This Just In...from the Neal Morse Show!!!

[mgirishfan]

Hi Everyone!!!

I just got to my girlfriend's place after the incredible Neal Morse gig!!! What a show!! It was an amazing, amazing gig -- all the reports from Europe are right!!!

I have never been to such a concert before. There was sooooooo much going on on stage - and above the stage... Neal is nothing short of stunning! His voice was clear and strong the whole night long....form the minute he walked in from he back, down the aisle, singing "The Land of Beginning Again"...tonight we got all of Testimony of course, then "We All Need Some Light", "The Light", and (after a lengthy cheering session) "June"...and all three were 'audience participation' numbers, which was soooooo cool!!!

Eric Brenton on guitar, mandolin, flute, etc was a fabulous performer and a very nice guy. Bert and keys was a wild man and took off in a frenzied dosie-do with John the guitarist during Sing it High!!! It was fabulously crazy!!! "Give them room!" was Neal's comment - too cute!

"I Am Willling" is my fave track off of Testimony and it was wonderful to see and hear...both in it's normal place as well as in a reprise during "Oh, To Feel Him" -- and that perfomance totally shook my soul. That song gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it on the CD - never mind I've heard it a hundred times!

I could go on and on....but I have got to get some sleep, LOL!

Oh - it was cool to meet jjmannford tonight at the gig! Cheers, dude!

Take care everyone, and if you can get to Whittier to see the last show, DO IT!!!!!!!! You will be moved!

Cheers!

 

[|ngenius]

Well, I was about to get to London to see Neal performing live, but I finally decided not to go. My mistake, because some friends of mine did and the critics are awesome, he played the full Testimony album plus some extra tunes (can't remember "We All Need Some Light" between the set list, but it'd be even better!!!).


Aside from the music, I was told it was quite touching and emotive, Neal explained some personal stuff regarding his daughter. In my opinion, Neal is so communicative, so expressive when speaking, it can be seen in the Transatlantic DVD (Live in Europe) in his brief speech about the loss and tragedy occurred in New York 11/9, his eyes anb his words go along in communicating. It is good to perceive honestity in such an event.


|ng.

 

[ebass]

Mare

Thanks so much for the report on this.

I would be making the trip to LA tomorrow if it wasn’t such a special day already It is my mothers 70th Birthday. Happy Birthday Mom

I really hope Neal and Mike will book some more shows. This truly sounds like something everyone should see and hear!

I remember when I first heard about Neal leaving SB and everyone freaking out and passing judgment on him for his beliefs!

SB was such an incredible band and it everything about it seemed so wrong? so many people were so bummed out and really pissed off? Little did anyone know the bigger picture? as usual? Look now at what we all have? SB went ahead and wrote an incrdible disc where they all got a chance to write and come up with there own baby, Feel Euphoria is a great disc! The Bottom Line is one the best songs ever written! Nick, Dave, Al, and Ryo really did a great job! Seeing and hearing the music from FE every night was incredible wasn,t it? Nick stepped up big time! He may never have had the chance to do that if things remained the same! Nick you rule bro!

So in the end SB may have changed drastically or perhaps? EVOLVED? and Neal is doing what he needed to do as well which is pretty amazing when you really think about it!

As a huge fan of all of them all I see it as a win win situation!

It takes so much courage and vision to do something like this! I think it is pretty clear now hey? Maybe in the end it made eveything better for everyone? I guess that will remain to be seen but it looks pretty good at this point? I bet we see even more incredible things from SB and Neal in the future!

What an amazing musician and human being Neal is! Truly!

He is truly an inspiration to so many people!

 

[|ngenius]

@Ed: Don't think people were judging Neal beacause of his personal belif, but wondering how many great projects were (apparently) going to a sudden end, and regretting that fact. This may provoke several different reactions, and the way Neal explained his decision caused great confusion (I was puzzled myself by reading God told Neal to stop running in the street!!!). Now, after a couple of years, we see things clearer and Neal is back with a new album, SB have their rebirth thanks to Nick's awesome vocals and Transatlantic have released a new live album and DVD, so everything's going ahead again. Think most of us fully respect Neal's belief and appreciate that he's doing better after the stormy decade he lived, really, but think he and everybody should understand how paralyzing is to know that some of your favourite bands are ceasing their activities because God told them so. It is a matter of understanding both sides: Neal and the fans.

@Ed's Mom: Happy birthday, your life is just starting, young lady. My best wishes!!!


|ng (Wishing well...)

 

[ebass]

Thanks ing, your too cool!

Hey I totally see all sides now! everything just makes so much more sense now? my point was that there is no reason for regrets or to be sad or paralyed at all? Things change? thats life?

It is all good now, yes it was really hard to see before I know!

