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Post by frozenhero on Oct 26, 2017 18:30:37 GMT
Some bands might go on for too long, but here's a band that shouldn't really be saying goodbye yet But 40 years isn't too bad I'll be seeing the concert in Stuttgart in two weeks. The setlist will start with 45 minutes of unplugged (!) performances (Sagoustic, if you like ) and then there will be a further 90 minutes of electric music... so spin it again...
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Post by snakelady on Oct 27, 2017 8:15:27 GMT
Saw them support Quo at the Colmar festival some years ago. They were ok-ish I thought, but easily the least interesting out of the three (Saga, JL's BJH and Quo). And they didn't play their biggest hit Wind Him Up, which I found very strange ..
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Post by frozenhero on Oct 27, 2017 9:43:50 GMT
Saw them support Quo at the Colmar festival some years ago. They were ok-ish I thought, but easily the least interesting out of the three (Saga, JL's BJH and Quo). And they didn't play their biggest hit Wind Him Up, which I found very strange .. From what you told me about that festival, I'm 99% sure they had planned it as an encore but since they didn't get to play an encore (á la Quo at SWR1 2014...) it got left by the wayside. Here's the setlist they played in Mannheim a few days ago (I think the gig was filmed?): www.setlist.fm/setlist/saga/2017/maimarktclub-mannheim-germany-63e32eaf.htmlLots of usual suspects and only a handful of songs from past the 80s, but a good selection nonetheless...
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Post by snakelady on Oct 28, 2017 8:29:34 GMT
I knew I had talked about it before on here, just wasn't sure it was with you. My fading memory .. The thing is, they were first on the bill in Colmar and first acts never get to play an encore (or it's highly unusual at least). So to expect they'd be able to play WHU as an encore was a mistake or ignorance on their part. And I've got to say, it was a shame as I loved the song back then. I wasn't too impressed by their overall performance either and doubted there were many original band members (read - from the 80s), but my oldest son really liked them. That set list is interesting - first part acoustic .. Enjoy the gig anyway and you've got to tell us how that acoustic/electric split is handled and received.
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Post by frozenhero on Nov 6, 2017 22:29:10 GMT
...many original band members (read - from the 80s)... That set list is interesting - first part acoustic .. Enjoy the gig anyway and you've got to tell us how that acoustic/electric split is handled and received. The band I saw was 4/5 the "original" band (i.e. from the 80s, though Jim Gilmour only joined before the 3rd album). Only the drummer Mike Thorne is new, he joined in 2012 and is really great. I actually got to meet him last year in Fürth and he signed my setlist & ticket & a pair of drum sticks, cool guy Well, so here I am 24 hours after the concert at the LKA Longhorn! It was a great gig, a band that really still has a lot of fire - the latter aspect was underlined by the electric set being almost entirely devoid of ballads (only Time's Up and Scratching the Surface qualify). Personally, I thought the mix was too loud and too bass-heavy (the bass synth was particularly overwhelming), but the crucial balance between guitars and keys was there. The place was packed! You could barely move, and you were in constant danger of getting beer spilled on you. Small venues... Also, I was stuck in a place with rather bad view. No idea where all those basketball players in front of me came from! I thought the idea of splitting the set and being their own opening act (as "Pockets", which was their first band name before they became Saga) didn't work out quite as well as it might have sounded on paper. The problem was that after a few mostly soft songs, many in waltz time, performed in front of a beautiful backdrop ("Security of Illusion" with Mike, Ian & Jim Crichton on acoustic guitars, Jim Gilmour playing accordion and clarinet besides keys) they went off stage again and we had to endure a loooong break where the backdrop was removed, instruments were shifted around on stage and the usual PA music played over the PA (though it wasn't as bad as the generic hard rock played before the acoustic set). You could tell people were getting annoyed, and many of the older folks (I was one of the youngest) probably aren't crazy about standing for such a long period without anything happening... Anyway, when they came back, they didn't quite take off at first either. "Take a Chance" just ain't a good opener and it doesn't work well live, though I like the studio version. Knowing that the dynamics had to be improved, they launched into fan favourite "How Long" instead of "Compromise" and from then on, there was no turning back. There were almost no weak spots whatsoever, Ian Crichton's stage presence reminded me of our dear Rick while his playing touched upon David Gilmour and Gary Moore at times while still doing his own thing (and mostly not overdoing it with crazy solos). Jim