Live vs. Studio?
- Thread starter RollMyCoaster13
- Start date
JemGaarenstroom
-Jem-
agreed.
Deliverance, while it is easily in my top 10 Opeth songs, will absolutely blow you away when they play it live.
Magnificent.
I think most of their songs sound better live, but there are exceptions.
"Deliverance", for example and despite what the poster above me has said, really relies on the machine-like precision of the drumming, which would be a major task to recreate live for Axe. Not because Axe is a bad drummer, but because Lopez had a really different style, and his drumming on this song is the peak of that style. And the ending in the studio version is so awesome in part due to that weird sustained keyboard... which they don't seem to do live, for whatever reason.
"Deliverance", for example and despite what the poster above me has said, really relies on the machine-like precision of the drumming, which would be a major task to recreate live for Axe. Not because Axe is a bad drummer, but because Lopez had a really different style, and his drumming on this song is the peak of that style. And the ending in the studio version is so awesome in part due to that weird sustained keyboard... which they don't seem to do live, for whatever reason.
Korlich
So Judah fucked it up
Clousure, Apr. eth, Creedence and FoM seems better live. The same with any MR song. Dunno about Orchid have only heard decent versions of two songs: UTWM and FO.
Im a huge live music fan, and i think live shows are important and vital part of any band's identity. At the same time my taste strongly inclines towards firmly composed/structured and well thought out music. Thus, as opposed to the common "prog" expectations ("expect the unexpected", etc.), when it comes to live shows, i pretty much expect the expected, i expect the "same" music ive already heard on the record. I disagree with the notion that rock bands with defined studio sound are supposed to give something "new" or "extra" in their live performances, in terms of excessively re-arranging (read: butchering) their songs. So, Opeth without multi-track overdubs and effects (and, thankfully, pre-recorded tracks, that many bands use in their live shows) is more than fine with me. I think that, as with any other great live band, this "new", "extra" level comes with unmatched intensity, sped-up tempos and sharpened arrangements of the band's live performances. Or with even more refined melancholy of Opeth's mellow songs.
My key point is: you're not supposed to improvise or "jam" to be considered a great live act!
I hold that Opeth is great both studio and live. They exploit all the possibilities of studio recording while keeping the things primal enough to be able to come out and give their studio efforts more "organic" feel in live performances.
My key point is: you're not supposed to improvise or "jam" to be considered a great live act!
I hold that Opeth is great both studio and live. They exploit all the possibilities of studio recording while keeping the things primal enough to be able to come out and give their studio efforts more "organic" feel in live performances.
As for particular songs, i will generally first give a listen to a studio version, and then, after a number of listens move on to some bootleg. Interestingly, even the poorest sounding bootlegs give me something "new", in terms of dynamics, emotions, energy... Once i get familiar with the live version of a particular song, i may switch back to studio version every once in a while, but live performance remains my preferred version.
However, as with any other band, there's a number of "mannerisms" that can sometimes irk me, or at least make me feel sorry i cant have some details my way. For instance, i never found live version of When which accentuates the words "grin" and "aware" (in "the gilded faces grin, aware of my final demise...") the "right" way, and Mike seems to sing this part each time in the same way and that's when i just wish he would make a change in vocal phrasing at least once. I know its picky, but it would mean to me a lot. I especially crave for a live version of Master's apprentices and April ethereal which will have the extended outro, with those ecstatic repetitive chords... I understand its clever to shorten these songs in numerous live performances (especially since its impossible to do the gradual fade out), but i feel that in some official live version (as on Lamentations) there could be one extended coda for the full impact. This way it can feel like a too short orgasm
But, these are minor quibbles, of course.
Overall, i think Opeth is the greatest of live bands, and i pay just as much attention to their bootlegs as to their studio work. I think studio versions are sort of "ideal" versions, like perfect thoughts, but i usually find real and "flawed" charms of live versions all too appealing.
However, as with any other band, there's a number of "mannerisms" that can sometimes irk me, or at least make me feel sorry i cant have some details my way. For instance, i never found live version of When which accentuates the words "grin" and "aware" (in "the gilded faces grin, aware of my final demise...") the "right" way, and Mike seems to sing this part each time in the same way and that's when i just wish he would make a change in vocal phrasing at least once. I know its picky, but it would mean to me a lot. I especially crave for a live version of Master's apprentices and April ethereal which will have the extended outro, with those ecstatic repetitive chords... I understand its clever to shorten these songs in numerous live performances (especially since its impossible to do the gradual fade out), but i feel that in some official live version (as on Lamentations) there could be one extended coda for the full impact. This way it can feel like a too short orgasm
But, these are minor quibbles, of course.Overall, i think Opeth is the greatest of live bands, and i pay just as much attention to their bootlegs as to their studio work. I think studio versions are sort of "ideal" versions, like perfect thoughts, but i usually find real and "flawed" charms of live versions all too appealing.
I just went and listened back-to-back to both the studio and live versions of songs from the first 3 albums and The Roundhouse Tapes, and I have to say that it's not quite as cut and dry as I was thinking. While The Roundhouse Tapes is definitely EQ'd better and I prefer Axe over the drummer on the first 2 albums, I also have to acknowledge that I do prefer the studio versions for the acoustic parts (since they're not acoustic live). Thus, I guess I have to say it's a toss-up. It would be nice to have the best elements of both in one version, but on the other hand, the way it is we have two good but different versions of each of those songs.
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