Pain of Salvation thread, v.2 (merged)

[ClairvoyantCat]

Road Salt was made in the era when their label went bankrupt and they had no budget.  I recall Daniel saying that he would have been happy to use real vintage equipment but it wasn't an option.  The documentary videos from the making show them basically duct taping the thing together in a shitty living room. 
https://vimeo.com/239244042

The sound they ended up with has grown on me though.  For better or worse it doesn't sound like anything else I've ever heard. 

[Kram]

The Road Salt albums are OK plain and simple.  But they're not completely awesome like some of their other releases.  That's how I would characterize it.

[Adami]

Anyone see the Texas setlist?

I like the songs, but it's a very.....odd setlist.

[faizoff]

So it's 5 tracks of Panther and Passing Light each with one track of TPE. Is that typical of their setlists?

[Adami]

So it's 5 tracks of Panther and Passing Light each with one track of TPE. Is that typical of their setlists?

It feels weird to have no RL or any other pre ITPLOD albums represented other than one song.

[Mebert78]

Road Salt was made in the era when their label went bankrupt and they had no budget.  I recall Daniel saying that he would have been happy to use real vintage equipment but it wasn't an option.  The documentary videos from the making show them basically duct taping the thing together in a shitty living room. 
https://vimeo.com/239244042

The sound they ended up with has grown on me though.  For better or worse it doesn't sound like anything else I've ever heard.

This video is a great watch.  Thanks for sharing.  I really enjoyed watching Daniel bring the album and its sound to life.

[Kram]

It's a decent setlist if you like the last two albums (which I do).  Not so much if you were hoping to hear a bunch of their older stuff.

[Adami]

It's a decent setlist if you like the last two albums (which I do).  Not so much if you were hoping to hear a bunch of their older stuff.

I really like the last two albums and all the songs they're playing, but it's also a mostly new market for them. They don't ever tour America. So to come here for the first time in a long time and do that is just....odd. You know? If it was their 20th tour in the states in the last 10 years or something, that'd be different. But I assume for most people going, it's their first and maybe even last time seeing them. So to play that setlist feels odd.

[cramx3]

It's a decent setlist if you like the last two albums (which I do).  Not so much if you were hoping to hear a bunch of their older stuff.

I really like the last two albums and all the songs they're playing, but it's also a mostly new market for them. They don't ever tour America. So to come here for the first time in a long time and do that is just....odd. You know? If it was their 20th tour in the states in the last 10 years or something, that'd be different. But I assume for most people going, it's their first and maybe even last time seeing them. So to play that setlist feels odd.

I wonder if they will be playing different songs each night.  They played two different sets (with some overlap) on the Cruise to the Edge and the last show of the tour is at ProgPower where they are playing all of The Perfect Element.

[Kram]

It's a decent setlist if you like the last two albums (which I do).  Not so much if you were hoping to hear a bunch of their older stuff.

I really like the last two albums and all the songs they're playing, but it's also a mostly new market for them. They don't ever tour America. So to come here for the first time in a long time and do that is just....odd. You know? If it was their 20th tour in the states in the last 10 years or something, that'd be different. But I assume for most people going, it's their first and maybe even last time seeing them. So to play that setlist feels odd.

Maybe their thought process was play a bunch of "newer" stuff to try to promote and get some sales for those albums?  Personally, I'd like to see some more older material in there, but like you, I do like all of these songs.  I guess at this point, any POS show is a good thing you know?

[Kram]

It's a decent setlist if you like the last two albums (which I do).  Not so much if you were hoping to hear a bunch of their older stuff.

I really like the last two albums and all the songs they're playing, but it's also a mostly new market for them. They don't ever tour America. So to come here for the first time in a long time and do that is just....odd. You know? If it was their 20th tour in the states in the last 10 years or something, that'd be different. But I assume for most people going, it's their first and maybe even last time seeing them. So to play that setlist feels odd.

I wonder if they will be playing different songs each night.  They played two different sets (with some overlap) on the Cruise to the Edge and the last show of the tour is at ProgPower where they are playing all of The Perfect Element.

It would make sense for them to mix in some TPE material at some shows then.  If for nothing else to rehearse them some more before ProgPower.

[cramx3]

Yeah, that's what Haken did some years ago on their NA tour before playing all of Visions at Progpower.  Sprinkle in a few of those songs throughout the tour to get some performances in before doing the special one off show. 

[Ben_Jamin]

Fascinating. I haven't heard Passing Light of Day, but I enjoy Panther.

I would've went with my friend to the Denver show, but couldn't. Now I know what the setlist looks like, I would've likely just enjoyed the Panther songs more so, and been a bit disappointed in not hearing anything else. But I would've been happy still to see them at all. I would've just hoped for at least one "BE" song in the set, but that wasn't going to happen. My friend also loves Road Salt and he might be upset to know they're not playing anything from that album. I don't know if he looks at set-lists though.

