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Post by snakelady on Feb 8, 2020 7:37:02 GMT
Usually I merely watch bluerays these days, mainly Roundhouse, FF reunion and Francis solo - all of them enjoyable probably due to the vastly different setlists. Yesterday though I was in the mood for something I hadn't watched for years and remembered how often I had watched the Just Doin' It DVD and how much I had enjoyed it. So I went for that for my session on the treadmill.
To my surprise and disappointment it left me cold. The setlist was rather different compared to today, but basically it were still the usual hits - only Army was missing - plus tunes I wasn't too keen on. And I'm sick and tired of the hits ! 4500x was in and could've been a highlight, but it was simply too short. Just when I was looking forward to the solo it was over again.
Generally speaking it just didn't contain enough rock songs or at least a ballad as all the newer tunes that were included were pop tunes. I mean The Party Ain't Over Yet is one of the better tunes from the album, but certainly not suited for a live gig. Or the HT songs - I can live with the Oriental because it's different, but by now it needs replacing with something fresher - but they had Heavy Traffic and Solid Gold in and dropped them in favour of these aforementioned pop tunes. SBYBIL
Probably just as well as nearly all new songs since have been dropped again after just the one tour. Imagine a set with Heavy Traffic, You'll Come Round, Solid Gold, Alright, My Little Heartbreaker (instead of Gravy Train, which usually ends up most unpopular song in polls), Rock'n'Roll'n'You (Dust To Gold +solo), Liberty Lane ..
At least they still played an encore back then and one worthy of the name, although I can't stand the songs included. I do hate the Posin' medley. At least the other medley contained songs I love ..
But generally speaking - we haven't had a new Quo live video for quite a few years, none from this line-up so far - and I had been longing for one. After last night's experience though, I'm not sure I need one if they a) don't at least mix up the hits - those 5 in a row at the end of the set have simply become intolerable (drop at least WYW and DD and don't play the other 3 in a row !) b) change the rest drastically: keep Liberty Lane and Cut Me Some Slack, add Face The Music and for heaven's sake please don't be afraid to play one or two longer instrumental bits/ solos at least. You can add a ballad in the middle too to catch your breath and stay fit enough for the second half. The set is borderline short these days without an encore, it needs to get a little longer again !
So .. back to St. Lukes and the first half of FF next time ..
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Post by craydarr on Feb 8, 2020 8:15:23 GMT
I find that strange as it has always been one of my faves, as I really like that lineup of the band.
I hear what you are saying about the hits though.
I haven’t played it in a while tho.
Something I always like looking at is Matt watching Francis, whilst Rick is knocking out the chords to Caroline.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Feb 8, 2020 8:53:27 GMT
But generally speaking - we haven't had a new Quo live video for quite a few years, none from this line-up so far.... I would tentatively suggest that Last Night of the Electrics was from this line up in 2016. Although I appreciate what you're getting at. I rarely watch live videos/DVD's more than once. Twice at the most. I haven't seen Just Doin' It for at least 12 years. Ali wore her copy out before she met me so we put on mine one night after I'd moved down to Wales The gig itself was better than the video recording (and certainly better than the ludicrous mono live album we were given ). I've only ever seen the Francis Rossi DVD once. Enjoyed it but seen it. So we move on. I've never watched the aforementioned Last Night of the Electrics or the Frantic Four's Final Fling, although they are sitting snuggly and still wrapped on the shelf. Last one I watched was the Roundhouse DVD from 2014. I was re-living the moment if I'm honest and it was just that bit different. It wasn't a stand alone DVD though and came with the digipak CD. Milton Keynes is the most obvious omission from live releases; in terms of a DVD that is. But the set was nothing special. The occasion and the crowd were though. That's one that should be remastered and officially released. I'm well aware it's been done unofficially. Any future releases will always contain 'the hits'. Because the set will always contain 'the hits'. Just the way it's fizzling out. If they ever do announce a final gig, I'm sure it will be recorded for posterity. But I'm afraid the average age of fan (and band) will ensure that the Anfield Kop type atmosphere generated at Milton Keynes will never happen again. Quo DVD's (or whatever medium is coming out next) will always seem sterile by comparison.
