teh Forum

trying to sound like teh 12icks0r with the title there, but...

DOES EVERYBODY REALIZE HOW FUCKING AMAZING TEH MARS VOLTA IS?

I surely hope so.

Just got back from seeing them live. WOW! A moving experience to say the least. Are there any other bands out there that are doing what these guys are? They have progressed rock and roll so much it defies all categorization.

The show was great. They jammed and jammed. I was surprised that the 99% Japanese crowd got into it as much as the did - but I guess with a band like that you have no choice. The audience was comparable to an American show...only a bit shorter. Teh Volta played everything they had and turned it up to level 11 at that. 50 minutes into the set the broke into a jam that they held for 30 minutes!! 30 minute Volta jam session!! You can't handle that shit on strong acid!!

Anyway, I can't do the show justice with my peasily review, but needless to say it was amazing. This band is truly the best thing goin on in music right now.

...whew...amazing!

(in my best Lumberg voice) "um...yeah...I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there...mm hmm."

Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a good show, but they didn't blow me away. I refrained from listening to any Volta up until last night to increase the impact of the live experience. Maybe that was right, maybe that was wrong. I dunno. But they could've trimmed some of those "jams" a bit for a more powerful show.

Note: I consider a "jam" to be when all members of the band are playing together for greater than 75% of said "jam". When one of the guys is playing his heart out while the other 5 (5!) members of the band stare at the floor and nod their heads, then I consider that to be a series of improvised solos. Not a "jam". That becomes more of a 30 minute "free form jazz odyssey".


On the positive side:
1. They had great hair and it looks like they spent alot of time at Urban Outfitters perfecting their look.
2. The guitarist, drummer and singer are all really talented. The bassist didn't impress me until his solo; his solo was great, especially considering how tedious bass solos can get. I wasn't feeling the keyboardist or the guy on bongos.
3. They had some great energy at times.

4. They are the most amazing song writers in Rock music.

Hey, I dig the free form jazz odyssey, man. Now if only they had emerged from skeleton cocoons and had a giant Stonehenge...

Show rocked... I dug the jam sessions... theyre a big part of what makes these guys so great. They make great 70's rock stars too. Cedric (lead singer) had all his mic swingin moves down, and I think only 2 of the band members acknowledged the crowd. Japanese crowd was good because it was the first time Ive been so close to the stage and was able to actually see anything from my towering 5 ft 8 1/2 inches. The crowd was really mellow during the jam sessions, and then went kinda beserk rabbidly hopping up and down to no particular beat during the intense parts. overall a great show... and if any of you dig teh volta at all... u gotta see em live.

Lemme just clarify; I didn't think they sucked by any stretch of the imagination. I will buy their cd when I see it, but I just wasn't completely blown away by the performance last night. Worth seeing though.

I had thought we already covered how good these guys were earlier (courtesy of MR. Ben), and am glad to hear that their live act is still killing.

Their music reminds me of when of my experience with my first listen to OK Computer (Radiohead). At first I said, "this shit is shit - shit!" Then a month later, I listened to it about five times through and GOT IT - get it?
MRS VLTa reminds me of that, only it took me a mere three times to GET IT - got it? These kids are alright.

also ... did you find out what a "boxcar cadaver" is? or if you drink from the "pinkeye fountain" do you get pinkeye?