First off, the Metropol is a huge old warehouse with all walls except those absolutely essential for structural integrity, have been removed. The size and shape of the Metropol demand that for "normal" sound levels, the place must be packed with people or something sound- absorbing. Unfortunately, the crowd did not fill the cavern. As a result, sounds echoed and, according to andy, over amplified the mid-range. As a result, the bass was almost non-existent and there was a definite scarcity of Kasim Sultan's vocals.
Andy tried to talk to sound man. This sound man had a brit accent, and could have worked for metropol (when i see the show in Aug. i will make a point of talking to the sound guy), or maybe for Mr. Rundgren, i don't know. But he was surely surly and non-cooperative when andrew politely tried to explain the situation to him. So andrew brought over about 5 people who agreed with him, that you couldn't hear kasim much at all, and even the drums were not coming out!
Much to andrew and others' disappointment, the sound man remained unconvinced. and although andrew moved all around the club to hear the music well, overall, he was disappointed in the venue. I saw them last year at Graffiti and although my purse was stolen and it turned out to probably be one of the guys who worked there, it was a nice venue for the show, sound-wise.
As a result of not having heard "one long year" before the show, combined with the bad sound, Andy says that he couldn't enjoy the new music as much as the "old classics". Andy is not the first person to say that to me. Now i vehemently disagree with these people who want the "old classics". The new music is amazing, as a lot of todd's music is. For me there is yet to be a Todd album that i don't like. For andy and these "old classic people", the newer music is still 'not todd'. I am so glad that Todd wants to sing a wide selection of his musical career. I know that andy loves the albums like "Healer", and "A Capella", so much, that he wants Todd to be like that forever. i am confident that when he spins "the individualist" and "one long year" a few times, he will enjoy these more and more.
He thought that Trey was awesome and a great drummer. He noted that Kasim was in good spirits (and good voice from what he could hear) in spite of his cast. And he thought that Todd looks less skeletal than he did 20 years ago. (some people dig skeletal). Myself, i think he looks really healthy and grounded.
I guess that is all i know of the pittsburgh show. [i was supposed to go but had to work at the last minute. ]
kdh
