Just came back from the concert in Katowice (this time a 15-minute drive instead of an 8-hour train trip), I thought I might share the experience.
Well, I have to say I'm not too happy there was no supporting bands at all (as there are supports for like 90% of Polish tour, and I've found several interesting bands because of seeing them as supports - and UK and Netherlands get The Pineapple Thief
), but the good side is that looking at how fast I use my energy (and voice) on concerts, it might have been a good thing
The very good side: there had been no other concert, ever, where 2 hours flew so fast. It felt like 40 minutes to me.
OK, I need to start from complaining.
I have to say I wasn't impressed by the setlist of the songs from the older albums. Second Life Syndrome and Rapid Eye Movement - obviously, masterpieces. But other than that, nothing particularly special, and unfortunately once again I didn't get to hear Ultimate Trip in its entirety (and not even the first half). I hope I'll have the chance, eventually.
But then... what they played, they played masterfully. Pretty much every song sounded awesome and better than on the album, there were also LOTS of interesting ideas with linking songs, changing the beginnings etc. (more on that later), which made the whole concert really unpredictable. It was obvious they didn't just come to play the setlist and go, there was really a lot of energy on stage (more than ever, even the always-calm Piotr Grudzinski was moving all the time), a laugh now and then, not a moment of boredom. In this, it was probably their best concert I've been to. Another great thing is the sound was simply perfect, I cannot find a single flaw in it, each instrument sounded just like it should, no wall of sound even at the strongest moments - which were
really strong... It was, if I count correctly, the eighth time I've seen them, and definitely also the best sound-wise.
The beginning was 02 Panic Room with a completely new beginning before the song itself started, being a bit of a puzzle. Like always, it sounded far better than on the album (I consider it to be the weakest on REM, and live it's always very good). Then... I don't know if you know the feeling that a song starts live, you realise "oh my God, it's THIS ONE", and get into a state of euphoria. That was it when they started playing Second Life Syndrome (with the beginning cut a bit). It always brings memories... and the most beautiful guitar solo I've ever heard in my life, I've yet to hear a better one. Though the thing is, inside the third part of SLS, they put a part of Schizophrenic Prayer, making things even more interesting. I'm not sure how long this version was, but it felt 4 minutes to me (and I'm sure that it was at least 4 times longer than that). Afterwards... another new, unknown beginning. Passing into The Same River, which instantly brought a cheer from everyone, myself included. Also bringing back memories... and played a bit different than normal. It was followed by a major innovation, which was both Mariusz Duda playing acoustic guitar live, and the song played was In Two Minds, for the first time ever if I'm correct, and with the ending combined with a part of a song from Voices in my Head (a shame... but I can't remember which one).
Now, wake up from the reality dream. The piano entering. T-shirts changed into red. We know where we are, don't we? I'd heard Hyperactive live twice before (on a charity gig they played in April dedicated to the vocalist of the band Decapitated, who is recovering after a bus accident), but it didn't change the fact that this song is just made to be played live. The guitar sounded EXACTLY how I had wanted, heavy riffs being
heavy. It's a kind of song I could listen to over and over, really. It was followed by Driven to Destruction, with its wonderful heavy/calm switching and a little bit REM-influenced atmosphere. Egoist Hedonist was, like it should be, fun and epic at the same time. Left Out was a nice calmer break, the live version lost nothing from the atmosphere of the song (though... well, they're masters at creating atmosphere, why had I even doubted it?), and unfortunately like on the album I wished it ended one minute before it does. And finally, the moment I'd been waiting for since... I think June 13th. HYBRID TIMES!
There is a perfect phrase describing what it did for me: "stole the show". They could play Conceiving You as the remaining part of the setlist other than this song, and I'd still be over the moon. It was so amazing that it's hard to describe really, being a real kind of controlled storm, with its awesome riffing and bass, excellent drums (this song really shows how much he learned as a drummer between REM and ADHD - and even Out of Myself has very good drumming), and of course, the insane keyboards. Some moments were slightly different than on the album, they were obviously enjoying it as much as I was, the solo near the end was amazing, and the ending (which is the blastbeat with theremin) was definitely the most intense moment of the whole evening. I hope an EP with Hybrid Times live gets released or something, both the album version and live version are my Riverside top3 now, for slightly different reasons.
I could quote the Count here, but I won't. It was fortunately not the end yet. The "first end" was Stuck Between from Voices in my Head - played, again, in a much different way, followed by Reality Dream II and III combined together, resulting in an awesome big instrumental (the result was far better than I could have imagined). And the second and final end was... Rapid Eye Movement, with its dense, dark atmosphere - before I saw it live on the Reality Dream tour I had been sure it was made mostly on keyboards and samples... and in reality, it's 70% guitar. It's also significantly different than the album version, and also excellent for different reasons. And this was really the end, unfortunately (and they were apparently having a good laugh from something I must have missed... they seemed to be in good mood all the time today).
Overall, it was a really great experience. Totally unpredictable, with ADHD being obviously the most important part, it was different than usual, but I definitely liked it. I'm looking forward to seeing them for the ninth time. This time Ultimate Trip as the closer is a MUST.
tl;dr version of setlist:
1. 02 Panic Room (extended beginning)
2. Second Life Syndrome (+ part of Schizophrenic Prayer mixed into Vicious Ritual)
3. The Same River (changed beginning)
4. In Two Minds (+ ending from Voices in my Head)
---
5. Hyperactive
6. Driven to Destruction
7. Egoist Hedonist
8. Left Out
9. Hybrid Times
---
10. Stuck Between
11/12. Reality Dream II/III
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13. Rapid Eye Movement
If you read it all, thanks for patience.
Anyone else saw/is going to see them this tour?
[and sorry for bracket overkill, it seems my old addiction is coming back]EDIT:forgot Stuck Between. Sorry.