Reggie Wooten must <well...turn down anyway>...

[Gnobility]

...as much as I love Victor, I have to say I think his older brother Reggie is seriously detracting from his show.

I caught The Victor Wooten Band at a terrific little theatre just north of Cincinnati last night (on Miami U's Hamilton campus).

Victor was great as always, and the rest of the band was very good as well. When Reggie played his unique style of rhythm guitar throughout the evening it was alright.

Vic's solo spots were great, the pianist took a very nice extended solo, the drummer did also, and one of the vocalists did a STUNNING version of Summertime.

Unfortunately after Victor sweetly introduced Reggie as "The Teacher", Reggie went over and switched from a chorused Peavey combo amp to a big Marshall head on a 4x12" cab and cranked the bejeesus out of it, with mondo distortion, very little bass and waaaaay too much treble, put his strat on the bridge pickup and played a 10+ minute blizzard of sh7t!

The 4x12 rig was so loud in the small hall I'm sure there was nothing the soundman could do but pull back his fader, and Reggie's guitar still clobbered the rest of the band (and Vic and the drummer aren't exactly bashful about their volumes).

He started with a horrible take on JB's "I Feel Good" with the band, then they laid out, at various points you could hear part of Hendrix's "Fire", followed by a prolonged period of slapped & tapped max-distortion atonal crap, then he started into Zep's "Kashmir" which appeared to catch the others by surprise, but they gradually joined in for a bit, then it was another blizzard of crap while he skittered across the stage, trailing mic stands and various cables with him as Vic's co-bassist followed untangling things, and eventually played with his teeth (while slapping).

In all seriousness, Reggie's solo spot sounded much worse than the Saturday Afternoon Guitar Center Medley because it was SO loud and SO distorted and SO trebly with SO many bad notes and chords and a complete absence of melody.

I can understand Vic wanting to help his brother out, but I think he really ought to consider his fans and reign Reggie in to just playing funk rhythm guitar with the chorus'd amp.

Gn
FWIW - I saw a review of the Chicago show a few days before on another board and the reviewer said pretty much the same thing, though I think maybe Reggie's spot during the Cincy show was even longer and worse than what he had described.

[JAUQO III-X]

I've seen that show a bunch of times and it is what it is and when Reggie goes into Kashmir believe me it never catches the others by surprise(it's part of their stage routine) and for the record Reggies not going any where.

If you guys think Vic is awesome on Bass you should see Reggie play Bass.

and the other bassist is his tech and backing Bassist Anthony Wellington another super talented bassist in his on right.

[SBassman]

Ding. Today's winning quotes are:

"blizzard of sh7t!"

and

"much worse than the Saturday Afternoon Guitar Center Medley"

[MammaryVest]

I saw Vic's "soul circus" show a while back. I have to say, while there was the stunning musicianship that you'd expect from Victor, I think more emphasis was put on the SHOW. They had all fancy lights and set pieces and what not, and it seems like the art was almost lost in a way. I want to go hear some great music, not see some fancy lights. For the record though, there was some cool-ass ****, like Vic's bass tossing.

[EricTheEZ1]

I went to the show Oct 29th at the Magic Bag and it was pretty much as described. I personally hate the tone he has all the time and the double tapping thing is melodic but doesn't sit right with me. His solo's at 1:00 were good, but got old fast. He did at LEAST a 10+ minute solo that night and the crowd was gone by the second minute. Even Vic went a little too far once, but he's allowed to and it had a purpose.

All in all, I wish Reggie would take it down a notch and stop acting like the person we all came to see.

-Eric.

[Gnobility]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

...and the other bassist is his tech and backing Bassist Anthony Wellington another super talented bassist in his on right.

No doubt. When they got started I was kind of surprised at there being a second bassist, but he and Victor worked together very well. I'd like to have seen Anthony take a turn...

Gn

[JAUQO III-X]

Some times Anthony gets to stretch and when he does,it's Definately worth the listen.

[Gnobility]

Originally Posted by MammaryVest

I saw Vic's "soul circus" show a while back. I have to say, while there was the stunning musicianship that you'd expect from Victor, I think more emphasis was put on the SHOW. They had all fancy lights and set pieces and what not, and it seems like the art was almost lost in a way.

They had the lights and the smoke going much of the night, and I didn't really mind it except when the lights were hitting me directly - they seemed brighter than a car's high-beam in the fairly dark hall - it was momentarily blinding as they slowly panned across the audience.

I saw Victor do a stripped down version of the show a few years ago at the same hall without the lights, smoke, and distortion solo by Reggie. The wives in our group in particular liked the earlier show more.

Gn

[Basshammer]

Man, I like Reggie's style. He's metal!

[Sugarfuzz]

Hey man. I was at the same show as you in Cincinnatti and I was blown away. Yes his guitar was loud but WOW...that was the best show I have ever been to by far. I am actually amazed that someone didn't enjoy it. But hey, to each his own.

