Sabaton lineup

[Element_man]

You realize that if the band is playing to a click due to pre-recorded backing tracks, the band is infinitely tighter than if it was playing without a click and had a live keyboardist right?

Ugh, I hate that mentality. You can be plenty tight with a full lineup that properly rehearses, performs and practices their craft. You don't need to have all your harmonies in a row and every pizzicatto "plink" lined up to the 32nd-note kicks to be a convincing live band. There are exceptions of course, I couldn't imagine listening to a Rhapsody gig without the symphonic layering but bands like Into Eternity running all their guitar effects and clean/dirty channel switches through a protools session leaves me cold. Makes your gig look/sound/feel about as canned as your backing tracks.

 

[PureXul]

Is Snowy Shaw still with them as their touring drummer, or did Robban Bäck rejoin the band?

As of yesterday's gig in Malmo, Snowy is still handling drum duties.

 

[Diamond45]

As of yesterday's gig in Malmo, Snowy is still handling drum duties.

Very cool! I had the chance to have a long conversation with Snowy a couple of years ago when the played with Therion at PP USA. He is a great guy and hope he enjoys coming back to our little festival in Atlanta!

 

[AeonicSlumber]

By the same token they could be even tighter YET by using ONLY pre-recorded parts. Why listen to five musicians who could make mistakes when playing live, when you could just pipe in ALL the music mastered to perfection?

I've accepted the piped in aspects of concerts, but I would far rather see the bands adapt the songs to be played in a live setting with the musicians on stage. That includes bands like Rush, too! Want to have three people only on stage? Then re-work the material.

Because listening to a record means listening to a bunch of robots, so ironically, the dude who accused the band of "cheating" and likely bought the record is listening to a bunch of quantized, sampled drums, edited guitar takes, melodyned vocals, and other studio magic implemented on 90% of metal records today.

Ugh, I hate that mentality. You can be plenty tight with a full lineup that properly rehearses, performs and practices their craft. You don't need to have all your harmonies in a row and every pizzicatto "plink" lined up to the 32nd-note kicks to be a convincing live band. There are exceptions of course, I couldn't imagine listening to a Rhapsody gig without the symphonic layering but bands like Into Eternity running all their guitar effects and clean/dirty channel switches through a protools session leaves me cold. Makes your gig look/sound/feel about as canned as your backing tracks.

Bands playing to a click are ALWAYS going to be tighter than a band that doesn't, end of story. Rehearsing has nothing to do with it. You can rehearse with a full band without a click for a year side by side with a band that rehearses with a click for the same amount of time and the latter will always be tighter. The former may sound more "real" but that's neither here nor there.

 

[raising_iron]

Well, it seems some of you have seen them with no problems. I would agree about the singer being the most noticeable, but come on, 4 guys at once gives me pause, plenty of bands have not lived up to former glories after a couple of guys have been replaced. I do agree their style as fairly easily inimitable, so given that with nobody seeming to have any negatives to say about this should allay any concerns! As far as the keys, I'd prefer a live player but it really doesn't bother me if they have to pipe them in, that's just one of those "it is what it is" scenarios...

 

[raising_iron]

Oh, and is Snowy Shaw going to be with them at this ProgPower then?

 

[PureXul]

Well, it seems some of you have seen them with no problems. I would agree about the singer being the most noticeable, but come on, 4 guys at once gives me pause, plenty of bands have not lived up to former glories after a couple of guys have been replaced. I do agree their style as fairly easily inimitable, so given that with nobody seeming to have any negatives to say about this should allay any concerns!

Taking nothing away from the ex-members, I honestly think they're better live with Chris, Thobbe, and Robban/Snowy. Neither Oskar nor Rikard were particularly active in terms of crowd-engagement, while I felt that both Chris and Thobbe did a good job of that. Robban was a bit reserved behind the kit, but Snowy hit the mark perfectly in my eyes - showy, but not to the point where it was a distraction.

Their performance at PPUSA X still stands as one of the best I've seen, but I think that coming in as a headliner this year with a lineup that has had time to gel, they can top it.

 

[Hammerlock]

Well, it seems some of you have seen them with no problems. I would agree about the singer being the most noticeable, but come on, 4 guys at once gives me pause, plenty of bands have not lived up to former glories after a couple of guys have been replaced. I do agree their style as fairly easily inimitable, so given that with nobody seeming to have any negatives to say about this should allay any concerns! As far as the keys, I'd prefer a live player but it really doesn't bother me if they have to pipe them in, that's just one of those "it is what it is" scenarios...

The thing that gives me hope is that the two remaining members, Par and Joakim, between them did all of the writing for the albums. Look at the credits for music and lyrics. If one of them had taken off, I'd be REALLY worried for their future. But since the primary forces behind what made Sabaton what it is today are both still in place, I am very confident that the follow-up to "Carolus Rex" will sound as if nothing had changed. They don't need to "imitate" their own brand of songwriting. And like I said, live, they still have the energy and charisma that the old lineup had across the board.

 

[Harvester]

Oh, and is Snowy Shaw going to be with them at this ProgPower then?

Confirmed.

 

[Bamafan]

Confirmed.

"Doesn't matter where we goooooo
He's always there.
That fucking Snowy Shaw"

That song still makes me laugh.

 

[Mardoch]

Confirmed.

 

[KingsGene]

SABATON - Not Even A Broken Toe Can Keep Them From Wacken

"This is just perfect," writes SNOWY SHAW on Facebook. "Broke my right pinkytoe today (July 30th) and I'm playing Wacken on Friday (August 2nd with SABATON). Barefoot as always. But I've toured six weeks with a broken leg with KING DIAMOND, so I'll get by somehow."

 

[Fizrider]

"Doesn't matter where we goooooo
He's always there.
That fucking Snowy Shaw"

That song still makes me laugh.

Totally what I thought, and I didn't want to say it.

I have ALMOST forgiven Dream Evil for their hibernation sickness - but I'm not quite there yet.

Snowy Shaw + Sabaton - I may just laugh throughout the entire set. In a good way.

 

[PureXul]

I have ALMOST forgiven Dream Evil for their hibernation sickness - but I'm not quite there yet.

Hibernation sickness was Arcturus, Dream Evil screwed up their visa interviews/paperwork (forget the exact details, but it was something along those lines).

 

[raising_iron]

Well, glad to hear all the positives. Their catalog kicks ass so can't wait to see if they indeed do top their last ProgPower performance!

 

[Fizrider]

Hibernation sickness was Arcturus, Dream Evil screwed up their visa interviews/paperwork (forget the exact details, but it was something along those lines).

You are correct, sir. They applied for the wrong Visa after procrastinating the application process AFTER Glenn did everything right on this end.

Okay - I can forgive them for being stupid - it's been almost 2 years...