Reviews

Hi, my name is Jessie and I went to the Live concert Aug 24th at the Roy Wilkin's Auditorium in St Paul, MN with 4 of my friends. My friend Megan and I were the only TRUE Live fans out of my friends that went, so I don't think they were as into it as much as me and Megan were. We got to the Roy Wilkin's around 6:15pm (the show was going to start at 7:30). We had front row, center seats. We waited for the first band to come on, Jimmie's Chicken Shack -- they were cool and quite hot I might add! After that Luscious Jackson came on -- I thought they were very boring, and they basically sucked. After they played there was about a 15-20 minute wait before Live came on. During that time I was talking to an ambulance guy standing next to me, telling me about the people that faint and stuff like that -- I told him I might be one of them! Finally, the much awaited Live came on!! I started screaming my eyes out! The ambulance guy said "Holy shit, I've never seen a girl scream so much in my life!" I couldn't help it -- my favorite band in the WHOLE wide world just came on -- what could I do? I have this little 'obsession' with flashing people and I thought I would flash the band to get their attention. My friend Megan said she lost count after 25 times. My friend Andrea, who was on the floor said that basically the whole floor saw me flash them and that she wouldn't doubt it if they didn't see me. (The Roy Wilkin's is quite a small place). I don't remember the order of the setlist, but I do know that they played most of the songs from SS and over half of the songs from TC, and 'Operation Spirit' from MJ. They ended with a VERY cool 'White, Discussion', with Edward coming out in a purple sequins shirt and boa -- Sexy! Overall, the concert kicked total ass and I'll never forget that day as long as I live! I couldn't talk at all the next day, but I would do it all over in a heart beat!
JESSICA MILLER

A typical August evening in St. Louis, hot and humid. Weather we St. Louisans normally expect for that time of the year. Although, the forecast for that particular evening was more accurate as it related to +Live+'s performance! My boyfriend and I, together at this show, also saw the earlier tour on March 3 at the American Theater. We didn't think they could be any better, but they were! Ed Kowalczyk agreed, as quoted in his on-line tour diary, "Wow, what a night, again! It was humid and loud, just the way we like it in the summer. Patrick was so hot that he broke out one of his little summer dresses for the show. And, by the way, I happen to know for a fact that he wasn't wearing anything underneath it".
+Live+ turned up the heat with an unforgettable, seething performance which ignited the already exuberant crowd. The band began performing around 9:45pm, after energetic performances from local band, 'Radio Iodine', and national touring band, 'Luscious Jackson'. Both fronted by female lead singers, the bands gave strong performances. Especially noticeable was the percussionist/bongo player in Luscious Jackson. She played with a lot of passion and reminded me in the style of Sheila E. Everything that evening paled in comparison to the performance +Live+ gave. From the moment the band stepped on stage and opened with a powerful rendition of "Rattlesnake", the crowd jumped to their feet and sat down! It was quite a fan tribute to the band, and unlike any concert I've ever attended. The next song, also from the Secret Samadhi album, was "Lakini's Juice", (one of my personal favorites). Only live in concert can this song truly radiate Ed's intensity, The instrumental portions of this song transcend all boundaries,especially the addition of the violin. "Selling the Drama", the first Throwing Copper song performed, was great. That song to me represents +Live+'s thrust into mainstream radio play, introducing many to the band for the first time. Continuing to play songs from Secret Samadhi, the band next played "Century", (which I like to call the 'puke' song), "Unsheathed", (another one of my personal SS favoites-which was incredible in concert) and "Ghost", which was hauntingly wonderful. It was during this song that Ed bent on his knees and began intimate conversation with the audience, saying very seductively "Come on ... everyone's got a ghost. You have a ghost, I know ya do. Come on, it's just you and me out here..". WOW! It was evident in this song why Ed has such a strong appeal with us female fans!! The gothic, romantic set design was purely brilliant. The purple hued lighting set the mood and complimented the music very well. The set design at the American Theater, although wonderful, didn't seem quite as elaborate and awe-inspiring. The next two songs from Throwing Copper, "Waitress" and "All Over You", propelled the fans into even further rapture. Ed K. made "Waitress" interactive when he invited the crowds to whistle along with him. In the still of the evening harmonizing with the crickets were thousands of puckering fans, feeling like part of the music making-process. "All Over You" got the crowd really rocking. If the fans weren't already sweating from the sheer humidity, they were after this one! In order, the band played "Turn My Head", "Freaks", "Iris", "Operation Spirit", which was one of the only two songs performed off of Mental Jewelry. I personally loved seeing Ed sing "Iris". He physically performed this song with all of his being, using his body as an instrument in tune with the drum beats. Ed and the gang came back for the encore, with "Mirror Song", "Heropsychodreamer", and "I Alone"(one of my all personal all time +Live+ favorites). "White, Discussion" was the final song, and Ed sang a 10 minute extended version that was simply amazing. Ed and Chad Taylor left the stage mid-song for a while and returned with Ed in purple sequins and feathers, and they didn't miss a beat! At the end, Chad Gracey threw out dozens of drum sticks to the lucky fans up front. The band seemed happy with their performance as the crowd was, as Ed said in the tour diary, "We had a fantastic show, the arrangements were very fluid and we were playing with a lot of intensity. We just got news that 'Secret Samadhi' is moving back up the album charts and this is pleasing to us". NOTE: As an appropriate ending, as I write these last few sentences, "Turn My Head" just began playing on KPNT 105.7. The DJ introduced the song by saying, "Here's the boys who kicked our butts in basketball". The Point sponsored a contest for the lucky winners to join the DJ's in some pick-up with the band before the concert. I guess +Live+ can do no wrong!
STACY SCHOLL

