Copps Coliseum
Hamilton, Toronto, CA
July 31, 1998
Notes: Supported by DJ Wayne
Tonight, I took in The Verve at Hamilton's Copps Coluseum. It was the first time I've seen the boys in action and I must say they were amazing. They only gave us a taste of old stuff and I can just imagine how back in the day they rawked the house with it (Gravity grave, etc)
Anyways, they opened with Space and Time......Kate Radley was aboard for the second or third song......then off she went..(such a captivating woman, but that's another matter)
I must admit the biggest effect on me was the mood of Richie. He seemed depressed. Like I haven't felt that depressed in so long...and it's all emanating from him....at times he seemed happy and aware, but mainly a little lost and very sad...
I imagine lots of it was drug-induced, he seemed a little under the influence when they walked on. The rest of the negative vibes came from the large audience. Just too many people there for a 'social event' and not the music. So it goes.
Highest points were: COME ON (amazing), SO SISTER (acoustic gem) and ...the NEXT ONE (acoustic)....and of course Kate Radley
31 July 1998
29 July 1998
Fan Reviews: The Palace Auburn Hills 1998
Labels:
fan reviews,
urban hymns
The Palace Auburn Hills
Detroit, MI, US
July 29, 1998
Notes: Supported by DJ Wayne
Hmm, it's hard to tell if this show was truly better than Chicago or not. I think I'd have to say it was slightly better. 1) cause they played SO SISTER!! Which was the only new song to the set, and my favorite b-side;) and 2) cause richard was real talkative this time and really cracking some good fucking jokes. Let's see, after one song he said, 'just another white boy pretending he's black.' Then he ripped on the crowd cause it was an interesting outdoor thing w/lots of lurkers. He did his American accent and it was real funny. Mmm, can't think of anymore right now.
Anyway, it was a fun show. Same set as last, just shuffled around differently a bit w/so sister added in place of neon wilderness i believe. So here's my newest attempt at getting the set list right. hehe, please god get it right this time!
1. space in time
2. sonnet
3. one day
4. one your own
5. lucky man
6. history
7. this time
8. the drugs don't work
9. velvet morning
10. come on
-encore
11. see you in the next one (have a good one)
12. so sister
13. bitter sweet symphony
I might be missing one, but oh well, i think that's pretty close. Definitely better than last. It was a good show but a little strange w/the atmosphere. There were lots of people just there standing around and not giving a shit about the band which was a little sad. But that's cause it was at a sort of town hang-out outside area, w/food and drink for all! But also the crowd near the stage even never seemed to get into it like the chicago show, which is sad cause of richard's love for detroit, which he brought up himself. But again, i think that was cause of the outdoors factor messing things up. I'm happy though, they played all my favorites, and so sister was a REAL nice surprise.
It was a great effort, but they could not play the way they once did. I commend them for making an effort because it seemed as if Richard was apologizing for the current situation for the band. He did say that he gives Detroit the utmost respect and said how he wore that Detroit shirt in the video for a reason. I kept yelling for them to play gravity grave and finally at the end before singing BSS, he said he couldn't because the "Superstar" to his right wasn't there. At the end he thanked everybody and loves everybody even "if we don't come back," were his exact words. On the potential of this bands excellence, this performance sucked. Not only did it suck, but the band didn't come on stage until three hours after the doors opened. See you in the next one was by far the best, and richard also played so sister in the encore. Why did they even bother touring???
Hey little vervelings... Just got back from the verve show in Pontiac, Michigan and I thought you all would enjoy a run down of a fucking great concert.
The verve without the elusive McCabe still rock although it is a bit of a different sound. Jones really came alive in Come On and Tong never tried to copy McCabe's style or steal the spotlight, he just plays quietly doing his job much like McCabe would have. McCabe was definitely missed, though. The stage to Ashcroft's right remained empty. Ashcroft began with saying how much respect he has for Detroit, "Did you see the video with the shirt?" he asks obviously referring to LM and adding "We're going to do the best we can with what we've got". When the crowd yelled for Gravity Grave Ashcroft replied with, "We'd love to play Gravity Grave but a certain Nick McCabe is not with us. You see he's a superstar. And we're in America so you're gonna get Bitter Sweet Symphony.
Detroit, MI, US
July 29, 1998
Notes: Supported by DJ Wayne
Hmm, it's hard to tell if this show was truly better than Chicago or not. I think I'd have to say it was slightly better. 1) cause they played SO SISTER!! Which was the only new song to the set, and my favorite b-side;) and 2) cause richard was real talkative this time and really cracking some good fucking jokes. Let's see, after one song he said, 'just another white boy pretending he's black.' Then he ripped on the crowd cause it was an interesting outdoor thing w/lots of lurkers. He did his American accent and it was real funny. Mmm, can't think of anymore right now.
