Interpol

[VintagePunk]

Based on your post, only the strong-already-with-a-fairly-strong-fanbase-stronghold-in-pop-music survive

Maybe that's why they do well opening at U2 shows, because they're known and have a wider fanbase. And maybe they have a wider fanbase because they have wider appeal.

I think that Interpol is more of a niche band, and it's not surprising that they didn't capture the crowd's attention in a stadium setting. And that's perfectly fine, doesn't invalidate their music any, just means that they're going to have a smaller fanbase, and are unlikely to get a stadium crowd going.

 

[Joey788]

Alright, my thoughts on Interpol thus far, since I'll be seeing them next Wednesday.

I own both Turn On The Bright Lights, Antics, and their latest. While I thought lots of the first album was brilliant (Obstacle 1, PDA, NYC), all the output has been disappointing for me since then. All the tracks sound too similar, causing me to lose focus. I only bought the latest because "Lights" and "Barricade" impressed me. But those were the only two songs that did so for that album. I also watched their live stream from Coachella and it's the same issue (with the exception of "Slow Hands.") If I don't like most their catalog on record, I probably won't like it live.

To sum it up: Do I think Interpol are the worst opener for 360? Definitely not. Will I give them a fair share on Wednesday? Yes. Will it help their case if they play more than two tracks from Turn On The Bright Lights like they're currently doing? Definitely.

 

[LemonMelon]

It's a funny thing, because I wanted to shout at all of the idiots rolling their eyes and playing around on their phones during Interpol (U2 fans disrespecting the opening act? Why yes), but I have to confess that I would have actively heckled BEP because I consider them detritus, so I have no room to complain.

And that's really the root of it; as much as I would like to come in here and proclaim U2 fans to be narrow-minded (broadly, this is true, because most music-listeners are narrow-minded, or at least ignorant), when it comes to opening acts, it's all about entertainment, so the negative response to one of the most talented bands in indie rock doesn't at all surprise me. Depth doesn't go over well with neutral crowds because it involves effort and, let's face it, most of the fans there want to do little more than move their cups of beer up to their mouths and then back down to their sides.

PJ Harvey didn't go over well either, back in the day. It is what it is.

 

[gvox]

But when U2 welcomes them as a guest, it gives me the impression that they're free to do the show they want to do . They're not a warm-up, they're there as U2's guests and should be treated as such.

I think we're getting all wrapped up in the terminology..clearly they aren't supposed to play U2 covers or U2ey sounding songs as a lead-in, no, that's not what warm-up means. U2 themselves don't even want that. But they are supposed to start up the show, warm up the crowd, get people interested - in THEIR music - all these things...as U2's guests. The same way all the others are supposed to.

As I was saying to pfan of course they can do whatever the heck they want, and they should! But that doesn't make us u2 fans any less open minded or able to appreciate good music/performances if in doing so they just don't come across great. It's not our fault..basically is what I'm trying to say.

I didn't like Garbage at all when I saw them and was probably at my lowest point in life in terms of how much rock music I could put up with in any given stretch of time. Manson fucking convinced the hell out of me, though.

 

[VintagePunk]

For what it's worth, my daughter who was with me, likes Interpol. Not a giant fan, but likes them and was looking forward to seeing them. In reference to this thread, I just asked her what she thought of them last night and she said "eh, I wasn't impressed."

 

[bono_212]

Maybe that's why they do well opening at U2 shows, because they're known and have a wider fanbase. And maybe they have a wider fanbase because they have wider appeal.

I think that Interpol is more of a niche band, and it's not surprising that they didn't capture the crowd's attention in a stadium setting. And that's perfectly fine, doesn't invalidate their music any, just means that they're going to have a smaller fanbase, and are unlikely to get a stadium crowd going.

But the point of an opening band is to give them a shot at gaining a wider audience. What's the point of having a band up there that's already got a strong fanbase? They should just be touring on their own. (this is not always the case)

 

[bono_212]

For what it's worth, my daughter who was with me, likes Interpol. Not a giant fan, but likes them. In reference to this thread, I just asked her what she thought of them last night and she said "eh, I wasn't impressed."

