I hope folks have this: https://stevekilbey.bandcamp.com/album/space-bootleg
― Elvis Telecom, Monday, 3 April 2023 06:34 (one year ago) link
My partner (who never listened to the Church) pointed out that without any nostalgia bump, the show was pretty unremarkable. But that's kinda true for most touring bands of this vintage.
― enochroot, Sunday, April 2, 2023 10:32 AM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink
I saw them at an outdoor fest in LA and had the opposite instinct -- they seemed like one of the 'aged-best' bands for n00bs in the whole festival lineup, stuff really connected well in that setting maybe
― xheugy eddy (D-40), Monday, 3 April 2023 06:57 (one year ago) link
i delivered food to this band last night! they were playing at the venue attached to my workplace and i caught a tiny bit of the show. Hotel Womb sounded great, ngl, but I do think they might sound like "generic rock band" if you are not already on board with the whole thing/a fan already (which fortunately i am so i enjoyed it) I smiled at Steve K but did not talk with him. On my way out, the show was still going and he thanked a person who he said has bankrolled their last 4 albums and supported their last few tours? And that person was in the room? I have no idea what that's all about but it was news to me.
― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Thursday, 2 November 2023 16:16 (seven months ago) link
also their fog machine set off the smoke alarm the night before and everyone had to evacuate lol. total Spinal Tap moment :)
― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Thursday, 2 November 2023 16:18 (seven months ago) link
I had been listening to solo SK albums in preparation of this and really had no idea how influential Unearthed/Earthed was for me. when i got both albums in hs i was perplexed by Earthed but now it sounds SO good.
― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Thursday, 2 November 2023 16:23 (seven months ago) link
We were at last night's show LL, sorry we missed you! They were heavier than expected and I thought the band was great. "Metropolis" is still a lovely song, even if it seemed like they kinda just wanted to get it over with. "Grind" and "Tantalized" were highlights for me. "You Took" was fantastic -- from smouldering to scorching and back. Watching Kilbey's fingers keep pace as the band kept speeding up was fun. His voice sounded great, too. I even liked a couple of songs from the new concept (!) album. Wouldn't have gone had it not been so close to home, but we left glad we went.
It was the last night of the tour and Kilbey thanked everyone for coming out saying "This may be the last time, who knows? I'm turning...40 next year"!
> total Spinal Tap moment :)
I kept thinking the guitarist stage right somehow looked like both Nigel Tufnel *and* David St. Hubbins
― j.o.h.n. in evanston (john. a resident of chicago.), Thursday, 2 November 2023 17:53 (seven months ago) link
Yeah I've heard about this guy who apparently bankrolls a lot of their stuff. Like some huge fan who is also a high-flying dentist or something? Elvis Telecom may know more.
Also, did anyone grab that tour only release and can they share a rip, please.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 2 November 2023 17:55 (seven months ago) link
that's so cool LL! I'm sure if MWP had been there you would have said hello... I saw them in Austin last week, but they played an abbreviated set because it was part of a festival so I didn't get to hear Metropolis or Kings, cry cry cry. Still, they sounded great and I still heard a few deep cuts (An Interlude and Hotel Womb the latter I guess they play all the time but I really wanted to hear it)
― the absence of bikes (f. hazel), Thursday, 2 November 2023 18:04 (seven months ago) link
I was at the Tuesday night show. The band sounded great, particularly on "Tantalized", but yeah, some distinct Spinal Tap vibes with Nigel Tufnel on guitar and SK taking time on multiple occasions to explain the extremely convoluted plot of The Hypnagogue to the small crowded of mostly-seated attendees.
― Andy Fox, Thursday, 2 November 2023 20:28 (seven months ago) link
@ john -- wish i had known you were there! we were busy though and if you weren't in my section i probably didn't see you. agree about the heaviness -- one of the things i love most about this band! they are both transporting and grounding at the same time, pure magic. i think i caught an instrumental part of "Grind" and I was proud of myself for recognizing it without any vocals
@ f hazel -- yes, i absolutely would have debased myself to say hello to MWP. i was about to interrupt SK but it was a meet & greet thing and people had paid for their access and i didn't want to misuse my immense privilege of carrying their salads and pizzas back to the green room lol. i also did mention MWP to several of my tables to demonstrate that i am a trve head lol
@Andy - one of my tables told me they read the book and it was "better than they expected" but that he should stick to writing songs, which we all agreed he is very skilled at
― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Thursday, 2 November 2023 20:53 (seven months ago) link
v curious about this loaded dentist!!
― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Thursday, 2 November 2023 20:54 (seven months ago) link
I've certainly been skeptical of the loss of Koppes and MWP, but it is Steve's band after all.
Actually, the current lineup is playing very well - even or maybe especially on the older stuff. Seattle show had maybe the best performance of Grind that I recall seeing in person. And as much as I think Powles helped hold things together through some rough years, I think the change in drummer has paid off on this tour. (But I swear I've yet to hear Haug play MWP's part on Reptile w/o fucking up the riff at least once per performance...)
New tour-only EP is decent enough.
Have also heard the dentist rumor. Maybe on this board some time back.
― Edward Bax, Sunday, 26 November 2023 07:47 (six months ago) link
Dartmouth business professor Kevin Keller (who has a very popular textbook) was "executive producer" for some recent Church albums, which is mentioned in his textbook bio. Guessing that means he partly financed them and advised on marketing.
― theo, Sunday, 26 November 2023 19:58 (six months ago) link
first gay in Archie comics, ILX poster, business professor and Steve Kilbey investor
― bae (sic), Sunday, 26 November 2023 20:27 (six months ago) link
Some lovely memories here, also confirms it was due to a stroke suffered two days ago in Prague.
https://www.facebook.com/luca.signorelli.33/posts/10230859418609528
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 26 November 2023 20:34 (six months ago) link
Whoops wrong thread! That sadly was for the Killing Joke thread.
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 26 November 2023 20:37 (six months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXBasxt6FYo
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 6 December 2023 22:32 (six months ago) link
(just posted today)
Awesome
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 6 December 2023 23:10 (six months ago) link
Really great!
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Wednesday, 6 December 2023 23:48 (six months ago) link
was present for this radio session. really excellent. I nice follow-up to the show the night before. hoping audio surfaces of the pre-session warmup (video is very unlikely).
― Edward Bax, Saturday, 9 December 2023 08:09 (six months ago) link
US tour dates on the way. Also Eros Zeta... is getting a full-releasehttps://www.thechurchband.com
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 6 February 2024 22:37 (four months ago) link
Well that's good, I'm still a bit sore they didn't have it with their merch at Hardly Strictly!
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 6 February 2024 22:55 (four months ago) link
This last December my dad ran into Steve Kilbey at the local post office in our small regional little surf town. He's a massive fan, said g'day, and ended up scoring some free tickets for a solo acoustic gig that night.
Apparently Steve was a really lovely bloke to chat with and the gig was fantastic. My dad has been a fan his whole life; a very lucky encounter
― H.P, Tuesday, 6 February 2024 23:03 (four months ago) link
That's great! Love stuff like that.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 7 February 2024 00:34 (four months ago) link
Looks like they are touring with the Afghan Whigs here?
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 7 February 2024 13:55 (four months ago) link
Huge Church spree the last couple of weeks here. The post-stardom stuff has really opened up to me now.
― realistic pillow (Jon not Jon), Friday, 9 February 2024 03:49 (four months ago) link
I remember feeling let down in the "Box of Birds" era but I love how the new stuff sounds, and that KEXP recording up thread is fantastic. Sorry I missed the tour.
― fajita seas, Friday, 9 February 2024 21:13 (four months ago) link
Man, you didn't like that era? I saw the tour for that very album and it pretty well killed.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 February 2024 21:15 (four months ago) link
they may not have hit the highest of highs but can't think of another band so consistently great from their debut 20+ albums into it
live they remain a FORCE
― reggie (qualmsley), Friday, 9 February 2024 21:32 (four months ago) link
yeah I'm mad their set last year in Austin was abbreviated so I'm definitely seeing them on this tour
― the absence of bikes (f. hazel), Friday, 9 February 2024 23:34 (four months ago) link
new one is my fav since untitled 23. great title too
― ciderpress, Friday, 29 March 2024 18:10 (two months ago) link