Anyway, it was a fun show. Same set as last, just shuffled around differently a bit w/so sister added in place of neon wilderness i believe. So here's my newest attempt at getting the set list right. hehe, please god get it right this time!
1. space in time
2. sonnet
3. one day
4. one your own
5. lucky man
6. history
7. this time
8. the drugs don't work
9. velvet morning
10. come on
-encore
11. see you in the next one (have a good one)
12. so sister
13. bitter sweet symphony
I might be missing one, but oh well, i think that's pretty close. Definitely better than last. It was a good show but a little strange w/the atmosphere. There were lots of people just there standing around and not giving a shit about the band which was a little sad. But that's cause it was at a sort of town hang-out outside area, w/food and drink for all! But also the crowd near the stage even never seemed to get into it like the chicago show, which is sad cause of richard's love for detroit, which he brought up himself. But again, i think that was cause of the outdoors factor messing things up. I'm happy though, they played all my favorites, and so sister was a REAL nice surprise.
- Source: Verve-Tribute: A tribute to what was website
- Review by Dave
-------------------------
It was a great effort, but they could not play the way they once did. I commend them for making an effort because it seemed as if Richard was apologizing for the current situation for the band. He did say that he gives Detroit the utmost respect and said how he wore that Detroit shirt in the video for a reason. I kept yelling for them to play gravity grave and finally at the end before singing BSS, he said he couldn't because the "Superstar" to his right wasn't there. At the end he thanked everybody and loves everybody even "if we don't come back," were his exact words. On the potential of this bands excellence, this performance sucked. Not only did it suck, but the band didn't come on stage until three hours after the doors opened. See you in the next one was by far the best, and richard also played so sister in the encore. Why did they even bother touring???
- Source: The Verve Info website
- Review by Nicholas
-------------------------
Hey little vervelings... Just got back from the verve show in Pontiac, Michigan and I thought you all would enjoy a run down of a fucking great concert.
The verve without the elusive McCabe still rock although it is a bit of a different sound. Jones really came alive in Come On and Tong never tried to copy McCabe's style or steal the spotlight, he just plays quietly doing his job much like McCabe would have. McCabe was definitely missed, though. The stage to Ashcroft's right remained empty. Ashcroft began with saying how much respect he has for Detroit, "Did you see the video with the shirt?" he asks obviously referring to LM and adding "We're going to do the best we can with what we've got". When the crowd yelled for Gravity Grave Ashcroft replied with, "We'd love to play Gravity Grave but a certain Nick McCabe is not with us. You see he's a superstar. And we're in America so you're gonna get Bitter Sweet Symphony.
28 July 1998
Fan Reviews: Aragon Ballroom 1998
Labels:
fan reviews,
urban hymns
Aragon Ballroom
Chicago, Illinois, USA
July 28, 1998
The Urban Hymns Tour
Support by DJ Wayne
The second leg of Verve's Urban Hymns tour was supposed to be a shared bill with Massive Attack. In Chicago, they were scheduled to play the Rosemont Horizon (a huge indoor arena). But when Massive Attack realized the venues that were booked for the tour were a size they felt confident they could fill alone, they dropped out. As a result, the Verve-only gig was relocated to the Aragon Ballroom – a smaller, yet still gigantic room with wraparound balconies. It's a strange place. It has ornate, detailed carvings in the corners and along the ceiling, yet also sells crappy pizza at the back of the room. Shortly before the tour began, Nick McCabe announced he would not fulfill any tour obligations. His future with the band was uncertain at this time. So legendary lap steel player BJ Cole was recruited as a last-minute replacement for McCabe. While I felt competent about Cole's talent, I had doubts whether McCabe's space could actually be filled by anyone.
I stood next to the soundboard in the middle of the room. From where I stood, I could see the set list taped up in the sound booth. There was a new song listed – Brave New World. Again, there was no opening band (as far as I remember). The band walked on with Ashcroft in the lead. He was wearing an army jacket, his infamous “who the fuck is Mick Jagger?” T-shirt and a brown floppy hat. There were expensive looking light rigs spread around the stage and wrapped around behind the drum set like a mini roller coaster track. BJ Cole sat down on a platform, stage left, where McCabe would usually be. Richard strapped on an electric guitar and launched into the set.
