Saw Cream last night at the Garden

DaBassman · #1 10-25-2005, 04:35 PM

I was lucky enought to see Cream last night at Madison Sq Garden....Jack Bruce has still got it!! (His playing as well as his voice.)
What a great show. If you can't go, buy that dvd that just came out.

MikeyFingers · #2 10-25-2005, 06:49 PM

I wish I could've gone man, that must've been insane. Does anyone know if they're making a DVD of the NY shows too?

jerry · #3 10-25-2005, 09:51 PM

I am very, very jealous!!!! Very, very cool

oldrocker · #4 10-25-2005, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaBassman

I was lucky enought to see Cream last night at Madison Sq Garden....Jack Bruce has still got it!! (His playing as well as his voice.)
What a great show. If you can't go, buy that dvd that just came out.

Cool Man, I'm going Wednesday. How did the MSG show compare to the RAH shows. Same set list ...? I love Jack, but he looked a little weak for the RAH shows.

Does he still play much while leaning on his chair?

Does he use the EB-1 for the 1st half and then switching to the Warwick?

I still wish he would break out the old EB-3 for a couple of songs.

winston · #5 10-26-2005, 12:43 AM

I just watched the RAH DVDs last night and was totally impressed. Jack has always been one of my favorite musicians--top-notch bassist, singer, songwriter who has done a lot of cool stuff in his career. I was impressed with how he managed to put out his best even though he looked weak.

I loved hearing Jack, Ginger and Eric play some of the crazy old tunes (Deserted Cities of the Heart, Pressed Rat & Warthog) live. I've always felt that Eric's best playing was with Cream, and his playing in these shows was (for me) the most inspired I've heard him sound since, well, Cream in the 60s. Ginger's solo on "Toad" was fantastic, and it was great to hear the economy and focus that these chaps brought to bear while jamming.

I noticed that Jack tended to really play with a compositional approach, with ideas that flowed into one another and lines that developed through the course of a song. I also appreciated how his voice and bass parts work together to to create a unified musical statement.

DaBassman · #6 10-26-2005, 05:56 AM

Oldrocker,
Yes to all your questions! (He only leaned on the chair a few times) I wish he used the EB3 too, but that EB0 sounds pretty damn good!!!
After Baker's solo, the show "ended" and they had to help him off the stage (limping real bad)....I guess he has some serious phyical problems still, but you couldn't tell by the solo!!! He walked back on by himself for the encore (Sunshine of your love) and they all rocked!!

DaBassman · #7 10-26-2005, 05:58 AM

Oh, one change from the RAH shows, they did Tales of Brave Ulysses (for the first time ever live......)

superbassman2000 · #8 10-26-2005, 07:24 AM

first time ever live?

DaBassman · #9 10-26-2005, 07:32 AM

That's what Clapton said at the end of the tune

They also talked about it in the NYC papers the next day

rulyøngo · #10 10-26-2005, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry

I am very, very jealous!!!! Very, very cool

Me tooo!!!

And they played "Tales of Brave Ulisses"... The envy rises!!!

Mojo-Man · #11 10-26-2005, 08:32 AM

Very cool.
Jack is the man.

The Owl · #12 10-26-2005, 09:00 AM

Cream was one of the reasons I started playing all things stringed (guitar first, then bass). Still LOVE their stuff to this day!

I'll have to get the DVD for sure. I'm just amazed at how they're doing this at all and doing it so well, I mean, Jack nearly bit the dust about a year or so ago (liver cancer) and Ginger's battling with arthritis.

superbassman2000 · #13 10-26-2005, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaBassman

That's what Clapton said at the end of the tune

They also talked about it in the NYC papers the next day

thats interesting, because I have the CD "Live Cream Volume I" and TOBU is on it...hmmmm

