Thought on the 2019 Tour

[hunter]

I do not regret I didn't go to see Mark this time. I'm a fan, but not a die hard like many of you here. Although there were some surprises this time, they weren't enough for me to make it worthwhile. Each tour is too similar to the previous one. Had Mark only made a habit of actually playing songs from the album the tour is named after, then there would have been much more variety. Down the Road Wherever is his best album in years, with killer songs, and he choose Bacon Roll and Matchstick Man??? What a wasted opportunity. And when he manages to produce a setlist with such a slow middle section as this one, then whatever pleases him is so far off from what pleases me that I won't bother. Sorry, Mark. I'll continue to buy your albums, but that's it.


I watched a few clips of Bonnie's performance. Now that's a show I'd go to see. She's also up there in age, but she's still rocking!

[quizzaciously]

I do not regret I didn't go to see Mark this time. I'm a fan, but not a die hard like many of you here. Although there were some surprises this time, they weren't enough for me to make it worthwhile. Each tour is too similar to the previous one. Had Mark only made a habit of actually playing songs from the album the tour is named after, then there would have been much more variety. Down the Road Wherever is his best album in years, with killer songs, and he choose Bacon Roll and Matchstick Man??? What a wasted opportunity. And when he manages to produce a setlist with such a slow middle section as this one, then whatever pleases him is so far off from what pleases me that I won't bother. Sorry, Mark. I'll continue to buy your albums, but that's it.

I watched a few clips of Bonnie's performance. Now that's a show I'd go to see. She's also up there in age, but she's still rocking!

I think the whole touring thing is a bit overrated, because the similarity is simply astonishing, yes. And also the absence of live recordings (as in live albums, not bootlegs) makes it even less interesting. And that he needs to please "an average listener" as every other artist hence same jokes, same songs, etc., can't even imagine going to more than 1 show on tour like this. Everyone who did otherwise — you're heroes!

Reading this forum and attending shows it seems to me the best part of it all is fans meetings — can't take that away. Nowadays, fans meetings and the band's pleasure between the shows seems to take over the music and it's quite sad to me. Guy can say whatever he wants about every show being the best, but even by reading his diary you can get that wine, restaurants and meet-and-greets with VIPs (not fans by the way) finally took over the music.

[PensaGhost]

Just like MK

[quizzaciously]

Just like MK

Oh man, the energy on Bruce's shows just insane, if the venue has roof, it will be destroyed!

Bringing young fans on stage is common among many artists, especially if they're cool (fans, that is).

Paul McCartney signs people and conducts weddings on stage

You can't even start to compare MK with other artists in terms of live shows, he almost always will be behind. However, in terms of songwriting he's always way ahead. I guess, that's the balance.

[Mossguitar]

I am a fan of both MK and Bruce, and Bruce’s liveshows are not better than Mark’s IMO. Only very different. I don’t want MK to be like Bruce. And I don’t want Bruce to be like MK. Diversity is good. If you want Bruce, watch Bruce.

[qjamesfloyd]

Exactly, every artist is different, and does everything differently, if they were all doing the same thing, what would the point be? Bruce does what he does his way, Mark does the same, great variety.

[Pottel]

Exactly, every artist is different, and does everything differently, if they were all doing the same thing, what would the point be? Bruce does what he does his way, Mark does the same, great variety.

And mark may be a bit autistic, just a tiny bit.

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[herlock]

My take on the 2019 tour.
MK did it again, a great tour as always, no matter how we can bitch about this or that.
Ok, we missed staples like SoS, TR (except at the beginning of the tour), HFB, WII...
But what I will remember is that what was played was well played.
WAM was a great opener and has never sounded so powerful with the brass section, which I come to like very much.
STP never sounded that good.
Speedway, at least for some of them, especially the last ones, maybe never sounded so powerful. At least we can hear Richard !
MFN might have been the best ever, great tone, great intro and outro.
BIA (when played) may not be as powerful as it used to be in the end solo, but still, was very nice - right intro, right pace, right arrangements.
Once Upon a Time was an awesome surprise.
The new Postcards was very refreshing.
OES is an awesome song, glad it was back.
Ok, only two songs from the new album, that's a pity, but they were very well played - Bacon Roll is great, Matchsitick Man very touching.
Even Heart Full of Holes was a touching addition.
My only real complains are (i) Corn Beef City should have been kicked out and replaced with Back on the Dance Floor, that would have been awesome, and (ii) the decision to remove the 18-year overdue Silvertown Blues after only playing it 14 times is just incomprehensible.... But hey, that's MK we are talking about

MK's mood, shape, speeches and playing have improved a lot through the tour, he has to continue !

[Knut]

Each artist is different, so we can say that Bruce and Mark are guitarists of equal skill level, they just differ in how they approach the instrument. 

If we put the fan bias aside, we'd have few artists that wouldn't deliver "superb" shows if we'd classify what Mark delivers in that category. It's not bad, but it is at the same level as everyone else that tours. Safe, predictable, well-rehearsed.

[hunter]

Each artist is different, so we can say that Bruce and Mark are guitarists of equal skill level, they just differ in how they approach the instrument. 

If we put the fan bias aside, we'd have few artists that wouldn't deliver "superb" shows if we'd classify what Mark delivers in that category. It's not bad, but it is at the same level as everyone else that tours. Safe, predictable, well-rehearsed.

Compared with other A-list artists, I don't think there's anything remarkable about what he delivered. It's what you'd expect at that level in terms of professionalism.


I'm curious, though, how Mark compares with other artists (McCartney, Clapton, Springsteen, Gilmour, etc.) when it comes to preparing for a tour and developing setlists and arrangements during the tour. Any thoughts on that anyone?

[crimmer]

ive seen Clapton 10 times set list fairly static with a few surprises 2013 was a bit different , but on the whole set hasn't changed that much seen chris rea 8 times and setlist is very static I would say but each tour is played a little bit different ,

coming from a blues and folk back ground I don't like springsteen , mcartney and these more show energetic up beat performances etc etc , joe bonamassa who I have seen a few times is the most rocky I go but a bit too rocky for me , saw paul weller a number of times enjoyed it, has loads of engery but most guitar work is done by his guitarst steve carrack ( I think his name is)

van morrison seen him a number of times different sets most nights and played differently each time

love marks fairly mellow style ,