Best SimfyLive Recording so far?

[dmg]

Can't agree with you on Sultans with Jim Cox's hogging the limelight with his 10 minute jazz piano sprawling piece in the middle.  I forgot what song I was listening to back then!

Anyway, with Mike and his flute in the band being overused where it's not really welcome what an excellent opportunity to reintroduce Ride Across the River where it would be right at home.  Yes, RAtR instead of Marbletown or something would be right on the money.

[herlock]

Can't agree with you on Sultans with Jim Cox's hogging the limelight with his 10 minute jazz piano sprawling piece in the middle.  I forgot what song I was listening to back then!

Anyway, with Mike and his flute in the band being overused where it's not really welcome what an excellent opportunity to reintroduce Ride Across the River where it would be right at home.  Yes, RAtR instead of Marbletown or something would be right on the money.

Arghh.... let's burn the heretic ! :p Seriously Jim Cox's 2 (not 10) minute piano piece is the best thing that happened to this song, IMHO. Makes it a bit progressive... slows down then goes furious again. Fantastic. Can't really understand this trendy and fanatic opinion that "It was always meant to be a 4-piece "pure" guitar song". BIA versions were awsome. I was looking again at Live Aid, fantastic performance. Oh well...
But I agree with you on RATR. Fantastic opener song, no official live version. This and TMSTS would be great - that latter, guy said, have been considered and rehearsed...

[ds1984]

Can't agree with you on Sultans with Jim Cox's hogging the limelight with his 10 minute jazz piano sprawling piece in the middle.  I forgot what song I was listening to back then!

Anyway, with Mike and his flute in the band being overused where it's not really welcome what an excellent opportunity to reintroduce Ride Across the River where it would be right at home.  Yes, RAtR instead of Marbletown or something would be right on the money.

I miss Alan touch on that one in 96 and did not enjoy what Jim did on it. Judging how great is Matt on R&J or TR, I think he could play the part with great success.

That said SOS 2010 has a nice groove although the solo seem to has become very challenging for Mark.

[Tally]

Another song that would fit today is Iron Hand. But Ride Across, yes please  

I have to add that I think the flute in the What It Is riff sounds very nice, though it's overused in the licks. But the riff is fine with flute, a nice touch.

[dustyvalentino]

I have to add that I think the flute in the What It Is riff sounds very nice, though it's overused in the licks. But the riff is fine with flute, a nice touch.

Meh, I don't like it. Nothing against MM, but on too may songs he is simply playing the guitar part on the flute, WAM, WII, on Speedway he is even playing along with sections of the solo! It's overkill, I won't mind if he doesn't make it next tour.

[localhero1986]

Actually, I wonder why Mike McGold doesn't play Matt's part during BIA. The outro would be great using wood wind instead of accordion (more or less like the OES tour).

[Tally]

Listening to the Luxembourg show, I find that I miss Tim O'Brien. His banjo really added something to Donegan and Marbletown, and his singing on STP of course. Frankly I don't think that Mike adds that much now that McCusker is back.

I like the WII riff with flute, but a flute while Mark is soloing? No thank you, though the first few seconds of the fast bit at the end works very well, right after the riff is played after the breakdown. It adds energy to Mark's fast playing. Much better than just playing Mark's parts, as you note above that Mike often does.

[dmg]

I have to add that I think the flute in the What It Is riff sounds very nice, though it's overused in the licks. But the riff is fine with flute, a nice touch.

Meh, I don't like it. Nothing against MM, but on too may songs he is simply playing the guitar part on the flute, WAM, WII, on Speedway he is even playing along with sections of the solo! It's overkill, I won't mind if he doesn't make it next tour.

Here, here!

[goldenheart96]

I have to add that I think the flute in the What It Is riff sounds very nice, though it's overused in the licks. But the riff is fine with flute, a nice touch.

Meh, I don't like it. Nothing against MM, but on too may songs he is simply playing the guitar part on the flute, WAM, WII, on Speedway he is even playing along with sections of the solo! It's overkill, I won't mind if he doesn't make it next tour.

