I took the time to think about the Pukkelpop-gigs. Two days later I'm still amazed. Friday was my 40th dEUS-gig, so it's really hard comparing, but Pukkelpop 2009 was definitely unforgetable.
Yes, I was also hoping for more songs from W.C.S. (since it's 15 years old, I even dreamed of Rudy and Stef on stage). Yes, I agree, they did play merely the same songs as during the last tour. But was it cool or not? Seeing Karin Dreijer Anderson singing Slow, Hotellounge sung by Gary from Snow Patrol,...
I was really happy they really did play almost two different gigs. Only Pocket Revolution, Instant Street and Fell Off The Floor, Man were played on both nights. They also gave us three new songs. Dark Sets In was already played during the last tour, but I Gave Love and Paper Bones were brandnew. It are both midtempo songs that could have easily fit on Vantage Point.
The choir and Tijs (the extra guitar-player) really had some impact during a couple of songs. Tijs played the trompet during Turnpike and I Gave Love. Marjolein (the best looking part of the choir) nicely replaced Lies Lorquet during Eternal Woman and the rest of the choir was especially great during I Gave Love.
I've been thinking a lot about the best gig of the two. Friday was special with all the guest, but maybe Saturday was better. Difficult choice. And how about a dEUS-gig without Suds & Soda? Is it possible? It definitely is, Saturday's set was nicely balanced. And yes, they could have played it as a second encore, but then again: that version would not be half as good as the friday-version with De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig.
On Saturday dEUS dropped their first bomb (Bad Timing) quite early in the set, while on Friday they waited until Turnpike. But then again, both gigs were merely equal. dEUS already played some unforgetable gigs at Pukkelpop and these two could be easily added to that list.
Yes, I was also hoping for more songs from W.C.S. (since it's 15 years old, I even dreamed of Rudy and Stef on stage). Yes, I agree, they did play merely the same songs as during the last tour. But was it cool or not? Seeing Karin Dreijer Anderson singing Slow, Hotellounge sung by Gary from Snow Patrol,...
I was really happy they really did play almost two different gigs. Only Pocket Revolution, Instant Street and Fell Off The Floor, Man were played on both nights. They also gave us three new songs. Dark Sets In was already played during the last tour, but I Gave Love and Paper Bones were brandnew. It are both midtempo songs that could have easily fit on Vantage Point.
The choir and Tijs (the extra guitar-player) really had some impact during a couple of songs. Tijs played the trompet during Turnpike and I Gave Love. Marjolein (the best looking part of the choir) nicely replaced Lies Lorquet during Eternal Woman and the rest of the choir was especially great during I Gave Love.
I've been thinking a lot about the best gig of the two. Friday was special with all the guest, but maybe Saturday was better. Difficult choice. And how about a dEUS-gig without Suds & Soda? Is it possible? It definitely is, Saturday's set was nicely balanced. And yes, they could have played it as a second encore, but then again: that version would not be half as good as the friday-version with De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig.
On Saturday dEUS dropped their first bomb (Bad Timing) quite early in the set, while on Friday they waited until Turnpike. But then again, both gigs were merely equal. dEUS already played some unforgetable gigs at Pukkelpop and these two could be easily added to that list.
I think dEUS fans tend to exaggerate in relation to the bands work.
Can a dEUS setlist be good without Suds & Soda? No it can't. It's a flaw. And maybe for people in Belgium who may hear dEUS everyday in the radio or have information and shows more frequently than in the rest of Europe, maybe it's possible. For me, living in Portugal, having Suds & Soda as a giant dEUS anthem, the first dEUS song that driven portuguese fans mad, to have that song out of a setlist is awful. On the other hand being two consecutive shows that are out of an ordinary tour I may understand that they didn't played it.
However saying that the version usually played by dEUS is not half as good as the one with DJVT it's foolish. You see dEUS at MIA having a critic opinion about the american influences in music nowadays and after they're sharing excatly the same influences.
In my opinion The version with the hip hop band is too bad. There's no connection at all between the song and hip hop part. Is ridiculous. The song is completely broken in two different things. And middle part is hip hop, who likes hip hop likes that part. I don't like it. And if they'd come to Portugal and played that version I would be disappointed. I they didn't play the song I would be desappointing the same way. Could a Led Zeppelin show be good without Stairway to heaven or Whole Lotta Love? Can a U2 show be good withou One or Where the streets have no name? I think that are songs that should never leave the setlist. And if Suds & Soda is out, then Instante Street and Fell off the floor should be out sometimes too.
Well i understand your point of view but i also feel that S&S should quit the set from time to time. Like Radiohead did with Creep. Put it on hold and let the people breath the absence. For instance i believe Hotellounge is already on a too long break and is a song that deserves the same credit has S&S. I tend to miss it more than S&S. But there is no neeed to take it out of the vault and make a casting error by delievering it to a guy who can't sing it. Do it yourself.
dEUS have so many GREAT songs that they could revamp their sets without loosing any context. But the tendency to take a risk these days seams to be too low. The S&S version from friday is BAD BAD BAD. Has you pointed out no need to do what you criticize on others. It was a bad move.