Gilmour was rocking behind those keys and despite his voice ("Scratching the Surface") not being quite what it used to be, seemed very much into it. At one point he came to the front with this ridiculous little keyboard and did the duet with Ian at the end of "Humble Stance", though he didn't quite reach Manfred Mann's coolness. Mike Thorne played drums and made use of his electronic pads, he has a lot of power, we just kept clapping a steady rhythm ALL THROUGH THE DRUM SOLO!!! (this gives you an impression of how great the vibe was). And Michael Sadler is just the perfect frontman, constantly entertaining us with his announcements and funny German - at one point teaching Jim Gilmour to say "Bitte ein Bier"! Not to forget that his voice is still so great after such a long time of singing, his keyboard contributions and playing bass on "Humble Stance". When he took the bass, he asked "What can this mean?" and I shouted "It's Time!" and he said "could mean 'It's Time', could mean 'No Stranger' - obviously replying to my comment , then somebody said "Smoke on the Water" and he replied "The other night somebody called for 'Eye of the Tiger'. Eye of the Tiger. ...And he had a Saga T-Shirt!" And I really got the feeling he was overwhelmed by the response. "Unbelievable"! We demanded encores, and encores we got... "The Flyer", "Wind Him Up" (of course!) and after another round of audience demanding finally the missing "Compromise", which proved to be a perfect closer. We walked out tired, exhausted but happy. I got home at about 2 in the morning After all, it was a quite heavy set, standouts included "Careful Where You Step", "Mouse in a Maze", "You're Not Alone" (audience divided into two halves singing in turns), "On the Loose", "Someone Should", the epic "Don't Be Late" and the wonderfully melancholic "Time's Up" in the full 80s arrangement. The most challenging sequence was the two rarely played tracks from the concept opus "Generation 13": "The 13th Generation"/"The Learning Tree" (Mike Thorne's favourite) built up a creepy atmosphere with Michael walking around ominously and spouting out some spoke word passages between the vocal parts and the band really indulging in their 'prog' side with 7/8 rhythms and the like. The only one who did seem a bit old was Jim Crichton - though he did still move around stage, I got the distinct feeling that it was mainly his idea to call it a day after 40 years. He's the oldest in the band and has been the main brain behind it, so I guess he's the boss in a way. Jim Gilmour didn't seem to like that decision from what I read in some interviews. But I guess it's decided, so if you always wanted to see them, now is the time... Here's the setlits, edited by yours truly ;-) www.setlist.fm/setlist/saga/2017/lka-longhorn-stuttgart-germany-7be3522c.html(And yes, I bought the heavy, huge, expensive, limited to 1000 pieces photo biography they sold at the merch. Do I need help? )
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Post by snakelady on Nov 7, 2017 7:13:03 GMT
Thanks for the in-depth review, Julian Sounds like you had a really great night out. I don't know the venue, but my boys have been there before. At least it's easy to reach, although it does seem an odd choice. Obviously they didn't expect the demand, but last ever tours seem to create that .. . So acoustic/electric in one isn't really working, hence not an option for future Quo tours. That's a shame .. Btw. I'd not call Scratching The Surface a ballad. Ok, it's not that rocky and it might have its quieter parts, but still .. Got to say I find that little keyboard he walks around with irritating. It does look so 80s. Imagine Andy doing that - he'd be shot down in flames
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Post by frozenhero on Nov 7, 2017 10:37:46 GMT
Thanks for the in-depth review, Julian Sounds like you had a really great night out. I don't know the venue, but my boys have been there before. At least it's easy to reach, although it does seem an odd choice. Obviously they didn't expect the demand, but last ever tours seem to create that .. . So acoustic/electric in one isn't really working, hence not an option for future Quo tours. That's a shame .. Btw. I'd not call Scratching The Surface a ballad. Ok, it's not that rocky and it might have its quieter parts, but still .. Got to say I find that little keyboard he walks around with irritating. It does look so 80s. Imagine Andy doing that - he'd be shot down in flames It doesn't seem to have much of a purpose either, unlike Manfred Mann's striped zebra thingy... Scratching the Surface does get rather heavy near the end, but Jim Gilmour also used to do a solo version on previous tours: I forgot to mention the video projections shown during the electric set! It was funny to see an 80s performance of Wind Him Up synched up to the band playing it live now As for acoustic/electric, I think it could be done better. The whole setup was reshuffled, which took a lot of time and disrupted the flow. But they did announce themselves as their own opening act, so maybe it was all intentional. I don't know. I do know they used to have an acoustic set in the middle of their gigs in the late 90s.