Agree! More guitar, less flute please! That flute sounds nice but it is annoyingly

[joanzimm]

I did not like the flute on Speedway at all.  I thought it detracted from the song and drowned out the guitars.

[herlock]

Another song that would fit today is Iron Hand. But Ride Across, yes please  

I have to add that I think the flute in the What It Is riff sounds very nice, though it's overused in the licks. But the riff is fine with flute, a nice touch.

Agree about Iron Hand !! Very sweet song, one of the best of the OES album (together with OES, PONO, YAYF), not played often on the OES tour, sadly left out from "On the Night" in favor of mediocre "rock" tunes like Heavy Fuel or The Bug... the flute version is very nice and would fit very well today. Same as RATR, would deserve to be resurrected.

The flute on 2008/2010 reminds me a bit of Paul Franklin's steel guitar in 91/92: the player is not the problem, the sound can be fantastic on some songs (e.g. Marbletown), but can be quite ennoying when overused to cover the guitar (e.g. WII, Speedway).
Similarly, Pedal Steel was fine on OES or The Bug, but... Pedal Steel on TR ?? on BIA ?? on Sultans ?? it's like playing accordeon on Mozart's symphonies !!

The problem may be that once you have a musician on board a tour, you feel kind of morally obliged to have him participate to all songs and not just sit there most of the time. But at times this is what PF/MM/JM should do in the interest of the music...

[dustyvalentino]

The flute on 2008/2010 reminds me a bit of Paul Franklin's steel guitar in 91/92: the player is not the problem, the sound can be fantastic on some songs (e.g. Marbletown), but can be quite ennoying when overused to cover the guitar (e.g. WII, Speedway).
Similarly, Pedal Steel was fine on OES or The Bug, but... Pedal Steel on TR ?? on BIA ?? on Sultans ?? it's like playing accordeon on Mozart's symphonies !!

The problem may be that once you have a musician on board a tour, you feel kind of morally obliged to have him participate to all songs and not just sit there most of the time. But at times this is what PF/MM/JM should do in the interest of the music...

Disagree, I don't think the pedal steel was overused on that tour, but by it's very nature it can blend in to the backgrund easily and provide "colour". Paul Franklin played some interesting parts and din't just copy what MK was doing.

[herlock]

Disagree, I don't think the pedal steel was overused on that tour, but by it's very nature it can blend in to the backgrund easily and provide "colour". Paul Franklin played some interesting parts and din't just copy what MK was doing.

He did indeed some interesting parts, he is with no doubt a very talented musician, on OES he does a fantastic job.
But, matter of taste, he just can't stand TR being introduce with Pedal Steel, and I hate it on BIA. Sure I'm not the only one Anyway, taste is a very subjective matter...

[Love Expresso]

TR and BIA are overplayed anyway in my opinion - so it doesn't bother me if Mike spoils them or not. Even at RAH 2010 I was switching on my "off-line-modus" when SAN was over. I knew what would coming and was about to have a look around at the RAH. When Piper started, the concert started again for me also. It would have been great if they had changed that big part of the show also a little bit. This is no setlist moaning because this selist is very close to my favourite. Only one or two changes would have it perfect for me:

(Border Reiver, Why Aye Man, No WII, Sailing, Coyote, AND Cleaning My Gun, Hill Farmer, Romeo, Sultans, No Bonnie, Marbletown, Donegan, Get Lucky,
Speedway, NO Telegraph BUT Boom, Like That and So Far From the Clyde  instead, then So Far Away, then Piper. Ready is my perfect GL-tour-list!)

I am listening to my new Luxembourg download very often and I really like that show indeed. Good atmosphere, good sound, some great versions.
The problem with Simfy is you always want more and more...  

LE

[herlock]

I'm always amazed with how us fans can differ
Mark has been widely critized for playing the same DS songs over and over. I don't, because I fully agree with his statements of "old tunes being milestones for people".
TR has a very special place in my heart. My first encounter with progressive rock ever. I used to play the "Money for Nothing" compilation CD, with the live remix version of TR, over and over. In France the song was judged good enough to be a subject of study for the end of high school exam ("Baccalaur