[KJung]

I am a big fan of Victor in the context of the Flecktones. I've seen his solo show and was very underwhelmed... and I too find Reggie very 'unmusical' in almost every way. The Flecktones complex songs, time signatures and general discipline really allow Victor to shine. In his solo show, it becomes a chop fest that quickly IMO becomes very uninteresting and un-musical.

You can really hear what I'm talking about by comparing the stunningly good 'Live Art' live Flecktones disc with the stunningly bad (IMO) 'Live Across America' live Victor disc.

IMO of course.

[ras1983]

Originally Posted by KJung

I am a big fan of Victor in the context of the Flecktones. I've seen his solo show and was very underwhelmed... and I too find Reggie very 'unmusical' in almost every way. The Flecktones complex songs, time signatures and general discipline really allow Victor to shine. In his solo show, it becomes a chop fest that quickly IMO becomes very uninteresting and un-musical.

You can really hear what I'm talking about by comparing the stunningly good 'Live Art' live Flecktones disc with the stunningly bad (IMO) 'Live Across America' live Victor disc.

IMO of course.

Ofcourse, being in Australia, i never have and probably never will get to see any of the bass 'legends' live... but i have seen PLENTY of live footage thanks to youtube and other resources.

and i concur with what you have stated, Vic's solo work isn't my favourite music to listen to. it turns into a chop-fest far too quickly and it gets very boring very fast. on the other hand, his work with the flecktones is amazing. i believe that he is a much better 'normal' bass player than a solo bass player.

contrast that to marcus miller, who tends to be much more musical, marcus' solo offerings are much more enjoyable. infact, friends of mine who don't have a clue as to what an electric bass is love it when i put a marcus CD for them to listen to.

[Baryonyx]

If the guy wants to get out on stage and have a bit of fun, fine by me. Going to a Wooten show I'd expect theatrics, rather than the full-on musical extravaganze that the Flecktones put on.

Mind you, if Victor thought Reggie was going too far I'm sure he'd have a word.

[bassplayer2106]

I have to say that I must be missing something.
I just don't like Victor Wooten, don't get me wrong, his playing is phenomenal, but it's just his music, it all just sounds like a bass playing demonstration.
I've got a few of his albums, a couple of live ones, and I don't think from what I've heard, that I'd bother going to one of his shows.

[iamlowsound]

I have only seen a few reggi videos and I have never been impressed. He does some cool stuff but mostly makes noise and even I can do that.

lowsound

[Supertanker]

Originally Posted by Gnobility

I caught The Victor Wooten Band at a terrific little theatre just north of Cincinnati last night (on Miami U's Hamilton campus).

I was at that show.

God Bless Regi Wooten!
God Bless Victor for turning him loose!

Was it over the top? Hell Yeah!

Was it out of place? Hell Yeah!

Did I enjoy it? Hell Yeah!

Did people loose hearing that night? Hell Yeah!

Did we put in our hear plugs? Hell Yeah!

I will remember that the show for the rest of my life. My wife and I are still laughing about it. We loved it.

I talked to Regi after the show, what a great guy.

Regi left it ALL on the stage that night, how many of us have the balls to do the same?

In my opinion Regi can do whatever he wants too...

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Supertanker

In my opinion Regi can do whatever he wants too...

[Baryonyx]

Originally Posted by bassplayer2106

I have to say that I must be missing something.
I just don't like Victor Wooten, don't get me wrong, his playing is phenomenal, but it's just his music, it all just sounds like a bass playing demonstration.
I've got a few of his albums, a couple of live ones, and I don't think from what I've heard, that I'd bother going to one of his shows.

So even at his most restrained and soulful (The Vision prehaps?) you can't feel the soul in the music?

And the only album I would really consider solo bass is "A Show of Hands", other examples like Yin Yang and What Did He Say? all feature more conventional songs and less over the top bass antics.

Mind you, I like listening to Vic no matter what he's doing.

[bassplayer2106]

I've spent a lot of today driving, I took the albums 'a show of hands, and 'live across America' with me. I also took the Wallace Roney album 'prototype'. There is more soul and emotion in one minute of the Wallace Roney album than there is on the whole of the two Victor Wooten albums put together.

Sorry, but I just find him a bit of a bore, sure he a superb player, but he just doesn't do anything for me.

[Grueber]

Originally Posted by bassplayer2106

I've spent a lot of today driving, I took the albums 'a show of hands, and 'live across America' with me. I also took the Wallace Roney album 'prototype'. There is more soul and emotion in one minute of the Wallace Roney album than there is on the whole of the two Victor Wooten albums put together.
Sorry, but I just find him a bit of a bore, sure he a superb player, but he just doesn't do anything for me.

did you use your Soul-O-Meter to get those results?