Roxy Music: frickin' nice or frickin' not nice

I could talk about how sky-scrapingly, brilliantly entertaining and fascinating Roxy Music were, but that would take too long. I will say that I'd love to be able to see them this summer (can't due to preplanned vacation trips), though the fact that it's a replication of the late Roxy line-up -- not even Paul Thompson is on board -- makes it a dubious prospect anyway.

Oh, yeah, classic of course.

That would be: _"These Foolish Things"_

(says he's a fan mutter mutter lightweight mutter mutter doesn't get it at all mutter mutter)

terr-bo

That shouldn't concern you though should it?

Conceptual way in for Sterling - Aspiration! Like your popsters and rapsters with their Cris and cheese, but beamed back to Northern England c.1971. Ferry is a cartoon/dream of a playboy like Jay-Z is of a playa. e.g. Virginia Plain - "Baby Jane's in Acapulco / We are flying down to REE-OH!" Reaches its climax on the amazing "Mother Of Pearl" (my favourite Roxy song and then some) - Ferry reaching desperately and fantasy-riffing on a society playgirl he can never quite fully grasp. The music though is stiff-hipped Anglo-pop and if that's not your think it's not your thing, full stop I think.

Search: Jane Suck's Sounds 5 Nov 77 review of the first Roxy compilation. "You can't even take the cover of 'this' to the bathroom — a photograph of a gold record and Jerry Hall's eyebrow. Big thrill!!... What I'm getting at is you just cannot take Roxy Music songs out of context. The albums themselves were like walking a tightrope. 'Greatest Hits' is just one Godalmighty safety net. My advice, dear, buy the re-released 'Virginia Plain/Pyjamarama', hock your tuxedo and get the collected works." I don't know if Jane Jackman's even still alive, but in those days she was wrong about nothing.

Paul Thompson is my favourite mid-70s drummer, even (just) ahead of Slade's Don Powell and the Meters' Zig Modeliste.

Search also: Bryan's solo single 1978 "Sign of the Times"...

i started out with the greatest hits cd, which i didn't feel AT ALL. so then i tried albums, because i saw that many called c.l. the best roxy album and none of the tracks on it had made the g.h. it's one of the few albums i bought twice (and, indeed, it kept me from buying tigermilk for fear of looking like a perv - - should i be grateful?) and from there i bought all of the "classic" albums. i love all of the incarnations, even the smooch-pop of avalon (how cool is "to turn you on"? very.) oh, but you do need the greatest hits because where else will you get their cover of "jealous guy," which gives the song the balls it should've, could've had, if yoko didn't have lennon's in her pocket.

so, yeah, classic. but not classic enough for me to spend $75 for nosebleed seats at the reunion show. no band or deity is that classic.

I don't have this

That said, I still am not going to see them in concert this summer. I would have paid that kind of money to see the 70's version of Roxy Music, but now? Eh.

Also, I saw them at Radio City Music Hall at age 13, and am thrilled to have 8th row tickets to see them this summer!

Speaking of which - Fred? You still there? What do I think about Amnesiac? You see that last paragraph in the thread? That was me, that was.

More to the point, I wish I had been 16 when Amnesiac came out. As much as one tries to keep up, the instinct becomes blunted by the overburdened baggage of underused knowledge. These days I just try to be happy.

Their first proper album is absolutely smashing, but the second ("For Your Pleasure") - Christ, it's still amazing, nearly 30 years on.

Even with Eddie Jobson subbing for Eno, "Stranded" smoked. "Country Life" was very solid, but cracks were beginning to appear in their carefully manicured facade.

Roxy died with "Siren" - it's almost wholly disposable. They bounced back "Viva!," an unexpectedly powerful live compilation. "Manifesto" was quite good, but after that... I just couldn't be bothered.

Download disc five from "The Thrill of It All" - their early B-sides are brilliant...

Happy Holidays,

Laura N.

So anyway, I have found the courage to stand up and say "I think Roxy are balderdash" but by the same token, I feel like I'd quite like to like them, even though I think Ferry is a slimy old lounge lizard with about as much style as brownshirt. And Eno is overrated, although I quite like that Music for Airports stuff.

Anyway, I have this nagging feeling that Roxy might be really good but I just can't quite seem to feel it. I had that Greatest Hits package one time and like the guy up there said, it utterly failed to make a dint in my consciousness.

