Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread

[axeman90210]

Yeah, someone in the NM facebook group posted a picture of a For Sale sign up on the church property this weekend.

[Stadler]

Not related to NM, and maybe it's having been brought up as a Roman Catholic, but "selling a church" has always bewildered me.   It just seems like one of those things you don't "sell".

[The Letter M]

All this has me very excited for MF22 in April, but it also has me wondering what's left in Neal's catalog to cover at future Morsefests.

In the IC letter for March of this year, Neal said:

It remains to be seen how many more years we will be able to do Morsefest at New Life Fellowship, the church we've been having it all these years, as it is possible the owners could sell it.

So who knows when/where/if MF23 will happen.

Considering that Neal has played almost all of his solo albums and (nearly) all of the NMB albums live at Morsefest over the last 8 years, I really am not sure what else he could do, especially after a Transatlantic Morsefest (which will likely be a very definitive TA Morsefest). I suppose if Flying Colors releases a fourth album, they could have a FC Morsefest weekend and play almost all of their material over two nights of shows. Neal could also do another SB Morsefest and revisit SB songs he hasn't played at Morsefest yet, or do whole albums (like Beware Of Darkness and V, two of my favorites).

But at this point, if you've been to/seen/bought physical media of the eight Morsefest shows, you've seen nearly everything Neal has had to offer in his career. I'm not sure what else he could do, or even would want to do, after Morsefest 2022. Guess we will wait and see!

Regarding last night's show, can anyone say they ended "Beyond The Years" live? I'm curious as to whether or not they played it like on the album (since they have a live string section), or if it was a big epic finish with the full band.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

I assume a potential sale would not affect Morsefest 2022, correct? 

Thinking ahead to the NMB tour, I think seeing what they played over these two shows gives a good indication of what they'll play then.  I could see the set list consisting of a lot of what was played night 1 and then the two new epics from night 2.  Hopefully, Revelation and The Way Home, which I thought were unimpressive selections given what they had to choose from (good shorter songs from the Neal catalogue that had yet to be played at a Morsefest), are not played, and Waterfall remains a part of the acoustic set with Not Afraid, Part 1.  I like Distance to the Sun, but if the acoustic set on the tour is just two songs, Waterfall and Not Afraid, Part 1 is the way to go, IMO. 

[DTA]

I’m thinking they do the entire I&D minus Bridge Over Troubled Water and Emergence, Waterfall, Alive Again, and some kind of Similitude/Great Adventure Medley. I can’t imagine they’d stick any of the SB songs in with the limited time they have.

[HOF]

Time Has Come is easily one of my least favorite Neal era SB songs. It’s almost a total train wreck! Flow on the other hand is totally brilliant.

[Kram]

Great set list!  The only song that is slightly surprising to me is The Separated Man (in a good way as I too love that song) - just because it was already played during the first Morsefest.  If they release this on DVD/BD I'd definitely be a first day buyer!  In a somewhat related note, Beyond the Years has grown on me big-time!  So much good stuff packed into that Epic.  I'm even starting to enjoy and appreciate that crazy instrumental section now -  as it does provide some tension that gets resolved with the ending of the song.  I also really enjoy Bill's vocals on this and both of Eric's guitar solos are absolutely rippin - Great Stuff!!

[HOF]

Not related to NM, and maybe it's having been brought up as a Roman Catholic, but "selling a church" has always bewildered me.   It just seems like one of those things you don't "sell".

It happens with some frequency depending on the denomination/type of church. Churches outgrow their space and move or build new buildings (or more sadly the neighborhood changes and they don’t want to be there anymore). Sometimes they close altogether and have to sell the property.

[Learning2Live]

Regarding last night's show, can anyone say they ended "Beyond The Years" live? I'm curious as to whether or not they played it like on the album (since they have a live string section), or if it was a big epic finish with the full band.

It was both - the band played to an eventual ending like how all fade-outs wrap up live, and a couple of seconds later the strings came back in and played that outro to an abrupt stopping point like on the album.

[ErHaO]

Not related to NM, and maybe it's having been brought up as a Roman Catholic, but "selling a church" has always bewildered me.   It just seems like one of those things you don't "sell".

This has become a very common thing in the Netherlands (and I bet similar in surrounding countries). If no one is using them, it becomes impossible to maintain them and pay for them. The fate of such a building varies wildly. Usually they are repurposed for something else.

