Tone wrote:I've watched and listened to this over several sessions and I really enjoyed it. I endorse what everyone else has said - and that's a brilliant summary by Justin.
It may just be me but I thought I detected a different tone on the lead guitar in Part 2. It seemed to have more of a growl to it, particularly on 'Foot Tapper.' Is it possible that the guitarist was using the Vox in the first part and the Mesa Boogie in the second (or vice versa)? I didn't notice an echo unit so it was probably off-stage. I'm sure the purists observed that whilst he changed pickups in 'Adios Muchachos' he didn't for the intro and outro in 'Atlantis'!
Every song was mainstream apart from 'The Girl On The Bus' which certainly isn't and I wonder how that crept in. And I think there could have been a better final number than 'All My Love.' But this is a very minor niggle in the context of an excellent performance by all involved.
Tony
Thanks, Tony.
I've got a feeling Echank's main sound is from the Boogie, which is visibly miked, whereas his AC30s aren't (though one of the rhythm guitarist's is). The breakup in his sound is either from the amp overdriving a bit, but I think it's most likely the same issue as Hank's during the Final Tour: the input of an effect unit (probably the echo) being set a bit too high. A thought about Echank's echo: it's not EFTP (the echo patterns aren't particularly accurate), but the tone is lovely and warm, which leads me to think it might be an analogue unit like an Amtech or, more likely, an Atlantis.
Regarding the setlist: I disagree that the material was mainstream. There are a lot of songs featured which very rarely get an outing. Some of the less-obvious inclusions seem ideal for a band of this style, if a bit bland and non-descript. Perfect for musicians who otherwise don't specialise in the genre. Some of them would work well in a tamer 'dance' (which, in normal circumstances, this could easily be, seeing as it's performed in a ballroom). I'm Looking Out the Window and All My Love are songs that could suit a lot of singers from the variety period through to the late sixties (I can imagine Jim Reeves singing both of them, as well as Tom Jones).
Your point about how to end a set is a key one, and IMO the set structure is one of the weaker aspects of the ThomShell show. One of the most often overlooked aspects of a gig is how to build the set. You need power and atmosphere to start, and to finish with a crescendo of energy, with plenty of light and shade along the way. I agonise over my show setlists for weeks or even months before gigging them. Set-writing is an art and only a few really get it right. It's one of the many things I learned from Licorice. Bruce and Hank are brilliant at it. Forget the accuracy of the performance of the music, the guitar tones, the jokes, or the technical side of the production; it's the setlist (and the fluency it's executed with) which is most likely to determine whether you get a warm round of applause or a standing ovation at the end of the night.