Why do Roxy fans like Roxy when it seems to me that they're clearly not very good? Can anyone help?

For Your Pleasure is pretty much my favourite album by anyone, but the first five are all essential. Remake/Remodel, Ladytron, In every Dream Home, Mother of Pearl, Love is the Drug, Both Ends Burning, Virginia Plain, Editions of you. It doesn't get any better than this.

I dislike intensely they way that some people see Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music as synonymous, but I do like a lot of his solo stuff as well. Particularly Bride Stripped Bare.

I'll buy pretty much anything associated with Roxy, no matter how ropey (Rock Follies!), but apart from the obvious Eno stuff, Diamond Head by Phil Manzanera is well worth getting.

...it's actually about an inflatable doll, but I assume that's the song you're talking about.
-- Patrick (cal...@...), June 5th, 2001 12:00 AM. (link)

Great response but I think the song in question is Beauty Queen off For Your Pleasure as well though. It has those great shaky keyboards which are all over that album and the second verse is:

oooh the way you look
makes my starry eyes shiver
then I look away
too much for one day

That album really delivers what its title promises.

"CHIC-KA!"

i don't think so. bogus man is groovy and far out like hell. what a jam. i think i prefer it to most miles davis. grey lagoons is slightly weaker but that mouth harp solo (is that eno with his tapes?) is absolutely gorgeous. for your pleasure finally rounds up this album nicely. the keyboards reverb like they have drunk about a million gallons. otherworldly. as if it had all been a blurred dream.

I'm with you, alex -- perfect.

"Your application's FAILED!"

Does anyone know if the original "rock" version of Angel Eyes appears on CD anywhere?

Thanks for calling my attention to the box set. I just I sort of ignored it when it came out because I felt like I already had everything. Just listened to Sultanesque for the first time!

Words fail.

I need to hear "Whirlwind," but I can't because I'm at work. Maybe I could sneak into another space and listen.

I can't sing it for you, so here's the lyrics:

May Day
Cut down to size again
What then
When less is more my friend
I'll change
Let me start again
Disguise
It's too weird to explain
Why I'll
Always call your name
Adieu; with you
I could be anything
That I want to be
Whirlwind
Wildfire and driving rain
Wheels spin
Bowl me over hurricane
Whirlwind
Crack your cheeks and blow
Me Far
So far
How far
Is Shangri-la from here
And is it this way?
There she blows
Tear me down tornado
Whirlpool
Drag me to the deeps below
Whirlwind
Will a wildcat strike be tame?
Earthquake
Shake me to my feet again
It's crosswords go you near
A fatal clue I fear
This case is closed
Elementally, my dear.
Beware
Whirlwind

I always find it extremely difficult to rank Roxy albums after Siren (my favorite). I used to put Stranded at #8--I know that sounds crazy, but it never held together as an album for me--and now I'm thinking that it deserves to take 4th place. I think it just requires more patience than some of their other stuff.

I suppose it's difficult because they were constantly refining their sound, which makes it hard to compare something like Flesh + Blood to, say, Country Life. Also, there's just this incredible depth to their sound; how much you enjoy a particular song really depends on your level of attentiveness, or the mood you're in, I think. While a lot of the rocker singles don't require much more than passive listening, others are slow and meditative and obviously way less immediate. For instance, it took me a while to accept the fact that "Amazona" can sit next to "Psalm." And then, for me, there's this whole thing of increasingly funky and accomplished (though it was funky and accomplished from album 1) bass playing going on that I eat right up, and that weighs in perhaps too heavily on my opinion of a particular album. If you gave me the bass tracks to the Siren LP, I could be kept busy for weeks learninng them them.

Anyway, my list right now would look something like this:

1. Siren
2. Country Life
3. Manifesto
4. Stranded
5. For Your Pleasure
6. Roxy Music
7. Flesh + Blood
8. Avalon

...and that just felt painful and wrong. I really LIKE Avalon, it just isn't quite as musically impressive or deep as their other work. It also hurts to have Flesh + Blood so low. I mean how epic and mystical are those guitar chords on the title track? I rate Manifesto so highly not necessarily for the quality of songwriting (second half has a couple of unmemorable tracks), but for the sound and atmosphere, which is almost tailor-made to my tastes (and which seemed to influence Japan, one of my favorites), and because it's got some excellent bass playing from the late Alan Spenner (mainly on "Manifesto" and "Stronger Through the Years"). I mean some of that is simply Bernard Edwards-level stuff.