[hefdaddy42]

Not related to NM, and maybe it's having been brought up as a Roman Catholic, but "selling a church" has always bewildered me.   It just seems like one of those things you don't "sell".

It happens with some frequency depending on the denomination/type of church. Churches outgrow their space and move or build new buildings (or more sadly the neighborhood changes and they don’t want to be there anymore). Sometimes they close altogether and have to sell the property.

Or there could be that old standby, a split caused by a doctrinal issue.

[KevShmev]

I’m thinking they do the entire I&D minus Bridge Over Troubled Water and Emergence, Waterfall, Alive Again, and some kind of Similitude/Great Adventure Medley. I can’t imagine they’d stick any of the SB songs in with the limited time they have.

I'd be surprised if Alive Again stays for the tour, as that would give them two 30 minutes plus songs (which Alive Again always is live), not to mention a 20 minute one (Not Afraid, Part 1).  I think it is more likely that The Separated Man gets played, as it is not crazy long and would work a song from Neal's solo career into the mix.

[Stadler]

I’m thinking they do the entire I&D minus Bridge Over Troubled Water and Emergence, Waterfall, Alive Again, and some kind of Similitude/Great Adventure Medley. I can’t imagine they’d stick any of the SB songs in with the limited time they have.

I'd be surprised if Alive Again stays for the tour, as that would give them two 30 minutes plus songs (which Alive Again always is live), not to mention a 20 minute one (Not Afraid, Part 1).  I think it is more likely that The Separated Man gets played, as it is not crazy long and would work a song from Neal's solo career into the mix.

Bummer; Alive Again is probably my favorite (or at least top three) NMB songs, and I would LOVE to hear it live.  I'm going to at least two shows (maybe three depending where they add shows) and I would love to see that up close and in person.   I could care less if they play any Spock's Beard; I'd rather hear NMB and NM (solo) material.

[KevShmev]

I’m thinking they do the entire I&D minus Bridge Over Troubled Water and Emergence, Waterfall, Alive Again, and some kind of Similitude/Great Adventure Medley. I can’t imagine they’d stick any of the SB songs in with the limited time they have.

I'd be surprised if Alive Again stays for the tour, as that would give them two 30 minutes plus songs (which Alive Again always is live), not to mention a 20 minute one (Not Afraid, Part 1).  I think it is more likely that The Separated Man gets played, as it is not crazy long and would work a song from Neal's solo career into the mix.

Bummer; Alive Again is probably my favorite (or at least top three) NMB songs, and I would LOVE to hear it live.  I'm going to at least two shows (maybe three depending where they add shows) and I would love to see that up close and in person.   I could care less if they play any Spock's Beard; I'd rather hear NMB and NM (solo) material.

I am just speculating, and odds are I will be dead wrong .  I would just be surprised to see them play another 30-minute plus song on the proper tour, assuming of course that they play the two long epics from the new album, which I feel is a pretty safe assumption.

[DTA]

They could surprise us all and keep doing World Without End instead... 

I feel like Alive Again has more of a shot since it includes the entire NMB and hasn't been played for a tour's duration since 2015, and I know MP is always good at bringing back songs that haven't been aired in awhile. But The Separated Man is a top 10 NM track so you can't go wrong with whatever they play

[KevShmev]

Yep, any of those choices would be great (Alive Again, World Without End, Separated Man).

I'd love to see the return of In the Fire, but that got played on the first proper NMB tour, so it's probably not coming back this soon.  I am guessing this will be the first tour where The Call is given a rest.

[Skeever]

Not related to NM, and maybe it's having been brought up as a Roman Catholic, but "selling a church" has always bewildered me.   It just seems like one of those things you don't "sell".

Boy do I have news for you about the state of the Roman Catholic Church in America

[Stadler]

Yep, any of those choices would be great (Alive Again, World Without End, Separated Man).

I'd love to see the return of In the Fire, but that got played on the first proper NMB tour, so it's probably not coming back this soon.  I am guessing this will be the first tour where The Call is given a rest.

The Call is one of those songs I don't listen to a lot, and I don't get jazzed for when I see it in the setlist, but when it's ACTUALLY played, and you see the joy that Neal has singing it, just makes you want to smile.

[KevShmev]

Yep, any of those choices would be great (Alive Again, World Without End, Separated Man).

I'd love to see the return of In the Fire, but that got played on the first proper NMB tour, so it's probably not coming back this soon.  I am guessing this will be the first tour where The Call is given a rest.