dougjwray · #14 10-26-2005, 10:00 AM

I was there last night, too. It was a truly historic event. Some of the greatest pleasure I derived from it was simply seeing Jack and Ginger receive thunderous standing ovations from a packed-to-the-rafters Garden crowd. (Also wonderful: seeing the three come together to the lip of the stage for three low, end-of-the-night bows, Ginger in the middle with his arms around the other two.) (If you know their history, you know how poignant that is.)
I was sitting on Clapton's side of the stage, and had a bit of trouble hearing Jack's bass (the Garden's acoustics certainly didn't help). But what I heard was great, and the biggest difference was that he played a more supportive role than in the past, not striving to blow Clapton off the stage. Some of that I ascribed to maturity, and some to conservation of strength (he was sitting down for much of the show). As far as his singing, he avoided some high notes, but the quality of his voice was clear and it was strong. On "Sunshine of Your Love", where he and Clapton trade off on the vocals, it was fantastic to hear Eric's bluesy shouting followed by Jack's gorgeous, "legitimate" singing. I also loved his vocal on "We're Going Wrong." He sang that with real drama and incredible phrasing.
As anyone can see on the DVD, these guys now play the tunes at slower tempos, and they play behind the beat more, instead of pressing forward relentlessly the way they did in the old days. The new tastefulness can be less thrilling in a way, but it's also beautiful to see these matured kindred spirits playing with each other-- actually leaving space (!) and watching their dynamics.
Clapton played some wailing blues, and his Strat tone was plenty thick. He also had a real Leslie on hand for the bridge of "Badge", which was very cool.
And Ginger was incredible-- maybe as good as he's ever been, which is remarkable since he had trouble walking. His grooves on "Rollin' and Tumblin'", "Sunshine of Your Love" and, well, everything else, were ferocious.
On "Sweet Wine", the guys really went out on a limb and took it out in the improvised section, which was what I was longing to hear. Jack played some dissonant stuff and strummed some chords, Ginger played fairly abstractly, and best of all, there was a subdued, suspended quality to it-- they were letting it breathe. Clapton went along and didn't rush in to tie it all up in a tidy knot. The three guys were really listening to each other, and it came the closest to truly free improvisation, of anything they did during their set.
Well, that's about it.
Glad I was there... let's hope there's more...

DaBassman · #15 10-26-2005, 10:01 AM

not sure if this link will work or not .... NYTimes, Tues Arts section

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/25/ar...RFyE9Jhs8v+acw

dougjwray · #16 10-26-2005, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superbassman2000

thats interesting, because I have the CD "Live Cream Volume I" and TOBU is on it...hmmmm

Actually, it was Volume 2, but you're right.

davetakis · #17 10-26-2005, 12:06 PM

i thought ginger had spinal problems. i would have given my left arm to have seen that show. oh well, maybe they will do a full scale tour. hopefully come to atlanta.......please

zongeek · #18 10-26-2005, 12:41 PM

After watching the DVD myself, I was further blown away. I mean I was already impressed with the ability of all three already, but that DVD just really drove it home. Despite both Jack and Ginger's frail states I thought they played awsome. Ecspecially the drum solo. That thing could very easily rival a Neil Peart, Herb Alexander or Danny Carey.

It was also very apparent to me watching them play and their indvidual styles how much influence, not only song writing and creative, but stylistically they have effected modern players and even some not so modern players. It was just all around a very very awsome and well put together DVD. I would sell my left nut and mortgage the right to see the American shows.

Fantastic show. The interview parts I thought were awfully amusing too. Ginger's very heavy accent was really cool. That and as old as that guy may be and whatever other health complications he may have and he was smoking? Classic.

bassclef112 · #19 10-26-2005, 02:02 PM

I am happy to read your reviews about the Garden show - I'm going tonight and I'm plenty psyched.

Macca was the one that made me want to play bass, but it was Bruce and Entwistle that were playing with the chops I most wanted to cop. Cream was like an explosion that kept going off and all of us youngsters (at the time) were in complete awe. Hell, I play that stuff today and I'm still in awe.......

Got lucky and scored a ticket for this show - what a month! First McCartney 3 weeks ago, now Cream. Life is good.

DaBassman · #20 10-26-2005, 02:34 PM

Did Eric Lie to us????? or he just can't remember

A review from www.whereseric.com

"The first of the three shows from Cream at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
First impressions from visitors of this show:

The set list was almost identical, apart from Tales of Brave Ulysses. According to Eric Clapton "Never done live before"! And I think it sounded great. In general I can say I enjoyed the concert very much. I think Eric's playing was great (I think Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce are always playing well as far as I know!) and believe it or not, there was actually some jamming!!!! Real jamming!!! I don't think I have ever seen that before! Great versions of Sleepy Time Time (with jamming), Stormy Monday and I'm So Glad. -- RDVenO