2010-10-31 HARD Haunted Mansion - Los Angeles, CA

[jose m]

Originally Posted by Jon Paul

...If they go on.

...and yea, sorry to sound like a detractor. I'm still a junkie for all things UW. I loved the Santa Monica Civic show in '99...and chucked every penny I had to fly to London then bus out to Homelands to see their very Next show. I'm fairly confident they'll come back around to the West Coast at something outside of a crappy festival setting. Until then, I hope that they DO get onstage and I know for those Dirts in attendance, it will be spectacular.

fully understand your point of view here but (and i have this from the horses mouth,well friends of friends of the band) underworld have had some patchy responses from promoters in the states after some gigs that didn't sell or not as well as expected and no-one wants to book them to do a show in a venue that they can take production to plus no-one wants to risk pulling a 30 something audience who's raving days might be behind them and only can make it if they've got a sitter etc etc.
the hard people like underworld and think they'll work with their audience even if their audience are pill munching nutters (weren't we once?) and hard will pay underworld enough so they can bring a show,play some other gigs and wont lose $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ doing it.
its fucking tough on older fans (and i count myself in that number) but numbers have dwindled since the glory days of electronica and underworld lose $$$$$$$ EVERYTIME they play in america.
the only thing that will change this situation might be a great reaction to the new album and loads of luck (maybe oprah's a secret fan?).
fingers crossed for coachella 2011 eh? its about time again.

[BrotherLovesDub]

Sort of a self fulfilling disaster scenario though isn't it? Surely you can't keep an audience when you only play 4 cities when you 'tour' America and charged 30-50 bucks a show. Maybe the boys could strip down their live show and actually TOUR AMERICA instead of playing NYC, Chicago, LA and SF. That's not a tour. We don't need a stage full of fucking inflatables to impress us. We don't need 3 huge screens with projections. UW on a small to medium sized club tour across America would do a lot more for their fan base in America than playing 4 or 5 times every 2 or 3 years. If you don't live in Chicago, NY or LA and don't like going to festivals, you are shit out of luck for seeing Underworld in America. Bands get new fans and keep old fans by touring. If Underworld can't figure out a way to tour without it costing a fortune, then the music has lost focus. We don't need a circus act, we just want the tunes. Underworld can rock a crowd without all the bells and whistles. Saying they lose money every time they play as an excuse for why they don't play here more is bullshit in my opinion. If they played here more with a stripped down stage show, they'd be able to draw bigger crowds. Save the elaborate productions for the festivals or one-offs.

[jose m]

fair point but i think you'll find they tried that a number of times thru the 80's and 90's.
they aren't young men anymore and from what i know the desire to schlepp it around doing small shows isn't there.
they like the bells and whistle's and that part of the excitement of doing the shows for them.
i think they'd need to take 25 years of their age's to be the band you suggest !

[BrotherLovesDub]

Wait, they didn't sell out the 99 BF tour? I was under the impression that tour was a big success. After that tour they basically abandoned the idea of touring America. If i'm wrong, then I apologize, but i'm pretty sure the 99 tour (their last actual tour of America) was a big success.

[BrotherLovesDub]

Plus, didn't they play a handful of 3hr shows in Benelux between AHDO and OBW? Those were small club shows and very fun for the band by all accounts. How much did they make on those shows?

[jose m]

Originally Posted by BrotherLovesDub

Wait, they didn't sell out the 99 BF tour? I was under the impression that tour was a big success. After that tour they basically abandoned the idea of touring America. If i'm wrong, then I apologize, but i'm pretty sure the 99 tour (their last actual tour of America) was a big success.

i dunno what they or anyone else considers success or if the tour sold out.

[34958hq439-qjw9v5jq298v5j]

BLD, I feel you, but I live 3.5 hours from Chicago, and I'd drive that in a heartbeat to see them...ever since I started following them religiously in 2001, I don't think they've been there since. Totally agreed that LA, Oakland, and Boston is not a tour...how about something for those of us who don't live on the coast?

[jose m]

Originally Posted by BrotherLovesDub

Plus, didn't they play a handful of 3hr shows in Benelux between AHDO and OBW? Those were small club shows and very fun for the band by all accounts. How much did they make on those shows?

can't really do that sorta thing when you are in the states with a full crew in tow.
works ok when you can get the train home the next day.
also those show's were part of larger tours.

anyway, all your points are pretty valid but i suspect r&k wouldn't agree with them and have decided how they wanna spend their time as a band.

[stimpee]

The Benelux 2005 gigs had the green laser, and karls mic/cam for Lenny Penne/YDS. Not really high budget on the effects. Only 3 of the 3hr gigs (the 4th was I Love Techno, and the Yellow Room was soon totally full). I must say they were some of the best Underworld gigs ive ever been to (i was at all four of them. 4 days, 4 gigs). As for money made, well who knows but the tickets prices were reasonable. Of course, Underworld are popular in NL, and are always welcome at ILT. The Ancienne Belgique gig was a sell out in 2008 too, were the Amsterdam HMH 2005/2008 and Rotterdam 2008 gigs. I see your point about "low budget" though. There is a difference between a 20+ city tour of the USA where "schlepping" would definitely be the word to describe it. But there is always a compromise and a 10 city tour (and i mean fairly big cities by US standard) would be possible IMO. But what do i know... I only see the EU side of things and have only seen UW once in NYC (great idea, Central Park by the way! what a gig!)

[BrotherLovesDub]

I spent about 1500 to see them in 07. Two shows in SF and one in Denver. I paid airfare and hotel for all days. I know about traveling to see them. They last played Seattle in 99. A show that sold out quickly.