The Call is one of those songs I don't listen to a lot, and I don't get jazzed for when I see it in the setlist, but when it's ACTUALLY played, and you see the joy that Neal has singing it, just makes you want to smile.

Not that the first half of the song isn't great, because it is, but from the little bass guitar break around the 5 1/2 minute mark to the end of the song is just some of the best music ever.  Awesome guitar solo, awesome synth solo, and those final choruses are just massive.  To say that ending is powerful would be the understatement of the century. 

[425]

If someone asked me to play them one song that shows what prog rock is all about, The Call would be one of the first songs to come to mind. Complex and proggy while being fun, accessible and emotional.

[Fritzinger]

If someone asked me to play them one song that shows what prog rock is all about, The Call would be one of the first songs to come to mind. Complex and proggy while being fun, accessible and emotional.

This is something I think about a lot. How could you explain "Prog" in one song to someone who has no idea what it is? The Call is a very good example!

[Architeuthis]

There are so many songs to choose from that are good examples of prog.  Close To The Edge  and Hemispheres are the first ones that come to mind.

[Fritzinger]

There are so many songs to choose from that are good examples of prog.  Close To The Edge  and Hemispheres are the first ones that come to mind.

I love those two tracks but I think I'd show a song with a little more modern production. At least to someone in my age (I'm 28). And at least Close To The Edge - while being a masterpiece of course - might be to "much" for a casual charts or rock listener  Anyway, didn't want to push this thread into off topic, but this might make an interesting separate thread!

[RoeDent]

Yep, and the most important thing is to show them that progressive rock is alive and well in our time here and now.

[hefdaddy42]

Definitely go with something from Spiral Architect.

[Architeuthis]

There are so many songs to choose from that are good examples of prog.  Close To The Edge  and Hemispheres are the first ones that come to mind.

I love those two tracks but I think I'd show a song with a little more modern production.

That's a really good point.  The Odyssey, Octavarium, Greatest Show on Earth,  would be logical choices. Also the whole Similitude of a Dream album.

[Metro]

They sent out the download links for the MF21 streams. I ripped the audio from both nights, chopped it up, and made it into an album. So at long last...



I finally have them all

[The Letter M]

They sent out the download links for the MF21 streams. I ripped the audio from both nights, chopped it up, and made it into an album. So at long last...



I finally have them all

Amazing! I'm still miffed that Neal most likely won't ever release the Morsefest 2020 stuff on physical media. Hopefully he changes his mind for 2021.

-Marc.

[Metro]

I could see it being an Inner Circle release someday.

Maybe he just doesn’t see a regular CD/Blu-Ray release as profitable. Sola Gratia got a very lukewarm response from what I’ve seen. As did the last Cover album. I remember him teasing a “secret project” last year and it turned out to be Cov3r to Cov3r, and the reaction here was pretty much “Oh…ok…”.

2021 I think will definitely get a physical release. Along with a second live album from the upcoming tour featuring mostly the same songs 

[hefdaddy42]

I could see it being an Inner Circle release someday.

Maybe he just doesn’t see a regular CD/Blu-Ray release as profitable. Sola Gratia got a very lukewarm response from what I’ve seen. As did the last Cover album. I remember him teasing a “secret project” last year and it turned out to be Cov3r to Cov3r, and the reaction here was pretty much “Oh…ok…”.

I'm not sure how excited he thinks people should be about a covers album.

[KevShmev]

I don't see this year's Morsefest getting a physical release with the general public.  If I am reading it correctly, you can still buy the online stream for like $80 (I think), which then gives the option to then buy the download of the two shows for $30, so it would be a middle finger to the streamers to get them to pay $110(ish) for the download and then turn around and release it as a physical product to everyone for presumably a much cheaper price.   It stinks, but it's just the way it is.

[Metro]

I think I’ve listened to the Cover albums once each. I’m sure it’s fun for him and Mike and Randy but I don’t think any of their covers are interesting takes on the originals. If they did their own arrangements like with MacArthur Park and BOTW I’d be a bit more interested.

[OpenYourEyes311]

They sent out the download links for the MF21 streams. I ripped the audio from both nights, chopped it up, and made it into an album. So at long last...



I finally have them all

pssst... you're missing the Storytellers nights from 2016 and 2018

...AND The Great Nothing

[Metro]

 

[OpenYourEyes311]

hahaha, NICE!