Beck, with MGMT
September 29, 2008
The Uptown Theater
By RICHARD GINTOWT
Click to view our slideshow.
For the first five years of Beck's mainstream career, it seemed like each of his albums were paradigm shifts. Each invented an entirely different context with a unified body of material. That started changing about the time of Guero, and though all his subsequent releases have been worthwhile affairs, they no longer come with the requisite excitement of “what in the world will this guy do next?” At some point, Beck just started sounding like Beck. It's like what marriage feels like after a decade or so: not terribly exciting but pretty darn good. (Ok, actually I have no idea what marriage feels like after a decade.)
More after the jump.
Rumors are swirling that this is Beck's final tour, and if that's the case he's going out with what feels like a greatest-hits package. Kicking off his 90-minute set with “Loser,” “Devil's Haircut” and “Nausea,” Beck didn't touch his new album Modern Guilt until the seventh song. He ended up playing only four cuts from the disc, which is kind of a shoulder-shrug despite the ubiquitous presence of super-producer Danger Mouse. The go-go dancer riffs of cuts like “Gamma Ray” and “Profanity Prayer” just don't hold up to repeated spins, and the more adventurous material (i.e. “Chemtrails”) isn't all that hooky.
With a four-piece band backing him, Beck seemed intent to emphasize live sounds on this tour and ditch the samples and cut-and-paste pastiches that inform his recordings. A reworked version of “Nicotine and Gravy” almost beat the pants off the original, but “Devil's Haircut” and “The New Pollution” sounded pretty much the same and maybe a little worse for the wear. Beck has always surrounded himself with stellar musicians – and that still seems to be the case – but I wonder if he rehearses as much. There was a pretty significant slop factor during his 90-minute performance, complicated by the fact that the Uptown Theater's acoustics sometimes recall the opposite side of a tunnel. Garbled words are always frustrating, but particularly so with a lyricist as brilliant as Mr. Hansen.
Other high points included faithful renditions of “The Golden Age” and “Lost Cause” from Sea Change – an album that I still enjoy despite the fact that a coffee shop I frequent spins it endlessly. The group abandoned their instruments and strapped on headset mics for a stage-front rendition of “Hell Yes” with hand-held electronic gadgets. It was a goofy gesture in a production that played it pretty straight otherwise with four towering stage lights and a pixelated video display that seemed by tame by Beck's standards. He seemingly wanted all the attention on the music, which is fine – I've just come to expect zany hijinks from a guy who once danced like Michael Jackson and accompanied his shows with live puppets. If this is truly the end of Beck's road, I'll remember him more from his Odelay and Midnite Vultures tours. But it was still fun catching up with an old friend.
Beck-ism of the evening: “He's going to perpetrate a sort of tambourine master class.”
By the way: MGMT was just AVRG. I think they could MPRV by sounding less like TOTO.
Showing 1-11 of 11
I thought MGMT rocked. I had never heard them before but the friend I went with was a fan so we got there in time to see them and I feel in love! They were awesome.
Also, I thought Beck did a wonderful job. I've been waiting to see Beck for a really long time now and I was not disappointed.
I went to the show Oct. 10th in NYC, thought Beck was great! I felt the show was worth the $65. He played about 90 min. which is fair. I�m a fanatic so I would�ve enjoyed another few songs, but when E-pro started I figured he�d close with that. Overall the sound was really good. There were a song or two such as �Hell Yes� that didn�t translate that well, do to the lack of background noises that he uses in the studio recordings. I was a little bummed that no songs from �Mutations� were in the show, would of loved to of heard �Bottle of Blues� or �Cancelled Check.� Also a few songs on Odelay �God Only Knows� �Sissyneck� or �Jackass� would�ve been appreciated. However can�t blame Beck for sticking with the more upbeat songs. Although �Golden Age� and �Lost Cause� were amazing!! I�d definitely see him again!
