Where's the sense of humor in today's live music?

[Colonel_Claypoo]

man, i've just finished watching the latest Rush DVD snakes&arrows live and i am amazed about how good it makes me feel watching them play live. they're not about what, IMO, today's rock&metal music conveys to the listener.
i play in a metal band myself and these days all i see and hear is agressiveness on the record and more so live.
that's not what makes me feel good but maybe i'm one of the few people that seems to enjoy music because that's what makes me feel good. for me rock and metal is not an outlet for my agressions.
what i'm trying to point out is, that from watching Rush, i feel great. especially the part in spirit of the radio where the hen-man comes to geddy's henhouse-bass-cab-props and checks the roasting chickens. it's just great seeing neal peart and alex smile at that. you know, there's a line between humor and being overly funny or being agressive. for me personally, Rush does exactly what very few bands these days do: enjoy the music and don't take yourself too seriously - it will translate to the audience.

let's hear your guys thoughts.

[xgator4u]

+1, nuff said.

[rarisgod]

Originally Posted by Colonel_Claypoo

man, i've just finished watching the latest Rush DVD snakes&arrows live and i am amazed about how good it makes me feel watching them play live. they're not about what, IMO, today's rock&metal music conveys to the listener.
i play in a metal band myself and these days all i see and hear is agressiveness on the record and more so live.
that's not what makes me feel good but maybe i'm one of the few people that seems to enjoy music because that's what makes me feel good. for me rock and metal is not an outlet for my agressions.
what i'm trying to point out is, that from watching Rush, i feel great. especially the part in spirit of the radio where the hen-man comes to geddy's henhouse-bass-cab-props and checks the roasting chickens. it's just great seeing neal peart and alex smile at that. you know, there's a line between humor and being overly funny or being agressive. for me personally, Rush does exactly what very few bands these days do: enjoy the music and don't take yourself too seriously - it will translate to the audience.

let's hear your guys thoughts.

+1000, I've thought this myself. This is another reason (besides the music of course!) that Rush is my favourite band.

[rcarraher]

You don't think there's humor i todays rock? Have you heard FOB? If they aren't a joke....dadada.

[Joe Gress]

Metal=BROOOOTALS!!! No other way. Or at least that's what it seems like.

Lots of jam bands seem to have a healthy amount of comic banter between the audience. But past that I'm not sure. It's like if they are not specifically there to provide humor in their entertainment, its just not there. Some bands, party bands mostly, seem to include plenty of humor, but the rest just keep it to serious buisness.

[undeadbass]

Where's the humor in today's live music?

Right here: http://www.tenkego.com

Shameless self plug, I know, but it's true.

[Joe Gress]

Here's a few more:
http://www.gogolbordello.com/
http://www.yarddogsroadshow.com/
http://www.lesclaypool.com/news/

[Colonel_Claypoo]

claypool, which i'm a great fan of, as well as some bands you've posted are bands that are created around humor to a certaine extend IMO.
that's not exactly what i meant.
the Rush example should just show that people should enjoy the music and live the music, whether they are performers or listeners.
if you are agressive, that's fine. if you are humorous, that's fine. if you're something in between, that's fine, too.
i'm just saying don't force yourself to be someone you're not.
i know i find myself in those situations more than enough when i'm playing life but i think the audience will notice. neal peart, perfect example.
he looks so reserved and serious when he plays but when cracks a smile...
ah well enough of that now.
i just like musicians to be genuine and not pretentious about something they're actually not, period.

[Mark Latimour]

Bands I've enjoyed which have "fun" / "funny" live shows:

1. The Roots

2. Opeth (Mikael is hillarious in between songs)

3. Flecktones

4. Richard Bona

5. Dirty Dozen Brass Band

6. Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Jazz Orchestra

7. Iron Maiden

ALl of those shows I have left feelign "uplifted" by the artists and the fact that they had either light moments between or during songs or just put in a good show with a positive vibe.

[David Lansen]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Iron Maiden

I've seen them live and I've enjoyed them so very much. As fun as a Maiden concert is I wouldn't call it humorous, though. Theatrics, really, is what makes Maiden shows great.

I don't think the lack of humor in today's live music per se is really the problem. However, in this day and age, live shows shouldn't just be musicians going on stage and just play the music. Live shows are as much about showmanship and stagecraft as the music itself; otherwise, why not just listen to the CDs in the comfort of our own homes?

Indeed a lot of bands don't seem to realize that, or don't pay enough attention to it.

There's nothing wrong with metal bands going on stage and being generally brutal and aggressive. Some audiences dig that. But even in those cases you can easily tell bands who just go up there and have a complete piss of themselves from bands who consciously plan their stage use.

[mccartneyman]

Plenty of humor, and not at the expense of the music, at a Decemberists concert. Also saw Glenn Tillbrook and the Subdudes last year and they had a great time with silliness while still playing well. Peter Gabriel often tells humorous stories between songs, but you never see it on his DVDs because they are edited. It's there on the live CDs taped from the board that he sells on his website. The Tubes have to be my all-time favorite for working humor into their live shows. I have always thought that if you can't have fun playing, why play?

[Din Of Win]

Humor + Metal = Thrash

Check out Municipal Waste. I haven't seen them in a few years, but last time i saw them they had trampolines on each end of the stage for epic stage dives. They even provided boogie boards and floaty toys.

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by David Lansen

I've seen them live and I've enjoyed them so very much. As fun as a Maiden concert is I wouldn't call it humorous, though. Theatrics, really, is what makes Maiden shows great.

I've seen Maiden twice now and they're so amazing live. it's unreal.

[Geddyfleaharris]

Originally Posted by David Lansen

I've seen them live and I've enjoyed them so very much. As fun as a Maiden concert is I wouldn't call it humorous, though. Theatrics, really, is what makes Maiden shows great.

Maiden's live show is killer and yes Maiden are pretty much my favorite all time band.

While the humour might not be open and up front, it is there. Like an 8 foot robot type Eddie walking around with that ridiculous look on his face - I think that is Madien's sense of humour. The band in interviews even talk about how ridiculous all the snakes hanging out of the mummy Eddie were on the SBIT Tour. Bruce's stage banter also usually has a bit of humour to it.

while they might not be quite as cheeky as Rush (another of my fave bands) Maiden does show off it's humour if you look for it. They certainly aren't as serious as a lot of todays bands are.

[Colonel_Claypoo]

maiden is and has always been my all time favorite and i find they're the epitome of rock music. maiden means living the music and they do have a certain sense of humor which is different compared to rush's.
thanks by the way for all the proposed bands, i will check them out.

would you guys say that you have to look at the music and then decide how to act and behave off and on stage or just do as you feel? in other words, pretend to be someone you're actually not or be the real you?

[theavondon]

Originally Posted by Din Of Win

Humor + Metal = Thrash

Check out Municipal Waste. I haven't seen them in a few years, but last time i saw them they had trampolines on each end of the stage for epic stage dives. They even provided boogie boards and floaty toys.

+1

I saw them at SXSW and they had probably a gross (144) of beer cans on each side of the stage simply to open and throw at the crowd. I got pegged in the head, in fact. They also bring up a member of the crowd to participate in what they refer to as "The Inebriator", which is self explanatory. They're one of the few bands that realizes how truly sweet their day job is, so they try to bring everyone else in on the fun.

[Burlington]

You all need to watch the Black Dahlia Murder DVD. Those are probably the funniest guys on the planet.

[Joe Gress]

Originally Posted by Burlington

You all need to watch the Black Dahlia Murder DVD. Those are probably the funniest guys on the planet.

Just watched their Necropolis video. Overweight white guys bowling without shirts. LMAO!