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Post by snakelady on Nov 7, 2017 16:45:22 GMT
Video doesn't play due to 'technical problems' though
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Post by frozenhero on Nov 22, 2017 9:30:14 GMT
Lel. That's because the link contains the characters s H i t ! Your swear filter messed up the link. Here's a short link: goo.gl/8QV5U9
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Post by snakelady on Nov 22, 2017 15:44:00 GMT
Lel. That's because the link contains the characters s H i t ! Your swear filter messed up the link. Here's a short link: goo.gl/8QV5U9 Now it works - I like the song, although I prefer rockier renditions. Looks like quite the intimate venue.
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Post by frozenhero on Nov 28, 2017 21:45:55 GMT
Lel. That's because the link contains the characters s H i t ! Your swear filter messed up the link. Here's a short link: goo.gl/8QV5U9 Now it works - I like the song, although I prefer rockier renditions. Looks like quite the intimate venue. For some reason, they could never really return to the big venues they had played in the 80s. But I thought the LKA Longhorn was too small....
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Post by snakelady on Nov 29, 2017 8:28:38 GMT
Now it works - I like the song, although I prefer rockier renditions. Looks like quite the intimate venue. For some reason, they could never really return to the big venues they had played in the 80s. But I thought the LKA Longhorn was too small.... My boys saw Opeth there not that long ago and quite liked the atmosphere. A bigger venue would depend on what middle sized venues are on offer in Stuttgart ? The Porsche Arena is certainly too big. That venue Quo played in Heilbronn a few years ago - 3000-5000 cap. maybe. It was too small for Quo, but I'd guess it would be perfect for acts like Saga or Heep. Well, I guess bands don't have a say in that. It'll all depend on promoters ..
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Post by frozenhero on Nov 29, 2017 12:21:30 GMT
Love this one, sadly not played live in ages:
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Post by frozenhero on Mar 3, 2020 19:42:10 GMT
Saga "Out of the Shadows" 2020
It was absolutely astonishing. Galactic.
I was worried that the Im Wizemann might be too small, and by eight o'clock the place was quite packed, but it wasn't so full you couldn't move at all (although I didn't even try, since I had a good spot near the stage, which of course also meant I couldn't listen withoout earplugs). One Swiss guy was talking to other fans and that's how I knew the gig in Pratteln had been cancelled because of the Corona virus - I suppose this meant some people actually travelled from Switzerland to Stuttgart.
Travelling was also a bit haphazard, I hadn't known anything about work on the train track, which meant using an ersatz bus and a much longer travelling time than expected, but since we had calculated well in advance of the gig, it still amounted to being there on time (after some time of searching for the Press & Books in Stuttgart, which was another headache), although by the time we arrived at the Im Wizemann, the queue was occupying the whole sidewalk!
Inside, I was amazed at how much merchandise there was on sale, but I don't really have a love for the things that sparkle and the things that shine (to quote "The Pitchman"), so the pins, earrings and necklace with changeable magnetic SAGA motifs didn't appeal to me that much. There was also a Saga "beanie" (a new word I learned!) which I maybe should've bought, and a very nice looking guitar pick set (with pics of the band members), but 15 € for five picks seemed a bit much for me. I only bought the most recent live album "So Good So Far - Live at Rock of Ages", already signed (although I can't decipher any of the signatures, only Mike Thorne because he drew a drum under his autograph!).
At 8, an intro started with some really great animations on the screen and some kind of fanfare playing over the speakers. The screen continued to be active through most of the concert, and showed video clips, animations, album covers and sometimes also close-ups of Mike Thorne and Ian Crichton, which was great and could've been done even more often. Despite the small size of the venue, there was no skimping on the visual side of things. The lights were also used very effectively on some tracks.
The setlist was really good - the mix of classic, but rarely played songs, some relatively recent stuff (OK, nothing newer than 2006's Trust) and the well-known classics worked really well. There was barely any weak song - "On the Other Side" is nice but not the strongest song from "Trust" and "I'm Back" was an odd choice for an encore, especially since I'm sure many of the more casual SAGA fans were waiting for "The Flyer", but there was no drop in quality or energy. No break! No ballads unless you count the first half of "Ice Nice"! The energy was absolutely amazing. Mike Thorne was drumming like the devil, his drum solo was jaw-dropping and I really had to think of Neil Peart's legendary drum solos. Ian Crichton tapping, shredding and playing guitar like only HE can - and mostly staying within the confines of melody.