Wow, I hope that the show in NYC is better then most of you described it. It has been a long time coming that I am able to see Beck. If it is the last tour, then I am sure as hell glad that I paid my rent's worth amount of money for the tickets. I shouldn't have read this review- Why did you post it before others could thoroughly enjoy a concert without this expectation that it "could" possibly be bad. Good way to go out and ruin it for others before the tour is over. I will post my feelings on the show after this Friday. I am just hoping that he plays hotwax. Also, sounds like most of you liked "Sea Change" which was Beck's worst album by far. One Foot in the Grave, Mellow Gold and Odelay are where its at. Anyways, I love beck!!!
Dear, "the other Scott",
I am deeply sorry that you did not experience the concert in the same way that I did, because it was life changing.
Sincerely, someone who knows a good concert when they experience one
I google searched for a Beck concert review this morning and got this article. I saw Beck last night in Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom and I needed to hear what others thought.
I have been going to concerts for 20 years -- many of them, and many genre, and many venues. I can say in my experience that I have never been so disappointed with an artist live whose studio work I otherwise enjoy so much.
This concert was horrible. Beck rushed through songs. He clearly did not rehearse, nor solicit feedback on the overall band's sound and cohesiveness. The instrumentation of a 4 piece (I know there were 5 people, but Mr. #5 was a worthless sound effects guy that totally underperformed his role) does not work for Beck's music. Could not hear the lyrics. Guitars were totally mushed up. I couldn't even determine some songs until the chorus came in. And, the Hell Yes electronic/sampler ditty was a joke.
I felt like this show was analogous to as if the Beastie Boys had decided to pick up guitars and basses to play an album such as Paul's Boutique that is made up of layers of great drum loops and samples.
I paid $65 a ticket and I want my money back.
I google searched for a Beck concert review this morning and got this article. I saw Beck last night in Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom and I needed to hear what others thought.
I have been going to concerts for 20 years -- many of them, and many genre, and many venues. I can say in my experience that I have never been so disappointed with an artist live whose studio work I otherwise enjoy so much.
This concert was horrible. Beck rushed through songs. He clearly did not rehearse, nor solicit feedback on the overall band's sound and cohesiveness. The instrumentation of a 4 piece (I know there were 5 people, but Mr. #5 was a worthless sound effects guy that totally underperformed his role) does not work for Beck's music. Could not hear the lyrics. Guitars were totally mushed up. I couldn't even determine some songs until the chorus came in. And, the Hell Yes electronic/sampler ditty was a joke.
I felt like this show was analogous to as if the Beastie Boys had decided to pick up guitars and basses to play an album such as Paul's Boutique that is made up of layers of great drum loops and samples.
I paid $65 a ticket and I want my money back.
Will someone pleeeeeeeeeeeze tell me how MGMT was? I love them, but the show was sold out so I missed them.
I pretty much agree with this review. The show was good, but not great.
I really think a lot had to do with the sound engineer (who I was standing next to during the show). It was funny to hear all the feedback during the 1st 3rd of the show, and everyone constantly turn and stare at him with the "did you not hear that?" look. It seemed to improve 1/2 way through.
It was worth going to though, when it was good, it was great. The songs from Sea Change and Modern Guilt I thought were the best, but the "hits" like Loser, etc. were fun.
After hearing MGMT online, I passed and missed that part of the show. Sounds like a good move based on what was said above. Now if it would have been MSTRKFT, I would have gone.
Also, I agree with the commenter above, Modern Guild has great replayability!
I have to disagree with your portrail of the modern guilt songs played "The go-go dancer riffs of cuts like �Gamma Ray� and �Profanity Prayer� just don't hold up to repeated spins, and the more adventurous material (i.e. �Chemtrails�) isn't all that hooky."
Modern Guilt has had huge spinfactor in my rides going anywhere. Even after the show, it was still spinning all the way home.
I hope this was not the last tour, but if so I am sure glad i coughed up the 180 bucks to the bottomfeeders outside for the 2 tickets. Wish I would've heard about the show before the day of.
Beck and his band are the shit. Grande weavos for doing chemtrails before any other of his new songs. Try not to die.
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