Has i said on the forum i was expecting (as many others around here) a more bold move on these shows. After a break even a smal return need some salt and from what i read and besides the band playing well and giving a tight show nothing thrill happened and dEUS was always more than that. The people know it that was one of the things that was able to get people into their music. The attitude the sense of novelty everytime you would listen to the songs or went to a show. Nowadays i believe only the band is not aware of that sense and that is bad. There is no need to deny what you were and there is no need to live on it there is only the need to find the right path and VP is not it...
I don't think that S&S should get out. And I have a reason to think it. S&S translates almost everything that a real dEUS fan like in the band. Is the mess, sinchronized chaos, the unpredictable and madness. Hotellounge or any other song on WCS has not the same meaning. And S&S was the first anthem and it will always be the registered trademark. I don't agree with the comparison with Radiohead's Creep. Because Creep is a lousy song. Is totally out of the things they are doing these days so it' perfectly natural, because Creep don't mean Radiohead these days.
I agree with you, the Snow Patrol guy singing Hotellounge is a total delusion. So many years without playing and when they play is not Barman singing? Wrong. Besides that Lightbody doesn't fit at all in the song.
And the hip hop stuff is bad in all ways, but is truly disappointing that Barman one day is messing up against it and later do the same. Is not coherent. And that hip hop part is out. I don't know what goes on their minds to ruin the song with that.
I'm also disappointed about the new song Paper Bones. I see Barman saying that wants to go on musics on an uptempo and fast pace, but the band doesn't leaves that midtempo stuff, that maybe good, but for dEUS is not good enough. I'm expecting, and to Vantage Point I gave a chance because it was the first record from begining to end of this line up. But now I think that they sould leave things flow. Let Mauro influence hit the band, like he has done in Evil Superstars. and in Mauro & the grooms or Somnabula, let Klaas mess up. And Tom Barman should let it go and simply make music. Good and powerful music as they always done until Pocket Revolution.
Let's hope at least.
Well you have a point but still S&S is not dEUS today also...
And Radiohead did not leave Creep out due to an aesthetic option. It was due to saturation of the BIG hit the music turned into. It almost imploded the band. Of course the implosion is not an issue with dEUS but saturation is and that song is saturated even if it is an anthem.
Oh! and Creep is not a lousy song, you may not like it but fact is a fucking GREAT SONG ;-)
It maybe not a lousy song to you, I think it is because it's my opinion, yours doesn't have to be the same as mine.
I understand your point on S&S however I don't agree, and if they leave the song out more often I hope that in Portugal they'll play it.
S&S is not dEUS today, but it's dEUS and from a time that we liked much more than these days.
But well, I understand your point.
"It maybe not a lousy song to you, I think it is because it's my opinion, yours doesn't have to be the same as mine."
Wow! nice way to end a debate :-)
And that does it! But mind that i am not trying to convince you the fact is that it is indeed a good song, like Thriller is and i don't like it but i have to recognize that it is a fact. Taste is not equal to quality...
"S&S is not dEUS today, but it's dEUS and from a time that we liked much more than these days."
So do i but i don't need S&S at all time. It is not the song that makes me scream at a concert nowadays. I must say i was a bit bored when i heard it on the last portuguese shows. Morticiachair made me much more happy and Let's Get Lost would take me to the clouds. So, no Suds & Soda for me now please! ;-)
Was nice wasn't it? :)
But well I didn't wanted to fight about the quality of Creep. I know you are a musician, at least is what I understand from some information on your blogs. I am one too. Anyway Creep for me is lousy, as you look to the following works and are hundreds of steps above creep. It's a very typical song. Four power chords on the acoustic, then on distortion and that's it. Besides the lyric a bit "poor me poor me, I'm a creep". This is my opinion. I don't see much quality there. I see an easy song, appropriate to make success but not much of a song. Taste is not equal to quality, but on the other hand quality is not the same for everyone.
About S&S I'm still very excited that they play it live. It's for me the highest point, together with instant street, on the setlist. Ad I loved the times that I have seen it. And it would take me to the clouds too that they play let's get lost. But why taking out, S&S and still having songs on the setlist like smokers reflect or slow or other stuff alike. That's it, that's what I think.
I do understand you, truly! :-)
But now don't take it on Slow, it is the only SONG on VP :-)
I first heard Slow and thought WOW! this album is going to kick ass. Then i heard The Architecht and was doubtfull and then when i head VP hating it was the next step. It does not touch me at all. I prefer Pocket Revolution to VP. At least there you can find Sun Ra, PR, Bad Timing, If You Don't Get What..., Nightshopping, and Cold Sun of Circumstance. A lot of good and nice songs. VP i can only take Slow.
We can't have everything :-)
Vantage Point for me has a couple of good songs that mainly make it live. Oh your god Favorite Game and Is a robot. Then architect it's not one of my favorite's at all but it's funny. About slow I think it is not that good live, maybe hard to transcribe from studio to the stage but that happens.
I agree, Pocket Revolution is much better than VP. And songs you named are also my favorite.
For example Nightshopping is great song live, however is out permanently, is rare that they play it.
Oh I forgot Ziggy. I wanted to ask you about the bio that I told you. Have you read it? If so, what do you think?