The vocals were a bit low in the mix, and Jim Gilmour's voice hasn't been great for a while (but his keyboard playing was spot on, and actually audible), but Michael Sadler's still tremendous. I guess he's lost a slight bit of power, but hey... he's over sixty. The man's a phenomenon! And since we had "No Stranger (Chapter 8)" in the set, he had two songs on which he played bass too, which was great. Other than that he played the odd keyboard bit and did his little dance and play-acting moves. I don't wanna know how much the guy has to eat to make up for the calories he burns every night...
Then there was the "new guy" Dusty Chesterfield. I admit I didn't fully warm to him, the feeling was similar to seeing Status Quo for the first time with Leon Cave instead of Matt Letley or Richie Malone instead of Rick Parfitt. It has nothing to do with the musical performance, which was spot-on, but more with the visual side of things. Short hair and all, he was the "Odd Man Out" (pun intended). I mean Mike Thorne is quite a bit younger than Michael, Ian and Jim, but he never looked out of place live or on photos. I guess I'll get used to Dusty. He certainly filled his role perfectly, playing bass guitar, bass synth (which IMO was mixed too loudly and tended to push the rest of the music out of the mix) and keyboards when Michael was playing bass. And I'm pretty sure the high energy level also had to do with the "new rhythm section" - Mike has been there since 2012, of course, but they locked in together very well. Still, it's somewhat bittersweet to see photos and videos with Jim Crichton on the screen and to hear so many songs that were written or co-written by him, yet to look on stage and not see the guy anymore who had been the "main brain" and anchor for 40 years. But - and that's the positive - I suppose his retirement as a live member also opened up new possibilities, and I wouldn't be surprised if the setlist was a result of that. Saga certainly showed they were more than capable to continue without Jim C., at least as far as playing live is concerned.
All over, there were lots of great moments, across epics like "Framed", "Conversations", "Trust" or "Ice Nice". I was singing my lungs out and jumping around with every break (I suppose I'll have to apologize for landing on some feet behind me, now and then...). When I was exhausted from that, I stuck to nodding my head wildly. And I wasn't the only one. The energy was just contagious. Although the majority of the audience was older than me, therefore obviously less mobile, and I got some compliments for being a young Saga fan...
Michael Sadler had his usual audience interaction moments, jokingly being annoyed at somebody who wanted "Don't Be Late" early in the set, speaking partially in pretty good German ("Was kann ich für Sie spielen?") and being genuinely touched and overwhelmed by the audience reaction. The acapella opening to "The Pitchman" had to be repeated because something or other was being too responsive! Jim Gilmour also spoke to the audience twice before his two vocal moments, and this led to the (completely unscripted) crowning moment of funny: "Amnesia" was being played with the video clip synced to the band (which gave us the great view of young Michael Sadler and old Michael Sadler singing simultaneously). Aside from the elephant in the room, this also had live scenes. Michael then left the stage as usual because he's not needed for the first half of "Scratching the Surface". Jim Gilmour said "Did you just see that video?" and then something like "I still had my hair!", at which moment Michael came right back on stage to Jim's keyboards and wagged his finger at Jim, which prompted him to say "Well, at least I still have some hair". LOL! I was laughing my head off!
And Jim then said "I can't sing when I'm laughing!" Having too much fun, or what? "Scratching the Surface" ensued and was awesome as always, with the ending being a blast of energy. The previous Jim Gilmour vocal was "Days Like These", never played live before this tour and quite impressive. It's not a typical Saga song with the shuffle rhythm and Jim's voice against a pretty hard instrumental, but all the better for it. He declared it was dedicated to anyone who's lost a loved one, which was quite touching.
There were two "goosebump moments" for me - one was the always stunning finale of "No Stranger", which might be Saga's best and most epic moment, the other was Ian Crichton's outro on "Humble Stance": pure guitar poetry, on the same level as David Gilmour playing "Sorrow" (Pink Floyd). Just wow.
But what topped everything was "The Pitchman". I thought the venue would explode! The track was absolutely flipping immense. The hi-speed ending tore the place apart. It was followed by the inevitable "Don't Be Late" and the two encores, the last being the obvious "Wind Him Up", but I could've just gone home at that point already. I was so done.
