Tag: tom petty

Big Talk 7/20/15

Posted on Posted in Los AngelesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

  1. What Happened to Delisa?
  2. La Rue D’Awakening
  3. White Dove
  4. Getaways
  5. Hold That Line
  6. Animal Husband
  7. The Void
  8. Cocktail Party
  9. What The Night Can Do
  10. I’ve Been Sentimental Lately
  11. Living In Pictures
  12. Replica
  13. Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers cover)
  14. Another Satellite
  15. Neon’s Not Enough Light

(b) highlights

  • the band kiiillllllled it – probably my favorite show of the second album tour
  • RVJ, does that even need to be said at this point, I wonder
  • the Troubadour just has an awesome set up – killer sound, great lighting, solid stage set-up
  • the crowd was so much better than the night before – people were actually moving and dancing to songs that had only just come out that day
  • lines like, “Oh, the mic is hot. This band is hot.” ” we’re Big Talk and we’re from Malaysia!” “Old Pinkie (the guitar) is out of tune.”
  • I took probably my favorite photos at a show ever! mostly due to the Troubadour’s lighting and set-up, thx Troubs.

(c) lowlights

  • really really really wish I could’ve heard “Katzenjammer” live just once

(d) overall thoughts

This show felt like the perfect set-up for the band to shine. Ronnie was totally “on” all night, the audience was receptive, and every song just felt like so much fun. It made me so happy that it finally felt like people were getting what the Big Talk schtick is.

The Troubadour is freaking cool and every show there feels special. The stage juts out a bit like a diamond and there’s a beautiful balcony that overlooks the space. The production level was higher than previous shows, which – along with other factors – really highlighted the performance aspect of the band. While San Diego felt like a jam-band session, this gig was all about performance. Whether that was with in-between song jokes or really letting the new songs breathe, this felt like a show. Ronnie Vannucci basically needs his own comedy hour at this point, and everyone else at Big Talk plays their role well. A part of me wishes Big Talk would do a full tour, even just 10 cities or so, just so they can really get into a rhythm and mix up the setlist; it’s in variety and different circumstances that Ronnie most shines, I believe.

After the show, I talked with other Big Talk and Killers’ fans, which was cool, and chatted again with Ronnie and Taylor – basically the best dudes of all time. Full stop. Period. I will fight anyone who disagrees that Big Talk isn’t awesome and definitely hurt anyone who says anything against those dudes, but oh wait, no one can say anything bad about them or has because they’re wonderful, the end.

Bottom Line: I love Big Talk, I love Ronnie, I love Taylor, I love all of them, I love Big Talk and Straight In No Kissin’, and I just can’t help it.

Big Talk 7/19/15

Posted on Posted in San DiegoTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

  1. What Happened to Delisa?
  2. La Rue D’Awakening
  3. White Dove
  4. Getaways
  5. Hold That Line
  6. Animal Husband
  7. The Void
  8. Cocktail Party
  9. What The Night Can Do
  10. I’ve Been Sentimental Lately
  11. Living In Pictures
  12. Replica
  13. Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers cover)
  14. Another Satellite
  15. Neon’s Not Enough Light

(b) highlights

  • RVJ, duh
  • that setlist!!! finally got to hear some older Big Talk songs I missed on the first go-around
  • getting to chat with the guys; there is no sweeter person on Earth than Taylor Milne, I swear to God
  • the Casbah is basically a bar – so tiny and so intimate; I get Bunkhouse vibes from it

(c) lowlights

  • there was an asshole drunk heckler yelling during, before, and after songs who I actually had to yell at – who even does that?? at a small intimate show?? go home.
  • the crowd was subdued – why why why why do you pay to go to a concert to not move, why why, I will NEVER understand this

(d) overall thoughts

I was super lucky to even be at this show. My brother was getting married later in the week, so I got to fly back home to LA and took a quick train down to San Diego to see Big Talk. The show was stupidly intimate and small – it was pouring outside and I swore you could hear the rain pattering outside in between songs. The stage was barely a foot off the ground, so you were RIGHT there during the performance. It was freaking cool.

Last time around seeing Big Talk, they played the entirety of their new album Straight In No Kissin’ with one old song, so I was pretty psyched to hear classic tracks like “Getaways” and “Replica,” among others. The newer Big Talk album still hadn’t been released at this point (it came out the next day!), but I still strangely felt so familiar with all the new music. A mix of Tom Petty, perhaps even the Beach Boys, and the usual Big Talk sound combined to make that good ole fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. Ronnie’s voice worked perfectly with those tunes and it was clear that all the guys played well together; wordless head nods and seamless transitions gave off a solid jam-band vibe to the show.

The crowd was objectively sub-par and I think the band was kinda down about it, but it was no bother. Everyone killed it, I had a great time, and even got to chat a bit with the guys. Ronnie vaguely prepared me for a coming surprise for their Jimmy Kimmel performance later in the week, and Taylor chatted a bit about the setlist and songs he liked. Couldn’t ask for nicer dudes and more enjoyable tunes.

 

Bottom Line: Big Talk are freaking awesome and I will literally murder you if you interrupt Ronnie Vannucci Jr. while he’s speaking on stage, bye.

Note: I took roughly a million photos, didn’t edit any of them, none of them are perfect, but I put them up because they were my experience and that’s cool. You’re welcome.