I couldn't tell you the number of times I've listened through Roxy's catalog in an effort to decide on my definitive ranking. I always fail!

Is anybody here able to painlessly rank their catalog?

Some of the things in this thread have put me in mind of no-one so much as Happy Mondays. Let's compare and contrast:

1. Band-as-gang. One charismatic leader, various faceless goons. I'm not really sure how many members there were in either band, but despite this or maybe because of this the gang element seems stronger. It's hard to imagine Gaz Whelan's ego getting in the way of the package, for example.
2. The politics. Very upwardly mobile, Roxy, but the Mondays were pretty Thatcherite in their own way, were they not? In the same way as New Labour were toryish. Not that this is a bad thing, I'd hazard, more that it reflects an aspirational and individualistic strand of British working-class culture that many people would prefer to pretend didn't exist.
3. Aesthetics. Obviously Roxy rule here. There's something about the Mondays, though, that I think could be called art-school if only they paid more attention to looks. I'm on shaky ground here, and it may just be the Factory sleeves and all that, but more than most bands the Mondays seemed to be a package, what with club culture, the lyrics, the sense of their being a movement.
4. 'John Peel observed they were one of few bands whom it was impossible to guess their influences'. I've never really thought about this with Roxy - I guess I see them as growing directly out of 50s rock n' roll without the big ideas of the 60s bands. The Mondays are more difficult - how on earth did they end up sounding like that?
5. Legacy. Not much, really. They never really get revived or reappraised, unlike some of their contemporaries (I'm thinking Led Zep here, though that's not quite right is it? Who were Roxy's contemporaries?). Also, no or very few cover versions, mostly because neither are really classic songwriting, it'd be hard to play their stuff on an acoustic guitar. A Mondays cover is pretty much unimaginable to me.

So how about it? A particular strand of British culture - individualistic, arty, awkward - personified in these two bands. Are there any others like them? Or am I just talking rubbish?

1. I don't know, I think Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay had pretty distinctive, trashy styles.

2. Roxy and politics is an odd one, don't think you could shoehorn them into either a left or right wing perspective. Besides, Ferry's aristo poses were a totally different proposition from The Mondays loadsamoney schtick. Thatcher's 80s? Young people have liked having a bit of cash to flash since since forever. See: mods.

3. You could say that about almost any successfully marketed band ever. Although Facytory's Peter Saville did do a couple of sleeves for Roxy.

4. Monday's early stuff sounds like trying to play funk and getting it "wrong".

5.I'd say loads of shitty "baggy" influenced dance/indie crossover stuff over the years from Northside to Regular Fries to The Twang (sorry to bring these up) wears a big Mondays influence on its sleeve. You get to be in a slightly noodly, trippy band without looking too middle class: I guess that's the attraction.

Roxy's contemporaries were the other more artsy glam acts like Bowie and Bolan, Eno after he left too, obvs.

Overall, I don't really see the comparison at all, sorry.

Batshit post of the day goes to Ismael Klata.

There are few bands I hate more than the Happy Mondays, and I find it painful to read about them in an Roxy thread. Their music is amateurish and dirty, their "aesthetic" just plain bad--and having nothing at all to do with Roxy's. I think there's a reason that they don't have much of a legacy. And they ruined the 24 Hour Party People movie in my eyes.

Did you happen to be listening to them when you clicked on this thread?

Sorry for ruining your thread. I stand by my argument though, both bands can sound like a car crash (in a good way) and I can't imagine a band like this emerging anywhere else (INXS are maybe the closest). I'd also be tempted to bring Simple Minds into this as having a similar attitude to these two.

As regards aesthetics, while Roxy obviously produced something more refined, you'd never confuse it with posh - posh gets you Radiohead or Coldplay or James Blunt, not this kind of playfulness. The playfulness and lack of reverence is the quality that they share. The word I needed last night is 'vulgar'.

Ismael, could you compare and contrast, say, Deee-lite and Rush?

I had Smokey Robinson and Essential Logic in mind.

Things Roxy Music and The Happy Mondays DON'T have in common:
- locus of multiple major careers
- often described as "ahead of their time"
- considered interesting outside of Manchester
- people still listen to them sometimes
- fox hunting

How lovely is "Just Like You"?

any list of Roxy Music albums that has Avalon in eighth place is crazy crazy

unless it's chronological I guess

How lovely is "Just Like You"?