[ClairvoyantCat]

It's reasonable to have that much material from Panther.  Iove the album so no complaints there.  The odd thing is how there's equally much from Passing Light.  Thought they did enough of those when promoting that album.  Reasons and Meaningless have no reason to be in there when Linoleum and Diffidentia exist, for example.  I don't feel like anyone's asking for those especially with the unspoken weirdness about Meaningless. 

Maybe they just didn't get much rehearsal time (I rember seeing that Vikram only flew over like a day before the tour) and just went with Passing Light songs that were locked and loaded from the last tours.  I'm seeing them on the 2nd last date in DC so maybe by then they've had some time to work more of a mix in. 

[Ben_Jamin]

It's reasonable to have that much material from Panther.  Iove the album so no complaints there.  The odd thing is how there's equally much from Passing Light.  Thought they did enough of those when promoting that album.  Reasons and Meaningless have no reason to be in there when Linoleum and Diffidentia exist, for example.  I don't feel like anyone's asking for those especially with the unspoken weirdness about Meaningless. 

Maybe they just didn't get much rehearsal time (I rember seeing that Vikram only flew over like a day before the tour) and just went with Passing Light songs that were locked and loaded from the last tours.  I'm seeing them on the 2nd last date in DC so maybe by then they've had some time to work more of a mix in.

I was thinking the same, that the guys are playing what they already know. This is one time where the setlist has been a decider in me missing work for.

Hilarious though as bands I have wanted to see are playing some questionable setlists. But then, in the end, it's just a me thing and I am sure there are fans who do and will enjoy the setlists.

[Kram]

Has anybody been to one of these shows yet?  They're playing in Pomona tonight east of LA.  I'm tempted to drive up from San Diego (about a 2.5hr drive) but my concert going buddies aren't into them so I'd be going solo - which I don't mind necessarily, but that's 4-5 hours in the car after work tonight, and I just don't know if I have it in me. 

[King Postwhore]

Reasons should be in the setlist. It's a killer tune.

[Adami]

Reasons should be in the setlist. It's a killer tune.

Tell me why. Point by point.

[goo-goo]

Has anybody been to one of these shows yet?  They're playing in Pomona tonight east of LA.  I'm tempted to drive up from San Diego (about a 2.5hr drive) but my concert going buddies aren't into them so I'd be going solo - which I don't mind necessarily, but that's 4-5 hours in the car after work tonight, and I just don't know if I have it in me.

If you dig the last two albums, I would say go for it. I missed the Austin show because I felt the setlist was a bit weak in my opinion. I mean if you like the last two albums, you would enjoy it a lot. I like them, but not as much as their earlier stuff before Be. Maybe playing 2-4 songs from that era would have tilted my desire to go. I did see them in Dallas back in 2019 and that was a cold AF but killer show (temp was about 25F, outdoor gig). The setlist was pretty good.

[King Postwhore]

Reasons should be in the setlist. It's a killer tune.

Tell me why. Point by point.

1. *Gutteral response*

[ClairvoyantCat]

Was at the DC show.  I had the prime spot right in front of Daniel, which really wasn't that hard to get because the venue was less than half full.  Kind of sad to see that the turnout is so low.  I'm still wondering why they've never toured as a support act in the U.S. (as far as I can remember).  It seems like they went straight to headline shows but never built the audience up. 

Anyway the show was amazing.  I honestly neither noticed nor cared about the lack of bass player, except in the intro of Icon when that bass solo came through the PA lol.  I was surprised that Daniel's singing was impeccable and he was hitting all the high notes from TPE material without issue.  After seeing some clips of recent years I though he couldn't do that anymore but at least tonight he 100% could.  I also gotta say that the new stuff rocks harder on stage and when they busted out The Perfect Element it actually sounded kind of antique.  Leo sang that "I lost the will" moment in On a Tuesday which was a really big moment. 

Daniel didn't come out after the show unfortunately but I had lovely conversations with Vikram, Leo, and Johan.  All unbelievably nice people, an excellent lineup on and off stage. 

[Adami]

Yea I was at the NYC show. Venue had maybe 1-200 people? I can't imagine it being much more than that. You could tell Daniel was dissappointed, but Johan stole the show for me. Dude was just nuts.

Also had a sweet moment when Daniel asked the audience to sing happy birthday to his son while he recorded on his phone.

Set list was fine, but them only doing 2 songs not from the last two albums is odd. And doing a headlining show is odd. It's no surprise they had a low turn out. They need to make an eclectic set and open for someone like Dream Theater. But, I had a really good time.

