Emmylou Harris, State Theatre By Amanda on January 19, 2011 6:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
So I went and saw Emmylou the other week. I didn't immediately rush to blog with it because of the redundancy of anything I could say. If she hadn't been sublime, that would be news. I'll play fearless citizen journalist a bit and say there was something a bit off about the sound. As we know, I am a dullard at musical perception but my old cloth ears picked up an imbalance to the band, a clattering loudness to the drums at time and a sharpness at times to the mando and an indistinctness at others. Due once again to the herculean incompetence of my nemesis, Ticketmaster, I wasn't in the front row where you expect a certain muddiness, but half way back in the prime position for the mixers.
In any event I shouldn't complain, she did "Goodbye" and "Pancho and Lefty" plus a whole bunch from Wrecking Ball including "Every Grain of Sand." And a new song dedicated to Kate McGarrigle.
By Anne S
on January 21, 2011 7:07 PM
You lucky Sydneysiders getting to see the faboulous Emmylou, whereas Melbourne wasn't given a look in.
It is very irritating when the sound is off. I experienced the same thing when Emmylou toured after Wrecking Ball. I saw her at Melbourne Concert Hall and was extremely disappointed in the distorted sound. (I did that BBC test and got high score for music perception)
I saw Emmylou again (her Spyboy tour) a few years later at the Palais in St Kilda, where the sound was spot on and Emmylou was superb.
By Amanda
on January 21, 2011 7:46 PM
I have wondered if some of it is to do with a four piece bluegrassy/country band trying to replicate the Wrecking Ball sound, especially where overbearing drums are concerned. (which i love on the album, just maybe its hard to recreate live without a whole different set up?)