Were you guys GA or seats?

 

[GibsonGirl]

No, the lead singer wasn't engaging, but that's the kind of band they are, they don't talk much to the audience, and for the most part, I bitch about a lead singer like that almost all of the time, but at least in Chicago, I could tell he was trying, he just couldn't think of anything to say, , I didn't let it ruin an otherwise fantastic performance for me.

Maybe he was trying harder in Chicago... He certainly didn't seem to be trying very much in Toronto. The keyboard player was the worst, though. I've never EVER seen a musician look quite so bored and disinterested, and I've seen enough dull bar bands to last me a lifetime. Dan Kessler (lead guitarist) gave it a good go, at least.

As I said earlier, I really like the band's first two albums. Wasn't feeling it last night, though. It was like they didn't want to be there.

 

[VintagePunk]

But the point of an opening band is to give them a shot at gaining a wider audience. What's the point of having a band up there that's already got a strong fanbase? They should just be touring on their own. (this is not always the case)

I don't think that's the only point. It depends on the goal of the band/tour hiring them. Other reasons are to warm up the audience before the main act goes on or to sell more tickets or to make it seem like your tour is young and hip and desirable or to create a theme show. It's not always an altruistic decision on the part of the main act.

Were you guys GA or seats?

GA, but not in the pit, off to the side a bit when Interpol were on. We moved back to the soundboard about three songs into U2's act.

 

[bono_212]

I don't think that's the only point. It depends on the goal of the band/tour hiring them. Other reasons are to warm up the audience before the main act goes on or to sell more tickets or to make it seem like your tour is young and hip and desirable or to create a theme show. It's not always an altruistic decision on the part of the main act.

Well, U2 really acted like they picked Interpol because they liked their music and wanted other people to hear it too. Bono even said he'd be honored if they let them play on stage with them sometime

GA, but not in the pit, off to the side a bit when Interpol were on. We moved back to the soundboard about three songs into U2's act.

Ok, just checking because of what I said earlier about Muse.

 

[gvox]

Well, U2 really acted like they picked Interpol because they liked their music and wanted other people to hear it too. Bono even said he'd be honored if they let them play on stage with them sometime

Okay, so if U2 fans in general are such sheep and narrowmindedly follow music either that sounds like U2 or is given U2's blessing.........


Why didn't it work? Could it be that they just aren't that good live after all and/or aren't cut out for stadium performances? Why does it necessarily have to be that U2 audiences generally don't know or appreciate good music?

 

[LemonMelon]

It was like they didn't want to be there.

Maybe it's because the band can't feed off of an uninterested crowd. Not that the crowd can feed off of an uninteresting band.

Paul McGuinness can feed off of anything though.

 

[bono_212]

Okay, so if U2 fans in general are such sheep and narrowmindedly follow music either that sounds like U2 or is given U2's blessing.........


Why didn't it work? Could it be that they just aren't that good live after all and/or aren't cut out for stadium performances? Why does it necessarily have to be that U2 audiences generally don't know or appreciate good music?

Talking to the wrong person, I never once said that. I just ask that audiences be polite.

 

[PhilsFan]

The irony of all this is that I'm not a particularly big Interpol fan.

 

[VintagePunk]

Well, U2 really acted like they picked Interpol because they liked their music and wanted other people to hear it too. Bono even said he'd be honored if they let them play on stage with them sometime



Ok, just checking because of what I said earlier about Muse.

Bono and the band also hired Institute for some reason too, so I don't put a lot of stock into their opening band tastes.

New motto - Interpol: At Least We're Better Than Institute

I had to go back to see what you said about Muse. IMO, it wasn't the sound. I know most opening bands don't have great sound mixes, that's the nature of being an opening band and I'm generally pretty forgiving in that respect.

 

[bono_212]

My God, Institute. Now that, I think we can all agree on.

 

[gvox]

Talking to the wrong person, I never once said that. I just ask that audiences be polite.