They started with "Space and Time", followed by "Sonnet". I became painfully aware of what the band was attempting, but not achieving. Richard's distorted electric guitar was supposed to fill the gaps where Nick's gentle tones would usually have faded in and drifted around. It wasn't working. The songs felt rushed and sloppy. It didn't help that the sound was poor and muddied. Richard looked uncomfortable behind an electric guitar. Particularly on songs that usually featured delicate acoustic plucking. I felt bad for them and sad that I had to see them in such a sub-par state. Richard's cries of “c’mon!” weren't enough to get me excited. However, the room seemed to contain a slew of people who had only jumped on the Verve bandwagon after the "Bitter Sweet Symphony" Nike commercial had aired. These people clearly didn't know what they were missing.
The songs that heavily feature Nick's guitar parts on the album were obviously absent. The set consisted of mostly Richard-penned tunes, such as "See You in the Next One", "On Your Own" and "The Drugs Don't Work". When the set neared it's end, I was surprised to hear them attempt "Come On", a song that typically relied on McCabe. It was an empty rendition that avoided any of the guitar solos or freak-outs included on the album version. In addition to playing a watered-down and extended "Bitter Sweet Symphony", they actually played a bad cover of Sly and the Family Stone's Thank You. As the set ended, I realized that they had abandoned the new song – Brave New World. A musical era had ended for me with McCabe's departure. About a week after this show, the Verve announced – again – that they were over. This time it was for good.
Chicago, Illinois, USA
July 28, 1998
The Urban Hymns Tour
Support by DJ Wayne
The second leg of Verve's Urban Hymns tour was supposed to be a shared bill with Massive Attack. In Chicago, they were scheduled to play the Rosemont Horizon (a huge indoor arena). But when Massive Attack realized the venues that were booked for the tour were a size they felt confident they could fill alone, they dropped out. As a result, the Verve-only gig was relocated to the Aragon Ballroom – a smaller, yet still gigantic room with wraparound balconies. It's a strange place. It has ornate, detailed carvings in the corners and along the ceiling, yet also sells crappy pizza at the back of the room. Shortly before the tour began, Nick McCabe announced he would not fulfill any tour obligations. His future with the band was uncertain at this time. So legendary lap steel player BJ Cole was recruited as a last-minute replacement for McCabe. While I felt competent about Cole's talent, I had doubts whether McCabe's space could actually be filled by anyone.
I stood next to the soundboard in the middle of the room. From where I stood, I could see the set list taped up in the sound booth. There was a new song listed – Brave New World. Again, there was no opening band (as far as I remember). The band walked on with Ashcroft in the lead. He was wearing an army jacket, his infamous “who the fuck is Mick Jagger?” T-shirt and a brown floppy hat. There were expensive looking light rigs spread around the stage and wrapped around behind the drum set like a mini roller coaster track. BJ Cole sat down on a platform, stage left, where McCabe would usually be. Richard strapped on an electric guitar and launched into the set.
They started with "Space and Time", followed by "Sonnet". I became painfully aware of what the band was attempting, but not achieving. Richard's distorted electric guitar was supposed to fill the gaps where Nick's gentle tones would usually have faded in and drifted around. It wasn't working. The songs felt rushed and sloppy. It didn't help that the sound was poor and muddied. Richard looked uncomfortable behind an electric guitar. Particularly on songs that usually featured delicate acoustic plucking. I felt bad for them and sad that I had to see them in such a sub-par state. Richard's cries of “c’mon!” weren't enough to get me excited. However, the room seemed to contain a slew of people who had only jumped on the Verve bandwagon after the "Bitter Sweet Symphony" Nike commercial had aired. These people clearly didn't know what they were missing.
The songs that heavily feature Nick's guitar parts on the album were obviously absent. The set consisted of mostly Richard-penned tunes, such as "See You in the Next One", "On Your Own" and "The Drugs Don't Work". When the set neared it's end, I was surprised to hear them attempt "Come On", a song that typically relied on McCabe. It was an empty rendition that avoided any of the guitar solos or freak-outs included on the album version. In addition to playing a watered-down and extended "Bitter Sweet Symphony", they actually played a bad cover of Sly and the Family Stone's Thank You. As the set ended, I realized that they had abandoned the new song – Brave New World. A musical era had ended for me with McCabe's departure. About a week after this show, the Verve announced – again – that they were over. This time it was for good.
- Review by Jonathan Cohen
-------------------------
Verve
Fans, I went to last nights show in Chicago and I have to say that I
missed Nick, there was something missing in their sound, the guitar
flourishes that Nick adds to many song in UH just weren't filled up by
BJ Cole, Richard played guitar in most songs to fill up the sound and he
did an admirable job, but it just wasn't enough. After saying all this,
I still did enjoy the show, but when I saw them in Nov, with Nick it
was much much better.
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