I've been out of the loop for a while with a lot o' personal shit going on, and I needed a lot of self-reflection time after a Hell-ish trip down to ATL for the PP, but now I'm back (if anyone cares...:Spin: )
So I got the new Fates Warning DVD Live In Athens, and I had to post my thoughts on this as I feel they are needed. I am a big FW fan, especially the Ray Alder era (Parallells & IO) and I've been listening to them since I saw the video of "Point Of View" on the ol' Headbangers Ball back in 1991. They have been one of my fave Melodic Prog bands for a while and I even like the more avante-garde approach of the newer stuff (not as much as the older though).
So back to the DVD. This is a much needed item for the FW fans in America as these guys rarely (and I mean RARELY) tour this country. So I was quite excited to get this concert. I'll break this into positives and negatives:
POSITIVES:
1) Ray Alder (even straining on high notes) has one of the best and most expressive voices in my music collection. I just love this guy's voice. And does this dude friggin' age EVER? He's looked the same for like 12 years!:Spin:
2) Return of lead guitarist Frank Aresti. Although the one time I talked to him he seemed to be a bit of a weird little dude, this guy has chops to spare. FW have been missing this guy for 11 years. He is an unbelievable lead man and he rarely gets brought up amongst the higher calibre of axemen out there.
3) Joey Vera. Although not an original member, Joey has emerged over his time in FW as a technical bassist, streching his chops a little further than he did in his time in Armored Saint (no knock on the Saint though as they rule too!
) He is an energetic performer as well.
4) Songwriting of Jim Matheos. Say what you will about this dude (I personally could if provoked), he is a top notch rythym guitarist and his songs are always innovative and top-notch quality within the Prog realm of things.
5) Representative setlist. The songs are pretty well evened up from Paralells up to the new LP. They don't bog down the concert and bash the new album over everone's head (Iron Maiden, anyone?)
NEGATIVES:
1) Camera positioning. Although this IS a pro-shot concert (obviously) with multiple camera angles, the main camera angle is from the overhead balcony where we see about 70% of the concert. I prefer to have the cameras lower where they shoot UP into the performers, rather than look down on them. I personally hate this angle but if the following negatives were eliminated, I could live with this.
2) Retarted camera operators. I have never, and I mean NEVER seen such poorly researched and oblivious camera operating on a pro-shot show EVER. I have bootleg shows that have better guys operating things. The main issue I have is when there is a guitar solo, um gee, could we FUCKING SEE IT? If anyone has this DVD, I challenge you to find more than 1.5 seconds of ANY guitar solo by Aresti or Matheos. If I wasn't so pissed about it, it would be comical that EVERY time there is a solo, yep, the camera either focuses on anyone BUT the soloist, or it simply pans the camera all the way back so we are WAYYY back and I'm like "Hey, it think someone's moving their fingers!"
Maybe next time they could pay some $50 bucks and make them listen to what's being played ahead of time so they know who to FOCUS IN ON.
3) Nick D'Whatever The Fuck. This guy would probably be a decent drummer in an AC/DC cover band. He holds the tempo well and drums quite nicely in a 4/4 format. But as a replacement to Mark Zonder? Nigga pluheese. This guy's playing is utter and complete GARBAGE. I am not a drummer and I even counted about 5 times the guy fucked up a beat. I am sorry, but this band's catalog deserves ANY musician to respect the way the songs were recorded. And what the fuck were those annoying fills during "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray Part 11"?! Just nearly ruined it. I have never seen a poorer replacement drummer EVER. On a related note, on the bonus section there are two songs live from Holland (Another Perfect Day and The Elleventh Hour) with Mike Portnoy filling in on drums. And even on a bootleg format, my God, what a difference. Portnoy is amazing on songs he didn't even record and ol' Nick can't even play shit straight that he is getting paid to play.
4) Set Time. This band has been around for over 20 years and has how many studio albums, and the most they can muster up to play (for a DVD!) is 1 hour and 28 minutes? Are you fucking serious? These guys aren't playing Thrash or Death Metal! I also purchased the Testament DVD from London (Alex Skolnick still owns, btw) and that is even shorter, but at least that is Thrash where there is a lot more energy being exerted, especially by John Tempesta. Not to mention that most of the dudes in Testament are in their mid 40's, their singer used to have brain Cancer, etc. I'd even understand it if FW played 88 minutes or less on all the tour except for this show, oh well. They could at least balls-up for 1 show and do a solid two hours. But this DVD will be around forever, they rarely EVER tour, and still, 88 minutes. What The Mother Fuck. Maybe this is the reason why Glenn can't get FW for PP...Matheos can't even commit to playing a full 90 minutes.:Spin:
Okay, I need to step outside in the Chicago winter to cool down. Thanks for your time.