There was also one source of annoyance. Two girls (I think younger than me) came from the right and I, thinking they just wanted to get somewhere else, made way. Instead, they just occupied my spot! And one of them was one head bigger than me, which meant I had to relocate to see the stage. To add insult to injury, they were constantly talking to each other! And when they stopped talking, they pulled out their smartphones (which were clearly smarter than them!) and started texting somebody. I was pretty horrified. Why had they come to the gig at all? Eventually I decided to be ruthless and demanded my spot back. They relented and I could enjoy the wonderful "Trust" without these chatterboxes in front of me. They were now behind me but I didn't mind as much. Later, I noticed that somebody else complained to them too and they moved further back the hall... unbelievable.
But that was the only blot on a great evening, aside from the travelling issues, and neither were down to the band. Michael had one lyric issue in "No Stranger", where he erroneously repeated the titular line instead of "And that last confrontation was just a warning, so that you'd know what would happen if you push me too far", but it didn't matter.
The money was definitely well spent. This was my first gig this year and it's hard to imagine something that could top it! It's amazing how good a Saga gig could be even without the aforementioned "The Flyer", or "How Long", or "Time's Up".
(Also curious... On the way to the gig, I actually saw a grey heron at the Neckar from the bus, and two swans flying over Heilbronn!)
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Post by snakelady on Mar 12, 2020 8:29:57 GMT
Nice report, frozenhero, glad you enjoyed the gig. As you know I only saw them once when supporting Quo and wasn't too impressed - but maybe that was down to me knowing less than a handful of songs and them not playing my favourite Wind Me Up .. .
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Mar 12, 2020 11:19:32 GMT
I don't know Saga at all. Not a thing. They seem to have passed me by and I'm relatively familiar with most acts from the 70's onwards. I keep thinking they might be something like Styx; the 70's Equinox/Crystal Ball version that is. But I'm probably way off the mark. Glad it was "galactic" though
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Post by snakelady on Mar 12, 2020 11:24:04 GMT
I don't know Saga at all. Not a thing. They seem to have passed me by and I'm relatively familiar with most acts from the 70's onwards. I keep thinking they might be something like Styx; the 70's Equinox/Crystal Ball version that is. But I'm probably way off the mark. Glad it was "galactic" though The two most popular tunes (probably):
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Post by mortified on Mar 12, 2020 11:27:15 GMT
I don't know Saga at all. Not a thing. They seem to have passed me by and I'm relatively familiar with most acts from the 70's onwards. I keep thinking they might be something like Styx; the 70's Equinox/Crystal Ball version that is. But I'm probably way off the mark. Glad it was "galactic" though The two most popular tunes (probably): That's quite spooky. I wasn't far off the mark at all!
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Post by frozenhero on Mar 20, 2020 21:04:51 GMT
I keep seeing Saga compared to Styx on other forums too. Don't know Styx too well but I'm not hearing that much similarity... I love them when they really rock out:
Those crunchy guitar chords... nice!
That whole album, 2006's Trust, is a good example of a band that continues well after their most successful years and manages to produce something just as good as the classic stuff. (Sound familiar?)
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Post by frozenhero on Mar 27, 2020 9:10:22 GMT
snakelady You will like this post by Michael Sadler
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Post by snakelady on Mar 30, 2020 11:59:14 GMT
snakelady You will like this post by Michael Sadler Lovely ! Thamnophis, I'm pretty sure, but not quite sure which one, resolution isn't good enough. Doubt it's marcianus, radix maybe or parietalis .. and it's a girl . Where does he live ?
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Post by frozenhero on Mar 30, 2020 21:48:09 GMT
In Canada, I'd assume?
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Post by frozenhero on May 30, 2020 12:31:12 GMT
Finally got around to watching the So Good So Far DVD (recorded live at the Rock of Ages festival, still with Jim Crichton on what would turn out to be only his final tour).
Even with the shortened festival setlist and the audience way too low once the band gets really loud, it's an absolute corker!
This is one of those songs that Saga simply can't not play, and yet it's still fresh...
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Post by frozenhero on Aug 29, 2020 14:06:50 GMT
I'm on a real Saga kick at the moment... currently I have an infatuation with this: Is that a mean groove or what??
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Post by frozenhero on Jan 20, 2021 15:49:42 GMT
Aquostic Saga
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