I always forget to rate this one higher. I love how his voice descends a few notes in the bridge.

"Just Like You" is fantastic, but still not in the Top 5 songs from "Stranded", because they are: "Mother Of Pearl", "Sunset", "Street Life", "Amazona" and "Serenade".

i can see the similarities in roxy and the mondays. nothing on the surface, but it's an interesting comparison

i mean shit, ilm got a lot of mileage out of "guns n roses = the smiths" back in the day, and this is way less crazy

Okay, Roxy Music has always been a big blind spot for me. For as long as I can remember Bryan Ferry's voice has hit me like nails on a chalkboard. However, I'm not the man I once was, as we age our tastes change, etc., so I've decided to give them another go, heading chronologically through the catalog (I've borrowed the first three, to start).

I'm really liking the music, but Ferry is still having the same effect. I'm not going to stop (maybe I'm just a masochist), but I don't know if there is anyway I'll be able to get past his voice to truly appreciate them. "If There Is Something" is one track that hooked me despite the voice, but it might just be because Julian Cope sorta ripped the progression for "Safesurfer". The other one that got me right away is "In Every Dream Home A Heartache", on which, surprisingly, I don't even mind Ferry's vocal.

Well that's a fairly restrained vocal even for him at that time, at least on the first part of the song.

The fruity vocals start to ebb on the third album and gone totally by Manifesto.

Ned, that might be why it works for me! Thanks for the encouragement (and the Legend vid) - I'll keep soldiering on.

The first album has a bit of the Bonzo's about it which I like; and I do appreciate the Eno synth touches and Manzanera's guitar work on the first two albums. Right now though, my favorite Roxy-related song is John Cale's "Gun".

Alfred - that is the best news I've had all morning. I think Ferry's tone may bug me, but the dying bird warbling in his throat is an extra bit of pain.

Stranded straddles both camps (no pun intended). He's learned a lot about pitch, so moments like "Mother of Pearl" and "Psalm" achieve marvelous levels of overwroughtness without the strain heard in the earlier recordings.

That's the last one I've borrowed so far. I need a bit of a break before I dive into it - maybe some Grandeur of Hair to reset my brain.

you might like avalon then, he doesn't yelp once on that.

I felt the same about Ferry's vocals - my introduction had been his mid-80s solo albums (ie utterly smooooove vocals). Over time I was exposed to the great early singles like "Do The Strand", "Virginia Plain", etc and the fruitiness just seemed part and parcel of what early Roxy was all about: fun, style and uniqueness.

Now, why hasn't there been a comprehensive Roxy @ The BBC release??

Roxy Music - South Downs (single or b-side) popped up on winamp and WOW this is like MBV meets frippertronics. What a soundscape

I found my Roxy album - Country Life. Nice mix of guitars and Ferry-isms, though I wish some of the musical weirdness of the earlier work had remained. I'm not sure if I'm going to warm much to anything else; there is a fine line this walks wonderfully. I do like some of the songwriting later on, but the production grates more than Ferry's warbly voice did on the early stuff.

EZ snappin, I always liked the vocals of Roxy Music but stuff like Joy Division and The Fall had odd vocals for me.. Do you like Joy Division or The Fall, if so did you ever have trouble getting around the vocals?

I'm curious if we're just flip on what kind of vocals are sort of annoying to us...
Vocals can be such a hinderblock to people and what they listen to. I should know, I hate basically all new mainstream rock (or whatever that stuff is they play on the radio), and I can usually tell if I hate it just by hearing the singer do 1 or 2 lines or an ear-cringing chorus. Basically I'm immediately put off by music with "bad vocals" it seems.

Never had any problems with the vocals of Ian Curtis or Mark E. Smith. Love live recordings of Joy Division, but not as enthused about them as a studio entity. The Fall I don't like except for the song "Cruiser's Creek".

In general, I don't have any problems with vocalists. I like some people who are generally considered appalling, and dislike others whom are quite loved. I can't put my finger on what about Ferry's warble that's always bothered me, but it's been there since childhood.

I read somewhere online that the opening of Pyjamarama was sampled on a rap record...anyone know if this is true and if so, which one?