NP: Queensryche- "Rage For Order"
So I got the new Fates Warning DVD Live In Athens, and I had to post my thoughts on this as I feel they are needed. I am a big FW fan, especially the Ray Alder era (Parallells & IO) and I've been listening to them since I saw the video of "Point Of View" on the ol' Headbangers Ball back in 1991. They have been one of my fave Melodic Prog bands for a while and I even like the more avante-garde approach of the newer stuff (not as much as the older though).
So back to the DVD. This is a much needed item for the FW fans in America as these guys rarely (and I mean RARELY) tour this country. So I was quite excited to get this concert. I'll break this into positives and negatives:
POSITIVES:
1) Ray Alder (even straining on high notes) has one of the best and most expressive voices in my music collection. I just love this guy's voice. And does this dude friggin' age EVER? He's looked the same for like 12 years!:Spin:
2) Return of lead guitarist Frank Aresti. Although the one time I talked to him he seemed to be a bit of a weird little dude, this guy has chops to spare. FW have been missing this guy for 11 years. He is an unbelievable lead man and he rarely gets brought up amongst the higher calibre of axemen out there.
3) Joey Vera. Although not an original member, Joey has emerged over his time in FW as a technical bassist, streching his chops a little further than he did in his time in Armored Saint (no knock on the Saint though as they rule too!
) He is an energetic performer as well.4) Songwriting of Jim Matheos. Say what you will about this dude (I personally could if provoked), he is a top notch rythym guitarist and his songs are always innovative and top-notch quality within the Prog realm of things.
5) Representative setlist. The songs are pretty well evened up from Paralells up to the new LP. They don't bog down the concert and bash the new album over everone's head (Iron Maiden, anyone?)
NEGATIVES:
1) Camera positioning. Although this IS a pro-shot concert (obviously) with multiple camera angles, the main camera angle is from the overhead balcony where we see about 70% of the concert. I prefer to have the cameras lower where they shoot UP into the performers, rather than look down on them. I personally hate this angle but if the following negatives were eliminated, I could live with this.
2) Retarted camera operators. I have never, and I mean NEVER seen such poorly researched and oblivious camera operating on a pro-shot show EVER. I have bootleg shows that have better guys operating things. The main issue I have is when there is a guitar solo, um gee, could we FUCKING SEE IT? If anyone has this DVD, I challenge you to find more than 1.5 seconds of ANY guitar solo by Aresti or Matheos. If I wasn't so pissed about it, it would be comical that EVERY time there is a solo, yep, the camera either focuses on anyone BUT the soloist, or it simply pans the camera all the way back so we are WAYYY back and I'm like "Hey, it think someone's moving their fingers!"
Maybe next time they could pay some $50 bucks and make them listen to what's being played ahead of time so they know who to FOCUS IN ON.3) Nick D'Whatever The Fuck. This guy would probably be a decent drummer in an AC/DC cover band. He holds the tempo well and drums quite nicely in a 4/4 format. But as a replacement to Mark Zonder? Nigga pluheese. This guy's playing is utter and complete GARBAGE. I am not a drummer and I even counted about 5 times the guy fucked up a beat. I am sorry, but this band's catalog deserves ANY musician to respect the way the songs were recorded. And what the fuck were those annoying fills during "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray Part 11"?! Just nearly ruined it. I have never seen a poorer replacement drummer EVER. On a related note, on the bonus section there are two songs live from Holland (Another Perfect Day and The Elleventh Hour) with Mike Portnoy filling in on drums. And even on a bootleg format, my God, what a difference. Portnoy is amazing on songs he didn't even record and ol' Nick can't even play shit straight that he is getting paid to play.
4) Set Time. This band has been around for over 20 years and has how many studio albums, and the most they can muster up to play (for a DVD!) is 1 hour and 28 minutes? Are you fucking serious? These guys aren't playing Thrash or Death Metal! I also purchased the Testament DVD from London (Alex Skolnick still owns, btw) and that is even shorter, but at least that is Thrash where there is a lot more energy being exerted, especially by John Tempesta. Not to mention that most of the dudes in Testament are in their mid 40's, their singer used to have brain Cancer, etc. I'd even understand it if FW played 88 minutes or less on all the tour except for this show, oh well. They could at least balls-up for 1 show and do a solid two hours. But this DVD will be around forever, they rarely EVER tour, and still, 88 minutes. What The Mother Fuck. Maybe this is the reason why Glenn can't get FW for PP...Matheos can't even commit to playing a full 90 minutes.:Spin:
Okay, I need to step outside in the Chicago winter to cool down. Thanks for your time.
NP: Queensryche- "Rage For Order"