Intense and emotionally-charged, the +Live+ concert August 27th at the Sandstone Amphitheater in Kansas City proved that they have to be seen in concert for their tremendous talent to be fully realised. While opening act Jimmie's Chicken Shack was a sad Offspring rip-off, the other openers Luscious Jackson surprisingly motivated the crowd with their energetic, solid performance (especially that of Ann the bassist/percussionist). Opening with 'Rattlesnake', +Live+ finally appeared amidst a smoky stage. Mr Kowalczyk's voice was in top form as he enthusiastically bolted about the stage (tripping at one point over a cable!). 'Lakini's Juice' ensued, followed by (some of the sequence may be out of order - I was too excited!!). 'Century', 'Selling the Drama', 'Ghost', and a spectacularly intense rendition of 'Unsheathed' (including Edward's finely-tuned falsetto on the latter verses), complete with pulsing white stage lights punctuating the beats before the chorus. Other highlights of the startlingly intimate performance included 'Lightning Crashes', 'Turn My Head', 'Operation Spirit', 'Freaks', 'All Over You', and 'Waitress' (in which Edward urged the audience to join in on the extended whistle improv!). The demanding audience urged two encores which completed the evening with diverse songs from the endlessly energetic foursome. A beautiful acoustic version of 'Merica' preceded 'I Alone', a fierce 'Heropsychodreamer', and the final (accompanied by the purple jacket and boa) 'White, Discussion'. I along with the rest of the screaming yet thankfully tame (NO mosh pits! : ) audience felt satisfied yet sad that the show had to come to and end.
DARCY PHOENIX

Damp dirt smell of recent rain - rocks and darkness and buzz of people. Chords are broken and echo, disjointed, through the rocks. I hear the opening of 'Rattlesnake' thus, and make my way up winding, slightly damp stairs, and into the sound of a soul I love like my own. Crash as music rolls in, familiar, almost sweet - numbing the conscious socialite slowly into me. Distant view, plenty of room to dance, I settle in. Amusing at first this man from Pennsylvania emoting physically on the 'Stage' -- even though it wasn't played, it's still a potently aware song -- but soon the show, the band, lights, and cooing of the crowd, took over. Surrounded by these giant red wet monoliths, enthralled by color, hanging spider-light chandeliers and now vibrant tones, the show took over. My memory serves this : they played 'Rattlesnake' - first, he danced and jumped for a while, 'Lakini's Juice' - calling to the crowd, no answer but from a few unseen, read 'doors of perception', 'Century' - a personal fave, I jammed out, urgency ringing through this natural place intruder, 'Ghost' - plaintive pain in a box an expression of evil love awareness silence, 'I Alone' - identity and acceptance reeling vast and tiny right here and right now and independence oozing slowly forgotten flood, 'Iris' - the misinterpretation ever present killing speech with thought expressed with wise words and love to the souls of these, dash of psychedelia, loud music thrashing on the stair-like seats, 'Operation Spirit' - performed differently from the album, melancholy every bit an invitation, self remedy for all, party over there, 'Mirror Song' - "look me in the eye, and tell me you're not scum like the rest", 'Heropsychodreamer' - "who me?", standard - misunderstood pain-expressed with perfect simplicity, 'Freaks' - realisation eyes and nose, neck, shoulders, circle lacking glory ? ,clutching love acceptance and human virtue like a weapon, 'All Over You' - not quite the soulful mourn it was awesome and tough love, 'Lightning Crashes' - a wounded soul cries grieving it's joy agony just knows about it or something lighters in the crowd that won't stay lit, 'Waitress' - fun like the song people know he's serious now but he says it's about drinking at the bar, 'White, Discussion' - "Look where all this talking got us, baby" actually we didn't even talk frustrated stench of politics, 'Turn my head' - uncertain bold love overplayed implied concern for us, and finally .. (knowing this account to be presented in no particular chronology whatsoever), 'Selling the Drama' - independent old and worldly love again who's watching for hypocrites, holds the thing together, though, and every bit helps. All I remember is more than that, much more than just the music. The presence, the place, the 'vibe' as it's called was not the best, the crowd was not at a party or something, but somehow, the connection of souls was felt regardless of bodies between. It formed a net, possessing giving freely focus, love, lights frenetic and placed, lighting the amphitheater, eerie soothing flattering searching, music, commune, touching and changing few, but powerfully in the way that makes the return to daily life mundane and pathetic motivates disturbs prompts. Edward and the band slipped us slowly into common psychedelia, shining nonetheless, stretched open and straining referenced land sky earth clouds air moon precious experience still. Then it was over, and the herd moved slowly at first back to life ..
SAM JOHNSON