From: BushRoxGrl@aol.com
Hey everyone :)
This is my long review of the Pomona show. Really quickly tho, some tid-bits
I'm sure you'd be intrested in hearing - Winston is once again on this new
album - one of this barks (Gavin said this on KROQ), and some news about the
"October" release rumour, will be discussed in my up coming issue of Personal
Zen (PrsonalZen@aol.com) - which should have an issue out shortly (if anyone
has concert reviews from these shows Bush is doing, please send them my way!)
Anyway.. on you go.. :)
I attended this show with Erin and Sandra off of this list, they came and
stayed with me and off we went (just in case I refer to them during the
review). I will post my backstage experience and Roxy review when I get a
chance to write it up, but this is my detalied version of this show. Enjoy :)
We arrived at the venue a little later than we had planned, dur to flight
delays (Erin's plane had a 2 hour unexpected stop-over, and we were picking
her up on the way to the show) - but everything turned out okay. When we
pulled up the line wrapped around the building, and the doors were to open in
about an hour. We parked and got out getting ready to pick up the tickets,
when Erin forgot she left her ID in the car, and ran back. Once we were
finally ready, we went to the box office and picked the tickets up (as well
as b-passes). Their were some very famous people on the guest-list, including
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. There were also some such as Mitzy Martin
(who is in Bush's thank you's on both albums). Well once everything was
situated with taht we, went and found my friend who had saved us a spot in
line. After walking around a bit checking out what was happening, I looked to
see how tight security was (with bringing things in such as cameras, etc).
They were searching rather throughly.. everywhere... so of course I was
dissapointed. We then saw Clint whom we went to say hello to, and he was
happy to see us it seemed like, which made us feel good. He helped us out on
the camera thing. :) I was told not to take pics during the show tho.. but of
course, just because of that, I was fiddling around with the camera in my
hands while we were chatting, and hit the button, and the camera flashes this
bright flash! I was like "I'm sorry!" and he laughed and was like "what are
you trying to do, get me fired??" It was funny :) Well I guess the reason
that they weren't allowing cameras in there though, was because the band
usually has to be notified ahead of time about that sort of thing, so they
can be "ready" for it (or something to that affect). Anyway we spoke for a
moment more and let him go. Well we got our place in teh crowd and figured it
would do well (only a person or two away mid-center stage). Very nice view of
them all for me. Even before the show started however, Sandra and Karina
(this friend of mine that went to the show), had gotten seperated from Erin
and I. We talked to some people around us (it was so funny, you couldn't
imagine the age groups on some of these women that were into Gavin... from 14
to at least 40.. they were talking about intresting things - I was a bit
surprised... how I'm not sure). Eventually the opening band "Jact" came on.
They sounded a bit like brit-pop-rock if that makes any sense. Not brit-pop,
nor brit-rock... a tendency of both however. Their set lasted around 40
minutes I think it was, and the singer seemed a bit waster. When they left
teh sate you could feel the excitement start within' the crowd. People
started cramming together massively, pushing forward, foreshadowing what was
to come. I stood there just in hopes that I wouldn't lose my spot, or else I
would have had to get very upset. :) Finally after everything was situated on
stage, the lights went down and people all over started screaming and the
guys walked out and went straight into Machinehead without a word. The crowd
started going crazy and pushing everywhere, jumping up and down. All I
remember is when they walked out, I could not believe it was them. It was the
most amazing thing. I looked at them up on the stage, and was so happy...
because finally, after 2 years of waiting - 2 years of not seeing them live,
they were right in front of me - and it was honestly the best feeling I've
had since the first time I saw them on the Sixteen Stone tour. It was
surreal. It still is surreal. Just because I do know this intrests some
people, all the guys looked great. Very happy, very clean-cut, as young as
ever, very nice. Nigel was clean shaven, Gavin as well - with his short
blondish-reddish tinted wavy hair (not curly, just wavy.. tho it was wet),
Dave looked as tho he may have put on a pound or two, and looks great.. and
something was a bit different about Robin, but I couldn't put my finger on it
- but he looked very nice as well, and was mostly shirtless throughout the
set.
In as close of an order as we could remember afterward, here was the setlist
(pretty close):
-Machinehead
-Warm Machine
-Insect Kin
-Everything Zen
-Jesus Online
-Space Travel
-40 Miles From The Sun
-Dead Meat
-Little Things
Encore:
-Disease of the Dancing Cats
-Swallowed
-Greedy Fly
-Prize Fighter
-Comedown
When they first played Machinehead, Gavin's voice sounded different for a
second.. but then once they hit the chorus it sounded perfect, exactly the
same. I think it was just the shock after not having seen them for so long.