[ClairvoyantCat]

Oh, one thing I noticed from being 2 feet away from Daniel is that his way of playing guitar is pretty interesting.  Over half the time he's not actually picking, even on the metal riffs, but instead either fingerplucking or thumbslapping the guitar, but then a pick will appear out of nowhere for a strum pattern.  He's tucking the pick behind the middle finger which I know is not unheard of but the way I noticed him doing it in the middle of complex parts while singing at the same time was pretty fascinating.  Dude knows how to multitask. 

[Kram]

Was at the DC show.  I had the prime spot right in front of Daniel, which really wasn't that hard to get because the venue was less than half full.  Kind of sad to see that the turnout is so low.  I'm still wondering why they've never toured as a support act in the U.S. (as far as I can remember).  It seems like they went straight to headline shows but never built the audience up. 

Anyway the show was amazing.  I honestly neither noticed nor cared about the lack of bass player, except in the intro of Icon when that bass solo came through the PA lol.  I was surprised that Daniel's singing was impeccable and he was hitting all the high notes from TPE material without issue.  After seeing some clips of recent years I though he couldn't do that anymore but at least tonight he 100% could.  I also gotta say that the new stuff rocks harder on stage and when they busted out The Perfect Element it actually sounded kind of antique.  Leo sang that "I lost the will" moment in On a Tuesday which was a really big moment. 

Daniel didn't come out after the show unfortunately but I had lovely conversations with Vikram, Leo, and Johan.  All unbelievably nice people, an excellent lineup on and off stage.

Great report! I agree, they should open for DT or Opeth or someone like that.  They're one of my favorite bands, so it's sad to hear of such small turnouts.  It must have been amazing for you to be right in front of Daniel though.

[ClairvoyantCat]

https://youtu.be/bn1EDg9vOKs

The whole TPE show is up here.  It's dope AF.  Don't know if they've ever done some of these songs before all the way through (like Her Voices, Dedication, King of Loss).  Daniel is sounding as good as ever vocally and the keyboardist is awesome, I love how he's triggering the extra sounds on the album like the slide guitar in In the Flesh.

[Kram]

https://youtu.be/bn1EDg9vOKs

The whole TPE show is up here.  It's dope AF.  Don't know if they've ever done some of these songs before all the way through (like Her Voices, Dedication, King of Loss).  Daniel is sounding as good as ever vocally and the keyboardist is awesome, I love how he's triggering the extra sounds on the album like the slide guitar in In the Flesh.

Thanks for posting.  Just watched some of this and you're not kidding, sounds awesome!  I so wish they were more popular and could tour this album mixed with some new material - sort of like DT touring SFAM and DOT.  Oh well..

[cramx3]

Ah Kenji's video! I was a couple rows behind him watching him film it.

[Adami]

Watching the vid now.

Dude's still can't hit Used chorus vocals haha. Its all good. One day they'll get it!

[ClairvoyantCat]

Damn that King of Loss solo hits different finally seeing it played live

[Kram]

I watched most of it and thought it was pretty awesome.  Especially considering they haven't played a lot of these songs since who know's when.  I think they should ask the keyboard player to be a permanent member as well.  He was great and has the energy to match Daniel and Johan's energy.  No offense to the other Daniel, but I think this guy's a better fit.

[cramx3]

Vikram is very solid. He played with Redemption a few years ago here at progpower as well and just killed it. Not just with his playing but he's got about as good of stage presence as you can get for a keyboardist. Seems like a nice dude too from the couple times I've met him here.

[axeman90210]

Vikram was super friendly during Cruise to the Edge. Any time somebody posted in the CttE Facebook group sharing either pictures or praise for a PoS performance he would be in the comments thanking them.

[ClairvoyantCat]

He's awesome but there are moments when I feel like he's overplaying a bit in the TPE gig and throwing in flashy stuff that was never really part of the PoS vocabulary.  If he became full time I'd wanna see that reigned in a bit personally.  But, super nice guy bringing tons of energy for sure.  Maybe they could keep him and have D2 fill the empty bass position...

[Kram]

He's awesome but there are moments when I feel like he's overplaying a bit in the TPE gig and throwing in flashy stuff that was never really part of the PoS vocabulary.  If he became full time I'd wanna see that reigned in a bit personally.  But, super nice guy bringing tons of energy for sure.  Maybe they could keep him and have D2 fill the empty bass position...

That sounds like a perfect idea to me (and completely logical as well).  Hey DG, your fans have spoken (well two of them anyway) LOL

[Pettor]

Damn, seeing The Perfect Element live must be something special. Just quickly skipped through and it sounds daaaamn good. The keyboard guy is awesome! 🤘 I hate how POS usually manages to skip Sweden haha.

Her Voices is one of my favorite songs and it sounded amazing here!