Hello.

http://www.roxyrama.com/classic/cgi-bin/2012/cginews.cgi?record=3

wow, I haven't heard a lot of that stuff before, very nice

doesn't surprise me at all that you're into this band Ned!

great news

urgh, always meant to get the thrill of it all, but cold never find it for a good price. and now it's even more expensive! wonder how pricey this box will be. my guess is: very pricey.

Finally – to own (remastered) copies of "Always Unknowing," "Lover," and "Hula Kula."

I love that remake of "Manifesto."

Thanks again to everybody who helped me upthread. Still enjoy Country Life and Avalon.

finally on CD:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UOjmKHpq50

The Numberer was on the 4th disc of The Thrill Of It All box set along with most of the other b-sides.

I think I'll wait for the individual reissues, provided they include bonus tracks. There's too much post-'75 stuff on the box, which I'm either lukewarm towards (Avalon) or actively dislike (Manifesto).

Can't believe I'm gonna buy all this stuff yet again, even though I have most if not all of the b-sides and remixes. Wonder what's on the DVDs, hopefully something other than what was already on the DVD comp they made a few years ago

afaik, the DVDs are just hi-res audio of the CDs. Which seems redundant, to say the least.

I've got "The Thrill Of It All" box and felt it wasn't missing anything critical aside from the rest of "Avalon". They picked the best late-period tracks and that 4th disc of b-sides is all-killer-no-filler.

As for a proper DVD -- why, there's even a thread on it:

FINALLY -- a career spanning Roxy Music DVD

That DVD is awesome.

I wish they would release the complete BBC sessions. That stuff is awesome. Search: the bootleg "First Kiss."

did we discuss these already? they are hot.

http://soundcloud.com/bryanferry/avalon-lindstr-m-prins-thomas

http://soundcloud.com/bryanferry/love-is-the-drug-todd-terje

Andy Beta alludes to it.

Completely buried in this 'Roxy Music Break Up' story (ie, Mackay and Manzanera are done):

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/roxy-music-break-up-20141103

The news for Roxy Music fans isn't all bleak. "We have some fantastic box sets of the first two albums out next year," says Manzanera. "There's all sorts of things; extra (Brian) Eno ingredients and stuff. I'm very excited about it."

I really regret missing them in 2001, but Eno-era boxes! Plural!

Yeah I was over in the UK when they played that 2001 tour here, figures. They'd come back a couple of times but honestly I kinda just wanted to see that first time through -- friends went and said it was a barnburner, but what can you do!

But yes, box sets! Extra Eno stuff?! Bring it. (And will this mean they'll continue from there?)

Just hope it is all stuff by the 1st 2lp line-up(s?) there isn't much stuff with Davy O'list on is there?
I think he's on at least one BBC session but has claimed that he wrote most of Manzanera's guitar lines for at least the first lp.
I haven't heard that BBC session in a while think it's more pedestrian than Manzanera though. I thought he was good with the Nice though or at least they were better with him in.
Manzanera was one of my fav guitarists for a while for the 1st 2lps though.
Don't remember hearing about the BBC stuff being released before.
& live Eno era stuff would be welcome too.
So wonder what this is and how big a box set is being talked about.

The gradual dissolution of the band over last decade is one of the more unfortunate reunion stories. Bit of a shame.

Well to be fair they never did anything new or tried to record a comeback album (which I always thought was a smart move). It almost felt like a 'eh, sure, why not' thing after a certain point.

They actually did try to make a new album:

During a March 2007 interview with the Western Daily Press, Ferry confirmed that although the next Roxy Music album is definitely being made, it would not be vended for another "year and a half", as Ferry had just released and toured behind his twelfth studio album, Dylanesque, consisting of Bob Dylan covers.[29]

In June 2007, the band hired a Liverpool-based design agency to develop their new website supporting their new album. Early in the year, Phil Manzanera revealed that the band were planning to sign a record contract. During an October 2007 interview, Ferry said that the album would include a collaboration with Scissor Sisters.[30]

However, in November 2009 Ferry stated that there would be no new Roxy Music record: "It was overly publicized, when Brian Eno and I went into the studio together, that we were re-forming. We worked together for a few days, weeks maybe, and I decided I didn’t really want to do a Roxy thing. It’s going to be a solo record. Brian plays on a couple of tracks though. I don't think we'll record as Roxy again. . . . It would be great to do some more Roxy Music concerts, although I don't think Eno will be involved."[citation needed]

iirc, any usable material from those Roxy sessions ended up on Olympia. It's sad, as the footage in a recent-ish Roxy doc shows them all in high spirits at the sessions, and excited about what they're working on.

