing to hear...For the first ten seconds I was off my head screaming then I was just jumping around throwing my fists in the air...Sorry if I hit any of you! On Your Own, History, Life's an ocean, come on, BSS, DDW, Slide Away, Rolling People, stormy clouds, This is Music, Northern Soul, Lucky Man, Sonnet.. those were the other songs...though I'm forgetting some of course. I love how the crowd just went totally crazy for the rolling people...and all these people were singing along to history...I would have been had I not been crying and staring numbly at Richard. And just jumping as high as possible during lucky man... Enough of that, you get the point I'm sure. There were filming the show and the crowd, and since I was right in front of Richard and going crazy maybe I'll be somewhere in it...I heard MTV was there as well...So I'm the psycho fan in the tight black top who looks like the perfect picture of an 80s groupie getting out of her head...When the show ended I just stood still in front of the stage trying to swallow what had just happened...which was hard to do...so I got a glass of water, bought me one of the t-shirts they had, and went outside to the alley to wait around for the band.. though I didn't have anything to sign...When I was still alone there the DJ bloke (who was cute I must add, but then again, sow as the camera guy) walked by and he stopped and smiled at me, cos Id spoken to him before the show, so I told him the show was ace and Verve are the 'best fucking band on earth'. He smiled and then I said they used to not be my favorite, so he asked me who had been. I said Blur, so he burst into laughter and said "Blur are rubbish!" Then he said "catch ya later mate". roflmao. Only around 10 or 12 people eventually joined me and everyone else left.. eventually we saw Richard getting into the bus so we yelled, begging for him to come and sign autographs...So he did, and we queued up. I didn't have anything so I got desperate and took off the t-shirt Id just bought...I asked him to sign it, and he just stared at me...and said "How am I supposed to do this?" Then as he was signing it by balancing it against the wall I said "Cast no shadow", cos really, at that point there was nothing else I could say. They're taping me for the documentary at this point, and the guy is laughing at me saying "you're not very shy now, are you?". Richard then said "It wasn't really written for me...Its a great song, I wish Id written it" And me, not having anything less daft to say, was like "it is, but you write better songs!" Then some guys that were there got me a pic of the band, one of those urban hymns ones and I asked Richard to sign that too.. I told him it was a great show, as if he didn't know that! Still, the sound guy is laughing at me :P Almost everyone leaves.. by this time it is 1:00 am and we see Simon getting into the bus, there are only 4 of us left.. so we dash back to the bus but Simon's already inside when we get there.. so we go back to the head of the alley to wait for...well, I don't know what. Then the same roadie who'd talked to me earlier walks up and says "You've been out here all day haven't you?" I said I had, so he said "Well, which signiatures are you missing?" I said everyone except Richard, so he took my glossy pic inside the tour bus and got the remaining members to sign it! The other people waiting out there were kinda shocked :P. I thanked the guy ten times over as I held it, shaking, and he said "nah, thank you for coming". So I left the venue at around 1:30 or so as the bus was leaving... I'm still trying to stomach the whole thing, which is pretty hard to do...I went to the show liking the verve a lot, but liking some other bands--namely Oasis and Blur--a lot more. Now, I still love those bands but.. it's so hard to like anything but the verve at this point. They wree just bigger than...I don't know.. anything! The show was really loud so that helped to get the really heavy bass and amazing guitar flowing...and Richard! He's got spirit, he does...If I listen to anything but the verve for the next couple of weeks it will be a miracle. I cant wait for that christmas concert! |
From: mstclair@earthlink.net
| this is what happened at last nights 9:30 club show, not
in this order. NEW DECADE THIS IS MUSIC DDW MAN CALLED SUN STORMY CLOUDS/REPRISE ROLLING PEOPLE ON YOUR OWN A NORTHERN SOUL LIFE'S AN OCEAN LUCKY MAN WEEPING WILLOW SONNET ------------------------- BSS HISTORY COME ON The highlights were man called sun, stormy clouds/reprise, new decade, this is music, come on, and a surprisingly intense and rocking bitter sweet symphony (an average song on the CD but thanks to nick and the fact that you could not really here the strings this song really took off!) The fake keyboard string samples were way down in the mix where they belong. most of the time I did not even notice Simon tong. this was a bonus which I was not expecting. Lowlights include sonnet and weeping willow. The lowest-lowlight was that NOT A SINGLE SONG FROM ASIH WAS PLAYED! I guess this is the new verve, playing for the critics and reviewers. After seeing the verve on two consecutive tours I must say that this was not as good as the other shows. Don't get me wrong, they are still the best live band around, and this was a great show. It was obvious from the crowds reaction that the verve are becoming more of a radio oriented "hit" band. Songs like DDW and BSS received the biggest applause, while far superior songs like MCS and Stormy clouds left people a little bewildered. One final word. Nick is the man. I totally agree with the posts discussing Richard's songwriting weakness. Lyrically he is a fucking poet, but the verve are only a great band because of Nick's guitar stylings. At last nights show Richard would point to Nick while he was into one of his sonic cosmic disturbing jams as if to say "he is the fucking man, listen to him roar!" It's good that Richard realizes this. It's a true pleasure to see Nick constantly fiddling with his guitar, pedals, and amp throughout each song, never trying to act like a rock star. He rules. If there is a storm in heaven, it comes from Nick's guitar. |
From: Girl From Mars
| splendid that word appeared on one of the pre-show slides last night in DC, and I'd say it pretty well sums up the night for me...oh I don't know what to say or where to begin...I don't want to say what's already been said in those nice recaps of the show...but it was such an experience for me. just...wow. you're all in for something special if you're seeing them on this tour. despite being awestruck and in tears I still managed to snap some pretty fine pictures if anyone wants to trade for them--I was right at the stage...let's see, what else...'drugs don't work' nearly did me in, really...beyond breathtaking. it was all just brilliant, though. sorry it had to end. but then to top off my night--or my life, really--I met Richard after the show...he was sweet and beautiful and lovely...but he really is just a person... |
From: Brett
| I was at the show as well...despite not playing Slide Away and Gravity Grave I loved all the shit they played...I am so glad they played history and bittersweet I thought one might get scrapped for the other....overall favorite songs of the night....This is Music and Come On also I even liked willow and some other mellower shit they played...they rocked...anyway hope all had a good time...I drove from Richmond and got a ticket on the way home going (well back to college anyway) 86 in a 65; needless to say I got fucked up the ass on 95...at least I was not fucked up.. |
From: Leon
| Did anyone notice that the sound was really muddy last
night? I remember some Atlanta folks saying that too, recently. The only
guitar parts that really came through were the really intense, heavy ones.