No one knows what will happen in the future either? I only saw SB with once in SF and I was completly blown away! so I do understand! They were incredible togather! but they are still are now too! so is Neal?

I think it is all good!

Thanks again for the well wishes!

 

[|ngenius]

Thanks ing, your too cool!

Hey I totally see all sides now! everything just makes so much more sense now? my point was that there is no reason for regrets or to be sad or paralyed at all? Things change? thats life?

It is all good now, yes it was really hard to see before I know!

No one knows what will happen in the future either? I only saw SB with once in SF and I was completly blown away! so I do understand! They were incredible togather! but they are still are now too! so is Neal?

I see your point and it is right, since both stances are equally right to my eyes. Things change, and that doesn't imply you gotta endure things better, even when things ought change. Imagine for a moment that Bruce Dickinson is fired from Iron Maiden after doing "Number of The Beast", or think about Dream Theater giving up after "Images & Words" due to religious reasons. You can both understand the personal stance of each member of the band if they decide to split up because they are going to climb the Everest in seek of the Dalai Lama, but you are also sad because some people you appreciate in a professional field are ceasing doing things that somehow fulfilled your life. Understandable from both sides.

Yeap, future is always uncertain but exciting. Keep a piece of the birthday cake for me!!!

|ng.

 

[Ze Dan]

@Mare : lucky you ! Neal toured in Europe and didn't even stopped in France :Smug: He played in England, The Netherlands and Germany but not in Paris ! Aaaargh !

I don't think people judged Neal about his beliefs. but about the fact that he said he quit music to be in relation with god…*Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against religions or whatever (myself being jewish) but a guy like neal morse ? Come on let's be serious : would you seriously think this man known as the walking music machine (according to Roine Stolt) would stop playing and writing music ? NO WAY.

I actually got confused (and I think I'm not the only one) when Neal said he left the beard because God asked him. We're all agree to say that we're sad about transatlantic's end and we're also sad because Neal maybe had so many projects aside.

I think Kerry Livgren had the same kind of experience except he has been shot from all sides for some reasons

Some people thought about a Spock's Beard's Demise after Neal's departure. Scr…w Them, Feel Euphoria is the best answer to these guys and the beard guys (especially Nick) all kick ass…*both on record and live…*Ed and I saw it together in Paris, France with our own eyes !

@Ed's Mom :happy birthday ma'am Platt ! all the best and stay healthy

 

[IL Beardfan]

Hey Mare, glad you enjoyed the show. All the West Coasters are in a tizzy about tonight. Papa Jim from the Dividing Line played chauffeur to Mike Portnoy last night, and came online for the last hour of his usual show to give us some cool info about MP and the rest of the guys. Seems MP is quite the prog scholar, as PJ had a prog mix tape in the player, and MP was able to name the bands in a minimum of notes. He also said it was quite surreal to have him playing "lap drums" in the back seat of his vehicle. Just as PJ was leaving the hotel, Neal pulled up with his family, so Jim talked to him for a bit. Seems Neal found a Mexican restaurant that he said had the best Mexican food he's ever had (imagine that, in CA...LOL). One of the other guys helping with the show, rather than take all the gear to the hotel, than have to load it again, just decided to take the trailer to his house. So when Neal asked where all the stuff was and Jim responded "at JF's house", the look on Neal's face was to die for apparently. There's a lot of people who have volunteered their time and energy to make this show possible. Frank Mundo ("Saturday" from the message boards), who does video editing in his real life, has assembled a crew to video the event for possible DVD release in the future. Papa Jim and a host of others have really stepped up, and this promises to be one of THE events of the year. Damn, I sure wish Illinois wasn't so far away...

 

[mgirishfan]

Happy Happy Birthday to Ed's Mom!!! !!! Hope she has a wonderful time tonight!!!

 

[jjmannford]

Hey Mare,

Again thank you so much for ticket. I had a great time. Wish I could have stayed around to meet the band but oh well. I owe you big time. And I'm going to check out TSO and Savatage. Hope the pics turned out well, but just like we were talking about. When you are witnessing something great, its tough taking a lot of pictures.

Neal was excellent and wow what an AMAZING TALENT!!! I was shocked to hear how tight the band was. Surpisingly Mike Portnoy displayed a great deal of restrain, and was fabulous. I gotta say that the Light and Colder in the Sun and its various theme reprises (I have a one criticism of Neal...he really doesnt edit his music enough) were my highlights. The religious aspect of his music wasnt too overbearing also (me not being a terribly religious person, who feels uncomfortable when people preaching to me). All and all a great time and a great Italian Cold Cut at some sub shop in the town. Thanks you Mare!!!

Cheers,
Jim

4 more days until my favorite meal of the year!!!!!! I'm hungry already.