The Olympia album cover doeas seem as "usable material for a Roxy album"

Bryan Ferry is 70 today. You do you, old man.

Time for a Roxy Music binge, methinks!

He doesn't sound a day over 80.

Got the first Roxy album on... the vocal on the middle part of 'If There Is Something' remains completely laugh-out-loud hilarious. Wonderful sheep impersonation there, Ferry.

Amazing how modern their early stuff still sounds today. Together with joy division my fave band of the 70s.

Soooo, Reunion Tour?

https://pitchfork.com/news/roxy-music-announce-first-tour-in-11-years/

I saw them in 2001 (and St. Vincent in 2014); I thought it was a very well done "setting" of their history - a museum exhibition, but a very lively one where "Out of the Blue" and "Oh Yeah" each got their due.
I'm sure Ferry is in better health than Phil Collins, but I'm wary of going to see any singer verging on 80.

ferry sounded great when i saw him in 2019(?)

yeah he was in fine voice during that tour. also looked fantastic, tbh

I've never seen Roxy Music live before, but I'm impressed at the size of the venues they're in. I wouldn't have guessed that they had that much clout, stateside.

It was 2017 for me, but yeah there was nothing wrong with his voice or his energy (or his always somewhat stilted dance moves.) It was a wonderful show.

Honestly, the frailty of the singing on Avonmore made me want to give him some oxygen, but I trust all your views.

I saw him in 2017. The voice was querulous, but the band was unexpectedly sharp.

I've never seen this fabulous photo before, so I'm just going to leave it here.

https://www.nme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/roxy-music-Brian-Cooke-1392x884.jpg

he was assisted by backup singers on the more energetic tracks, but on songs like "every dream home" and "to turn you on" i appreciated his quavering

He can go for a Lad in Satin feel now.

he played "Bete Noire" and "Stronger Through the Years" in '17, so more points for him.

I missed the reunion tours to my lasting regret so I'm glad this is happening.

I've never seen this fabulous photo before, so I'm just going to leave it here.

Wow, that's a shot from the Remake/Remodel video set. Filmed at the Royal College of Art London on July 5th 1972, as per the notes from the director on the video itself here: https://vimeo.com/69638630

fucking Ticketmaster and their variable pricing bullshit, just tell me what the tickets might cost you tedious fucks

pre-sale today

for some locations ( or all?)

A couple of days ago, Bryan Ferry also announced the release of a 4-track digital EP 'Love Letters', with his take on some classic love songs. The title track was released with the announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i840Yy04LUw

I've seen a lot of backlash in comments on YT & FB, loads of people saying that it's a terrible recording and the man can't sing anymore. I don't know, while this song is certainly not the strongest thing he ever did and his current voice might indeed be weaker than it used to be, I still take this voice over loads of other singers in their prime. I always find a lot of beauty in it.

I hope some European dates will get added to this Roxy Music tour eventually, while I did skip Genesis because I didn't think Phil's vocals held up well, I'd go see Ferry/Roxy without thinking twice. Last time I saw him was 2018 & I loved it. Hearing Bête Noire live was one of my all-time concert highlights.

He barely massaged the consonants on the studio version of "Bête Noire," so I heard not much of a difference live.

Valentijn OTM on all points.

This is rough, most seats require an offer code I don't have ...

Hey, kids: use ROXY50 as your offer code.

At least in NYC, demand doesn't seem to be that high, so dynamic pricing shouldn't inflate the tickets TOO much. Everything seems pretty reasonable compared to other MSG acts. I actually rejoined the queue just to scope out what was still available without rush and got back in with virtually no wait.

Fees
USD $6.00 (Order Processing Fee)
USD $4.00 (Facility Charge) x 2
USD $24.60 (Service Fee) x 2

DC

I don't have a breakdown but for MSG in NYC, if you opted for $111.50 tickets, it's roughly $27 each in fees.

-Capital One Arena in DC fees were for $135 tickets

are they worth $92.25 for the cheapest seats y/n

Also I agree with Valentijn. I saw Ferry on his last tour, and while his voice was "weaker," he knew how to use it and it fit all the songs like a glove. Think about Billie Holiday - physically her voice was diminished later on, but her phrasing was arguably greater and more inventive. A great singer knows how to fit the voice they have to the performances they're fronting, and that's what I get from the whisper-ier Ferry of today.