And it was LOUD. Way louder than it needed to be for the size of that place.
Also, the songs seemed to be faster than in the past, with the guys moving
through the set as quickly as possible. 'Man Called Sun' was cool. And I liked the slightly different variation of 'A Northern Soul'. It had a harder, more aggressive sound. 'Stormy Clouds' was nicely done, and the 'Reprise' was wonderful, with Nick's mind-bending guitar work (a couple guitar-playing friends of mine who are new to the Verve were straining to see how he was getting those sounds out of that Les Paul!) He IS the man! Richard repeatedly pointing that out during the show was nice. BSS wasn't as bad live as others have said it was in the past, even with the cheesy synth string arrangement. It had a nice, groovy swing to it. Tong was really out of the way for the most part. I wonder what he thinks about his role in the band. I didn't think 'Sonnet' was bad. I've grown to really like the track, the more I've listened to it. But 'Weeping Willow' was pretty annoying. The Oasis comparisons were obvious and frightening. And you're right: Where was ASIH? Don't mean to bitch about it too much, but not even 'Slide Away'? Hey now! 'So Sister' would have been cool. |
From: Stephen Schmidt
| We drove all the way from Morgantown WV to see this go
down. I'd never been to the 9:30 before. My brother and I met some great
people, most of whom, ironically, had never seen the Wigan Five before. If
the opening DJ is their doing than he's an incredilble choice-Sly, Beatles,
P-Funk, Electric Prunes ("Holy Are You"), Primal Scream-- nearly every song
had you and a total stranger looking at each other and going "Right On!"
Before we left home I got to say something I never thought I'd say in my
life: "Let's go see the fucking Verve!" And here we were. It started packing
in tight (and I mean TIGHT) and we were sweating bullets already so a few of
us got it in our heads to start chanting "Come On!" It didn't take. Not long
after that we saw Richard kissing Kate in the upstairs balcony and a few
people went apeshit.120 SECONDS LATER THE VERVE WALKED ON STAGE. Rock Star Richard swaggered out smoking a butt and carrying a beer and immediately began working us into a frenzy. He's all electricity and if there was ever a time you'd want to start believing in rock stars again this is it. He informed the crowd that this is "A New Decade" and with a roar that should have ripped us to shreds it kicked in LOUD! Time has done nothing but age them well. I'm gonna proceed with the highlights: We got "This is Music" "Life's and Ocean", "Northern Soul", "On Your Own" ( I'd bet good money that NO ONE understood what the fuck he was saying in the intro- best gibberish since Elvis). The set was the pretty standard fare as in the Isles-YET all we got pre-northern soul-wise was "Man Called Sun". When I'd heard this it was like being in some other time and some other place altogether. I saw some couple up in the balcony wrapped around each other, smiling and swaying and I thought "How Great!" Other highlights included "Stormy Clouds/Reprise" (oh MAN do they still have it!) and "BSS". Live, it has a whole other nature to it, like here it is, happening NOW, and what I've heard before is just a mere recording. Add "History" (massive!), "Weeping Willow" "Sonnet" (don't care much for it) "DDW", "Lucky Man" to the bill, and then get your soul saved for the sky-high "Come On" and you more than got your money's worth. Interestingly, there were a good number of Brits ( and at least one Irishman who went into a pogoing frenzy with me at the end ) in the crowd. The told us that no way in HELL can you get a chance to see them back home, they're so big. I'm sorry this review has taken so much space so I'll end on two points: (1) You folks out west, don't let them get away without playing "Slide Away", we were pissed and (2) Nick McCabe is Jimmy Page, Kevin Shields, and all the rest rolled into one. |
From: Marek
| Greetings. Being an old time fan, I saw them open for the
Pumpkins in Dusseldorf in 1993, weeks after A storm in heaven had just come
out, I couldn't wait to see the boys again. They didn't disappoint. After
the show, I spoke with Richard and he told me that Atlanta, the first nite,
was a bit rusty, but it felt "right" tonight (in D.C.). They sounded clear,
tight, and intense. Richard was of course the focal point, and the light
show and rest of the band complemented him nicely. The set was as follows:
A new decade, this is music, Life's an Ocean, On your own, Drugs Don't Work, Northern Soul, a man called sun, Sonnet, Weeping Willow, Rolling People, Stormy Clouds, BitterSweet, History, Lucky man, and Come On. All told it was about an hour and 45minute set, no opening band, save for DJ Wayne kicking out some nice music prior to the band. Folks if you've never seen them, do so on this tour. They are only going to move on to larger venues the next time around, and trust me, they will reach their goal of being "huge". Made Oasis sound like scared 7th grade boys after the show tonight! |
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