 

[mgirishfan]

Hey Jim,

You are most welcome!!! And hey check your email! I did get a couple of decent pics -- I was having the worst time focusing! All that contrast! But there are some goodies...I have lots of website updating to do while I'm off during the long upcoming weekend --- not that I'm off the whole time, LOL - we are going live Dec 1 and have lots of transports going in on Sunday!

I'm so happy you enjoyed yourself - and I'm glad you made it home safely - that was a long trip to do up and back like that!

As for Savatage and TSO...well start with TSO, as it is the Christmas season! Run over to Target or Best Buy and snag their two Christmas releases - Christmas Eve and Other Stories and The Christmas Attic. Hop over to www.trans-siberian.com too and check them out!

And no, for the tenth time, you don't owe me a thing!

Cheers!!!

 

[IL Beardfan]

I'll second that. TSO's Christmas CD's are some of the most moving music of the season you will ever hear. Check out the video for Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 on their website also. Always seems to get to me. Their non-Christmas CD "Beethoven's Last Night" is magnificent as well. I look forward to them FINALLY touring that one next year.

 

[mgirishfan]

TSO ROCKED last night!!! Wooo-hoooo! This is my fourth year seeing them and the show was awesome! The first half was much the same as before, as that is the story of Christmas Eve and Other Stories, but the second half was a wild and crazy ride! Four new songs (well, 3 1/2!) plus more wild lights and lasers, fog, smoke, industrial-strength sparklers and even some pyro - which I could definitely feel all the way back in the 5th row! What energy! They played for two and half hours straight - just awesome!

At the M-N-G it was cool to see everyone, old and new. We welcomed aboard Allie on vocals (she is the runaway in the video - she is on tour with them now!) Tristan on guitar (aka 'Pete Townsend' -- LOL! - he was great!) Alison on keys, and all the rest - and there were big "Heyyyyyys!" and hugs for Rob, Steve, Joe, and Jen - what a great group of performers!! Gave Joe a photo CD from the Cutting Room gig on 7/29 --- finally!

If they are coming near you and you don't have tickets yet - get thee online and get some - you will have a great time!!!! As they say - "it never is too late!"

Cheers!!!

 

[Viadragon]

Thanks to your enthusiasm, Mare, I went out and bought "Christmas Eve and other stories". Very impressive, and pulled up all kinds of holiday and classical music memories! I would love to catch TSO this week, but it's just too far for a weeknight. I can't seem to do those late nights, then make it to work by 7:30 am. Would have loved to catch Neal Morse down south, but, same reason. Rats! So, please keep posting your "reviews" so we can experience these guys vicariously! I love that your emotions come through--I think the emotional response is a big part of this kind of music, not just the technical aspect.

Again, thank you, Mare!

regards,
Kristin
Via peaceful and joyful dragon

 

[mgirishfan]

Wow, thanks, Kristin! I'm glad you are enjoying CEAOS -- look for their other holiday CD - A Christmas Attic - too -- Best Buy and Shopko have them both, I know! Too bad you can't make it to the show - it is an incredible one....hey the LA show is on a weekend, isn't it? (I'm not as familiar with the West Tour dates as I am the East's!) I know you are up north though. Your daughter would no doubt love it as well -- I see dozens of stunned teens at every show who may have gone with their parents somewhat unwillingly, only to be blown away and shouting how they can't wait to tell their friends about it!!!

Thanks too -- and you are most welcome -- about my little 'reviews'. Yep, emotion in the music and in the performance is a big factor for me in whether or not I enjoy an artist...I can appreciate and enjoy technical brilliance, but even a 'dazzling' display of technical virtuosity, if performed without emotion, leaves me flat and uninspired. Music should always be felt, and not just heard!

If you get a chance email me - I have a silly little photo for you that should make you laugh - just for you! I snapped it down in Atlanta during ProgPower when we were out meandering around!

Keep playing Christmas Eve -- with the volume cranked up!!!

Cheers!

 

[Jerry]

Am I the only one who is not at all moved by Neal Morse's solo stuff? (Or SB for that matter, but that has been discussed before...)

Jerry

 

[ich bin besser]

I even love the Christmas album he put out.

 

[mgirishfan]

Am I the only one who is not at all moved by Neal Morse's solo stuff? (Or SB for that matter, but that has been discussed before...)

Jerry

Hey Jerry - you just may be! I'm all over anything and everything by Neal!

Cheers!

 

[Soundscape]

Am I the only one who is not at all moved by Neal Morse's solo stuff? (Or SB for that matter, but that has been discussed before...)

Jerry

actually, it's a long story, but I bought Testimony and I did enjoy a lot of the music, however the religious nature of the lyrics and preachiness forced me to never spin it again. I love Transatlantic and a lot of Spocks Beard though.

Kyle