At the "I've seen the best minds in my generation" part, he also added the
"starving, hysterical (and something I couldn't make out, not naked"). Also
at the end of it, they actually played the original ending! They usually
never do that live... (I walk from my machine.. I walk from my machine...)
with the vocals and guitar. When they played Everything Zen, they turned the
middle part into this little techno bit, it sounded very cool (the part where
it gets very quiet and Gavin sings 'there's no sex in your violence'). He
then held the 'violence' as usual, but without any music now. It sounded very
good (and don't get this wrong, it's not a new electronica Bush, it sounded
just with a little twist, very nice). They played around 8 of the new songs,
and I honestly can not find the words to describe how much everyone is going
to love them. They sound utterly amazing... they managed to find a way of
grabbing the greatest elements of 16Stone and of Razorblade Suitcase, put
them all together, adding years of touring and experience, with the same
wonderful Bush style and coming out with the most amazing songs. You'll love
them. Right before playing "Dead Meat", Gavin said it was a song about
revenge and before "40 Miles From The Sun," he said "this is a mellow song".
That one reminded me a lot of communicator... it had that whole feel to it. I
remember in "Warm Machine" the lyrics said something about in this world..
something.. and then the chorus went "Here comes the warm machine, such a
warm machine". It was very cool. All I can remember one of the songs was that
in the beginning it went bass by itself for a measure, then the guitar
exploded for a measure, then the bass by itself again for a moment, then the
guitars once more.. it did that as the into.. I'm not sure which one that was
again, but if I remember I'll let you know. Also in "Disease of the Dancing
Cats" I remember that the lyrical rhyme scheme for the first couple lines
(short bit I think) was similar to "A Tendency To Start Fires". In "Prize
Fighter", which Gavin mentioned before they played to be about success, he
sang the line "the best has yet to come" which I thought was perfect. There
are many things that I remembered at the show.. a lot of the lyrics I picked
up on, and sang along with - but unfortunetly I can't seem to remember them
for the life of me now (even tho they're on the edge of my toungue!). If I
had the music it would be much easier. During Little Things, Gavin did the
whole "I was born in this town, I lived here my whole life" bit. Also he did
the "up up up" things in 2 different songs (one with words, other with hand
motion). At one point Gavin got down on the floor and he said (well since he
was on the floor and no one could actually hear him), he mouthed "If I can
get up" or something to that affect. He came up to the crowd loads of times,
and people grabbed everything their hands could reach... literally. He also
spoke about peace in Kosovo. Very intrestingly, in the middle of Insect Kin,
Gavin came up right in front of us, and I was wondering what he was doing,
and he turned around and fell back into us practically! I was very shocked
that he stage dove, but he was very willing. The guards surrounded him, and
made sure that nothing crazy happened (tho the crowd all pushed that way and
hurt a lot of people near me, because they were trying to get to him).
Everyone help him up, and of course I tried to give my part in (I doubt it
did much good!). They then pulled him back on stage, and this girl wouldn't
let go of his shirt, and it was almost choking him, and almost about to tear
it, so I turned around and screamed at her "leave him the fuck alone, and let
go!" and she did. Sacha was back there doing some keyboard things for a
couple of the new songs... and yes there was some electronic things, but I
didn't even notice that until afterward when we were all talking about it to
be quiet honest - and a lot of it was done with Nigel's petals as well - so
it really is the same Bush (in case that worries anyone, cos there is nothing
to be worried about in that aspect, it sounds great!). Either way, I know you
will all love it, especially the passion and belief that they put into them.
They left the stage after around 8 or 9 songs, and came back for a 5 song
encore (which was utterly amazing). When the show came to a close, Robin came
up the crowd and threw out his drums sticks. One went right over me, and I
tried to catch it (failing miserably of course). It went right behind me, and
everyone litterally dove for it. At least 5 people I think it was, were on
the ground fighting for it on top of each other, and one poor girl was
getting hurt. We all helped her up (some guy ended up getting it). Anyway,
all in all the show was amazing. Erin and I got to go to the aftershow party
(while everyone seemed to have dissapeared), which was something I don't
think words could even come close to describing ~ so I won't try yet ~ I'll
save that for my next review as well as the 6-11-99 Roxy, CA show. So I'll
finish this now with saying seems to be doing great, and I have a wonderful
feeling about the new album. I'm prediciting multi-platinum... :)
Take Care,
*Kathy* (
geocities.com/sunsetstrip/venue) (
geocities.com/sunsetstrip)