It's just a general vibe of the thread: that they weren't well received because U2 audiences are narrow minded, can't appreciate indie/good (are the terms synonymous..another discussion lol) music and didn't give this one particular band a proper chance.

They got their proper chance in front of the same U2 audiences every other opening act had.

 

[VintagePunk]

My God, Institute. Now that, I think we can all agree on.

And I even liked Bush back in the day.

 

[gvox]

My God, Institute. Now that, I think we can all agree on.

Aaaaaand we have a winner!

 

[GibsonGirl]

Maybe it's because the band can't feed off of an uninterested crowd. Not that the crowd can feed off of an uninteresting band.

The onus is on the band to get the crowd interested (especially considering that they're not all that well-known outside of indie/alternative circles), if that's what they want... They had zero energy and no crowd interaction from the first note played, so they pretty much failed in that regard.

Paul McGuinness can feed off of anything though.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Was Institute worse than Dashboard Confessional? If so, that's saying something.

 

[LemonMelon]

Honest question: Institute or more U2 fancam time?

 

[VintagePunk]

Was Institute worse than Dashboard Confessional? If so, that's saying something.

YES. I saw Dashboard Confessional six shows in a row. The first show, I didn't hate him/them (can't remember if he had a band at that point, or just backing musicians). After about the 3rd show, I was ready to stab my eardrums with a pencil.

 

[gvox]

Was Institute worse than Dashboard Confessional? If so, that's saying something.

Now you've gone too far down into the pits of U2 opener depravity.

 

[bono_212]

Was Institute worse than Dashboard Confessional? If so, that's saying something.

I was so blessed on the Vertigo tour. I saw two shows, and I got both bands .

Institute were worse by a WIDE margin. I tried so hard to listen to them (half because I was curious of Gwen might join them, she was in town as well) and I literally did fall asleep.

Dashboard, on the other hand, actually had a pretty great response from the crowd. Lots of people there who liked them for the nostalgia factor alone, and I even enjoyed the two songs by them I, at the time, knew (can't remember them now. Only knew them because I had a friend who was so jealous I was seeing them, so she introduced me to a few songs)

 

[gvox]

Please tell me they're divorced. He so doesn't deserve her

 

[VintagePunk]

The worst part of Institute was that one of the girls I was with liked them. And then after the shows, she told me "I stopped and bought their CD on the way home!" I was like "I'm sorry, but we can't be friends anymore." (kidding, but wow).

Even if I don't like a band, I get that they have appeal to some people. It's all a matter of taste after all. But Institute were so unequivocally bad... :shudder:

 

[4U2Play]

I could seriously do without opening bands, not only for U2, but for everyone. It's the rare case that I enjoy an opening act. Muse, Snow Patrol and Lenny Kravitz were pleasurable exceptions to this rule on 360.

I've always thought it would be much better if they simply showed the Red Rocks DVD on a huge screen at full volume before they came on. That would take care of all the retread songs (SBS, NYD, IWF) and get the crowd totally pumped up.

We saw the Tokyo Vertigo shows in 2006 with no opening act. It was fantastic. The doors opened at 6pm, U2 came on at 8pm, played for two rockin' hours, and we were out the door at 10:15pm feeling fresh and energetic.

 

[VintagePunk]

I could seriously do without opening bands, not only for U2, but for everyone. It's the rare case that I enjoy an opening act. Muse, Snow Patrol and Lenny Kravitz were pleasurable exceptions to this rule on 360.

I've always thought it would be much better if they simply showed the Red Rocks DVD on a huge screen at full volume before they came on. That would take care of all the retread songs (SBS, NYD, IWF) and get the crowd totally pumped up.

We saw the Tokyo Vertigo shows in 2006 with no opening act. It was fantastic. The doors opened at 6pm, U2 came on at 8pm, played for two rockin' hours, and we were out the door at 10:15pm feeling fresh and energetic.

I actually agree with that. Some of the best non-U2 shows I've seen in recent years didn't have opening acts, they've just gone out and given a 2+ hour kickass show on their own. That could be due to the fact that I seem to hit the worst openers as far as U2 goes, though.

 

[gvox]

U2 reads Interference, never say never!