Anyway, they're playing arenas this time and the shitty acoustics alone will probably make it impossible to tell much of a difference, I'm sorry to say.

xp wow, $92.25? MSG had $59 seats.

Actually $55 now that I'm checking, but they really suck.

this is in Turonno

DC has $55 nosebleed tickets too

I'm going! Tickets at the brand new Moody Center in Austin were $135 + fees for dead center mezzanine level.

so what y'all are saying is that you wouldn't pay 92.25 for nosebleed tix

I got 4 tix for $110 apiece at the TD Garden in Boston in the loge on the side (I purposely ignored how awful the fees were). That felt ... reasonable.

x-post re nosebleed seats - maybe I would pay that (but decided to splurge for more expensive ones)

I'm going to O2 and The Forum lol!

If I was sitting in the nosebleeds, I would go for $55 because you're really not gaining ANYTHING from the distance achieved at the $92.25 level. To put it in perspective, I saw Elton John at the cheapest seats, and I don't think it was any different than the low level seats I passed to get to mine because in both cases, Elton was tiny and the screen behind him (what I basically stared at the whole time) was enormous.

So it's either cheapest possible for nosebleeds or a decent but much more expensive seat in the lower tiers or floor.

Like Naive Teen Idol said, for less than $20 more, you can get a whole lot closer than nosebleeds, but for half the price, you probably can't tell much of a difference when you're already that far up.

Or rather based on the numbers he gave for the seats he got.

I paid an extra $40 per ticket for the Phil Manzanera VR experience, you stand in the concourse and see a video feed of the entire show through his sunglasses.

lol

irl lol f. hazel

fuck it, just coughed up $150

Only going to go to this if Paul Thompson is on drums.

it is

It's basically the classic line-up, but not the first iteration with Brian Eno. I didn't think Eno would join, but Jesus I would've splurged for the $300 seats if he did...

i suppose it's possible he might pop into a London show but I wouldn't count on it (more likely, he may go to the show and not perform, ala Gabriel at the last Genesis gig)

the 2001 Roxy show I saw is by far the best “reformed band plays back catalogue” show i have seen - and i have probably seen too many - they were so good! i went as a casual listener and left a devoted fan

saw Ferry a few years back and found it a bit disappointing - he was cool but i found his band a bit underwhelming, i was hoping for a hyper-drilled unit of young guns recreating the studio sheen of his best solo stuff - but it just felt a bit tired and session-y

I remember at the 2011 (?) Roxy shows there was meant to be a bit of tension re Bryan wanting to fold his solo hits into the setlist, and the band resisting - i think they played Let’s Stick Together as a compromise - i certainly would have been outraged if the show i saw had ended with that instead of For Your Pleasure, it was a perfect way to close out a show

Wonder if that was the tour I saw in the little theater at MSG with Rufus Wainwright opening.

If you mean 2001, yes.

when was the last time eno was even on stage performing for a crowd?

Singing with Stephen Colbert and Michael Stipe in 2011?

I did not know this existed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_72UC9npjg

xxp I guess in 2016?

https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/brian-eno-3bd6a03c.html

i saw Eno perform live in 2009 - it was an event called Pure Scenius, a live semi-improvised collaboration with Karl Hyde, Jon Hopkins, The Necks, Leo Abrahams maybe some other people i've forgotten about! there were three concerts in one evening, with Eno directing the course of each improvisation from a little control station onstage (and very occasionally singing and playing a bit of keyboard). if it wasn't quite as good as it could have been, there were definite highlights and felt like a legitimate way to "see Eno live" - ambitious and interesting, rather than just a trad live show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDs70rPj36A

Well, went for tickets for SF so bring on the stately chaos, if you will.

I believe Eno did something live with his brother in the past six months in Athens.

Yes, at the Acropolis last August:
https://vk.com/video/@brianeno

Just noticed that the link works on my desktop but not my phone, where I'm prompted to register.

youtube-dl works on that link if anyone wants to d/l for later.

I briefly thought that Eno Bros at the Acropolis concert was for this summer and contemplated taking my family to Greece. I’m glad I checked. 😬

hell....yes

https://i.imgur.com/zqHLGph.jpeg

The Brie Of It All