Coheed and Cambria- Montreal Review

sargebaker · #1 11-11-2005, 08:59 PM

I've never considered walking out of a show, especially during the headlining band before last night.

I didn't watch the first band, Me Without You (what kind of a name is that?) cause everyone told me they sucked. Dredg played a tight set with a mediocre mix and it was sort of like we're the Mars VOlta but not even close to the same calibur. I don't even know what to say about Blood Brothers, little 90lbs pricks wearing their 12 year old sisters clothes and running around regurgitation all over the mics....

Now, Coheed.... I'll start by saying I've been waiting 2 years to see them (since I missed them twice) and I was extremely stoked for this show.... Musical diareaha(sp?) sums it up best... The sound was unbelievably bad. pure mud you could barely distinguish anything. The bass didn't cut, the guitars levels and tones were all whack! Now I gotta give the bassist credit he has a retarded technique but played tight and seems to consistantly be the best in the band. Claudio was pretty tight in terms of playing, he didn't make too many mistakes, he fumbled with the singing a fair amount and left ALOT up to the crowd. All their songs seemed sped up and compressed to shorter versions with really rough transitions. Now the worst problem: I'm positive the lead guitarist was drunk. I don't think he played more than a few right notes the whole night. He was always off and in one song (Favor House Atlantic) didn't even play the right parts at the right time. his solos, his playing everything was just really sloppy on the whole. And you could tell by his face that he was out of it and really didn't feel like playing... It's quite sad actually. When they did the encore and played The Final Cut the first half of it (except the leads solo)was probably the tightest moment in the show and then they just extended it for a good 5-10 minutes but didn't actually do anything, it brought the rowdy as hell crowd to a lull. I was so disapointed in them, and pissed for actually going and wasting valuable sleep hours.

Another thing that's pathetic is all my friends thought it was the greatest show ever cause they were in the pit and didn't even pay attention to the music and believed they played like gods cause he can play a pentatonic scale behind his head and shoot a Lemy pose with his explorer here and there and has big hair.... My co-worker who was also in the pit said he really liked the show but acknowledged the guitars constant screw ups and the bad sound, but he said somehting about mood and being there and bla bla... I got caught in the outer limits of the pit non voluntarily for 4 minutes and it was the most uncomfortable 4 minutes of my life, and when I tried to escape I got wedged between 2 dripping wet sweaty fat guys and I couldn't move!!!

The closest thing the bassist took to a solo was a fast little triplet or somehting and I think it just may have been the highlight of the night, distinguishable (he really dug in!) and impecably placed, I think the only time I smiled during the show...for the rest: sad, pathetic, disgraceful...

Apparently I'm a prick and go to concerts expecting to hear CD's though... I always thought i went to SEE CD's but better, extended, improved, more intimate... either way i didnt go to see loose sloppy fecal matter in music form.

Has anyone else ever had a similar experience with any other band? What do you guys think about this issue? It's not the first time COheed deprive their fans of money and a live show...

superbassman2000 · #2 11-11-2005, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sargebaker

Now I gotta give the bassist credit he has a retarded technique

is this a compliment?

SnoMan · #3 11-11-2005, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superbassman2000

is this a compliment?

It is a step up from a brain dead technique....

...I swear, there was a funny retort in my head....but I just can't find it

I can't stand the dudes voice from coheed and cambia....I think I'd rather listen to the guy from the darkness

page · #4 11-11-2005, 09:44 PM

I liked em till I saw em live last year........now I just can't stand em. The Show I was at had the same problems, except I thought the bassist was drunk too.

slapcracklepop · #5 11-11-2005, 09:44 PM

hey.. the darkness is... was a kickass band

SuperDuck · #6 11-12-2005, 02:55 AM

I've seen Coheed and Cambria about... four times, if memory serves, and they've been phenomenal up until this tour. They're usually very tight, very energetic, and an overall excellent show.

The lead guitarist is an incredible musician. He's very talented and has very clean technique - it's too bad to hear he was "out of it", as it were, for your show.

For what it's worth - I was reading on the CO&CA message boards that the band isn't all that happy being on the major label. This last record was on Sony, a big step up. Their current tour has not been fun for them, as far as I've heard. They have to do what the label wants when the label wants, and they've been worn out a bit. It's too bad that you had to see them out of sorts, but I still think they're an incredible group.

btw - ending with the Final Cut is really lame. Definitely a bummer to leave on.

lbpark · #7 11-12-2005, 03:57 AM

I saw Coheed with AFI right after they released Sing the Sorrow and both had a fantastic set. I have to agree with SuperDuck, the major label thing must be taking it's toll on the band. Sorry to hear about your bad experience.