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Post by snakelady on Feb 9, 2020 7:55:47 GMT
Well, mortified - you're a collector, one of those guys who buy stuff to put onto the shelf without ever hearing/watching - you do count as 'officially weird' . I don't count the LNOTE tour. Richie was merely a stand-in at the time and the set was still the same as with Rick. Wacken wasn't a Quo gig either and neither was Hyde Park. They merely were filmed anyway .. I'd never watch any of these either - I've heard all songs included far too often to have the least bit of interest in them. I won't buy any of the CDs either or get me a bootleg. The gigs that are special though I've watched numerous times. I mean what else would you watch this time of the year when riding a bike. You're not out enjoying nature, you're sat at home in front of the same wall all the time. So to make time pass a little faster you do watch something without ad breaks. In previous winters that would've been videos, mainly my favourite Quo vids. These days though I stream my favourite series and only occasionally return to the gig videos - and that's how I went for the Just Doin' it one: I remembered I used to love it but hadn't watched it in aeons (due to it being a DVD merely), same as craydarr , so I just thought I'd mention how much my perception of the gig has changed - much to my own surprise.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Feb 9, 2020 8:34:04 GMT
Well, mortified - you're a collector, one of those guys who buy stuff to put onto the shelf without ever hearing/watching - you do count as 'officially weird' . I don't count the LNOTE tour. Richie was merely a stand-in at the time and the set was still the same as with Rick. Wacken wasn't a Quo gig either and neither was Hyde Park. They merely were filmed anyway .. I'd never watch any of these either - I've heard all songs included far too often to have the least bit of interest in them. I won't buy any of the CDs either or get me a bootleg. The gigs that are special though I've watched numerous times. I mean what else would you watch this time of the year when riding a bike. You're not out enjoying nature, you're sat at home in front of the same wall all the time. So to make time pass a little faster you do watch something without ad breaks. In previous winters that would've been videos, mainly my favourite Quo vids. These days though I stream my favourite series and only occasionally return to the gig videos - and that's how I went for the Just Doin' it one: I remembered I used to love it but hadn't watched it in aeons (due to it being a DVD merely), same as craydarr , so I just thought I'd mention how much my perception of the gig has changed - much to my own surprise. I actually buy the DVD's with the intention of watching them but, these days, I just never seem to get round to it half the time. But 'weird' I can live with. I've been called worse I'd actually forgotten about Wacken. I saw that on Sky so I haven't physically taken it out of the packaging to watch it again. I think, like me, you'd have preferred the Albert Hall gig to have been filmed but Quo (and their penny watching entourage) simply took advantage of the cameras already being at Wacken. Same as they did with Montreux all those years ago. Alas, all that means is that it's a Quo set but not a Quo crowd. Makes a difference when you're trying to create a product which they hope will promote an 'atmosphere' as well as a performance. Same with the Roundhouse. BBC cameras were already there. I don't find that Blu-Rays make all that much difference. My television isn't exactly new and is relatively small by today's standards so it's academic to me which format they're in. Your changed opinion on the Just Doin' It DVD has made me think though. I might give it a quick look to see if I feel the same.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2020 10:23:23 GMT
I dont what any such stuff these days as i compare it to watching old comedy videos. Its dated, of its time and no longer enjoyable.
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Post by snakelady on Feb 10, 2020 7:39:28 GMT
I don't watch any such stuff these days as i compare it to watching old comedy videos. Its dated, of its time and no longer enjoyable. Largely agree, plus add to that the fact set lists barely differ even from one decade to another. The band have about 20-25 songs on rotation plus usually 1-2 from their most recent album. I can tolerate some of that live because of the overall performance, but on video it simply bores me to death. That's why I have these exceptions too. Even if you don't like his solo tunes, the Quo songs Francis put into his set made for the best Quo set I've ever heard and not a single hit in sight. Similar can be said about most of the Roundhouse gig and the first half of the FF gigs.
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frozenhero
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Post by frozenhero on Feb 12, 2020 10:35:18 GMT
I remember enjoying the Just Doin' It video a lot. In fact, I think I'm on record saying it's my favourite Quo video (of the ones I have). That said, knowing that Rick apparently recorded all the vocals after the event might spoil it for me if I watched it again. I don't know. I do think the set doesn't "flow" as well as, say, Montreux 2009 does, but it's nice to have a different setlist for once. I wouldn't exactly call Belavista Man a pop song either...
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