(I did read a fairly recent article about the band that said they were all drinking heavily on this tour.)

jenderfazz · #8 11-12-2005, 12:50 PM

I'm a fan of Coheed and I went to their show but I left early. Not because they weren't good, I thought they were pretty decent. I just went to go meet friends at Foufs next door for the real party! Haha I actually went to the show for Dredg, who are one of my favorite bands. I stuck around enough to watch a few Coheed songs but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary, and the sound wasn't anything special either.

sargebaker · #9 11-12-2005, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenderfazz

I'm a fan of Coheed and I went to their show but I left early. Not because they weren't good, I thought they were pretty decent. I just went to go meet friends at Foufs next door for the real party! Haha I actually went to the show for Dredg, who are one of my favorite bands. I stuck around enough to watch a few Coheed songs but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary, and the sound wasn't anything special either.

wow you put it nicely...

I dunno how bad their major label problems can be but i think they owe it to the fans to at least not get plastered before the show...

SpiralStatic · #10 11-14-2005, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoBassMan

I can't stand the dudes voice from coheed and cambia....I think I'd rather listen to the guy from the darkness

gah...thats going a bit far...isnt it?

Nino Valenti · #11 11-14-2005, 12:07 PM

I'm going to see them on Thursday. Hopefully they'll play a better show in NYC.

sargebaker · #12 11-14-2005, 12:21 PM

While arguing with my dumb friends one of them brought up the point that with COheed and Cambria they are the type of band that can afford to make alot of mistakes cause they put on a good show and it hit me after, if it would have been a good show I doubt I would have noticed the mistakes... I'm usually really slow to pick up sloppy playing and mistakes, it was so evident this time.

Good Luck Nino!

truckin88 · #13 11-14-2005, 12:34 PM

major label = more booze and better drugs

arbitrary · #14 11-14-2005, 05:25 PM

I saw them as well. I actually went to see Dredg. Damn drummer playing the piano and drums at the same time. The Blood Brothers seriously pissed me off. And did not care for the general pompos Yngvie rock star attidtude Coheed seemed to have. We left halfway through their first or second song. I'd put Coheed up there with the Black Label Society. If you like that sort of thing thats cool, but not my bag. It was still worth it for Dredg.

Figjam · #15 11-14-2005, 05:52 PM

Dredg is a great band, i have 3 of their cd's. All of em a different style, ranging from prog to experimental to more mainstream alt.

Twistad · #16 11-15-2005, 12:21 PM

I was also at the Montreal concert and i thought Coheed and Cambria was awesome. Besides the guitarist who had some problems with his sound near the beginning, everything was perfect.

I thought they were very tight and overall, gave an incredible performance. Claudio proved how incredible he is as a musician.

Actually, everyone that i talked to after the show really appreciated the concert.

sargebaker · #17 11-15-2005, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twistad

I was also at the Montreal concert and i thought Coheed and Cambria was awesome. Besides the guitarist who had some problems with his sound near the beginning, everything was perfect.

I thought they were very tight and overall, gave an incredible performance. Claudio proved how incredible he is as a musician.

Actually, everyone that i talked to after the show really appreciated the concert.

you were in the pit right? Everyone who was in the pit and moshing and stuiff liked it... I guess it's alot harder to pick out mistakes when you are getting elbowed in the face and such.

Twistad · #18 11-15-2005, 04:13 PM

No, i was sitting near the bar with my girlfriend.

Trevorus · #19 11-15-2005, 04:22 PM

I love dredg. I saw them with Chevelle and Vendetta Red a while back, and Dredg stole the show. As far as musicianship and showmanship, it was absolutely top notch. And I wasn't in the pit. I was sitting back and enjoying it. And I was really paying attention. I wish I had that on CD somewhere. As far as Coheed, I love their CD's. I haven't seen them live. But I hope they kick it into gear, though!

sargebaker · #20 11-15-2005, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twistad

No, i was sitting near the bar with my girlfriend.

girlfriends always make it better. standing there alone whiole your friends are all in the pit and stuff sucked a bit.

Good Luck Trev. I hope they kick it into gear for you too. At least Dredg will rock the house. I bet if I had listened to them prior to seeing them I woulda been amazed by their show, oh well, now I know them and have a reaosn to go see them again