Carpenters Live in Holland 1976
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Chris Mills
That was funny....like the dark vomited up
Chris Mills
That was funny....like the dark vomited up
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
Weakness in Karen's drumming?
I don't see or hear it in this concert.
This Concert, a mixed bag for me:
Much that is enjoyable, some of it is not.
As Coleman reiterated in 1994 Coleman Biography (page 222):
"...At least it's a positive effort to blitz the audience with something beyond Carpenters' music..."
But,
"...whether they've reversed too far and skated too thinly over their real strengths, the songs."
I don't see or hear it in this concert.
This Concert, a mixed bag for me:
Much that is enjoyable, some of it is not.
As Coleman reiterated in 1994 Coleman Biography (page 222):
"...At least it's a positive effort to blitz the audience with something beyond Carpenters' music..."
But,
"...whether they've reversed too far and skated too thinly over their real strengths, the songs."
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
Another, alternate,
November 11,1976 Eden Hall Concert
(includes the Spike Jones' Close To You and From This Moment On , download/listen mp3 ):
The Carpenters – In Concert From Amsterdam – 1976 – Past Daily Pop Chronicles
http://pastdaily.com/2014/07/05/carpenters-concert-amsterdam-1976-past-daily-pop-chronicles/
November 11,1976 Eden Hall Concert
(includes the Spike Jones' Close To You and From This Moment On , download/listen mp3 ):
The Carpenters – In Concert From Amsterdam – 1976 – Past Daily Pop Chronicles
http://pastdaily.com/2014/07/05/carpenters-concert-amsterdam-1976-past-daily-pop-chronicles/
Chris Mills
That was funny....like the dark vomited up
Would really like to know what you did not enjoy and why. Also, what about Karen's vocal strength, strong or weak?
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
Don't hate me for this, Chris !
But, as you asked for what I did (or did not ) enjoy about the concert:
First, the good--
I love Karen's performance of I Need To Be In Love and her drumming solo.
I can tolerate the abbreviated, quickened pace of Only Yesterday and Kind of Hush.
The Medley, mostly its second half, is okay. In general I am not a huge Medley fan, I like entire songs.
The introduction... well, it's almost 1:50 sec before Karen makes her appearance.
I tire of Piano Picker and the Motorcycle skit.
The 'Sing' audience participation is okay, but seems drawn out...I want to hear Karen... first and foremost.
Karen's vocals were fine, sometimes higher than previous concerts, but still angelic.
Richard's vocals, I can do without.
So, definitely, a mixed bag for me !
But, I'd still give anything to have attended any Carpenters' concert !
But, as you asked for what I did (or did not ) enjoy about the concert:
First, the good--
I love Karen's performance of I Need To Be In Love and her drumming solo.
I can tolerate the abbreviated, quickened pace of Only Yesterday and Kind of Hush.
The Medley, mostly its second half, is okay. In general I am not a huge Medley fan, I like entire songs.
The introduction... well, it's almost 1:50 sec before Karen makes her appearance.
I tire of Piano Picker and the Motorcycle skit.
The 'Sing' audience participation is okay, but seems drawn out...I want to hear Karen... first and foremost.
Karen's vocals were fine, sometimes higher than previous concerts, but still angelic.
Richard's vocals, I can do without.
So, definitely, a mixed bag for me !
But, I'd still give anything to have attended any Carpenters' concert !
Chris Mills
That was funny....like the dark vomited up
I was interested if we picked up on the same thing, for me the whole "Sing" audience participation was embarrassing, and I'm pretty sure we agree on that. Karen's vocal range surprised me as well, she was really hitting some high notes, and not just for a few seconds, she was belting them out. Her overall energy levels were just mind blowing. How did she achieve this night after night on the road? The funny thing is, Karen made it all look so effortless!
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
Karen possessed a stage persona, a quality which can not be learned.
She already had the "it". She was born with "it".
Voice, personality, humor and drums !
The re-vamped stage show should have capitalized on the strengths.
Where is the Richard Carpenter who played keyboards on the All-American College TV Show?
Go back to his performance(s) on the earlier material to see that his role changed drastically from
those early concerts.
Am I missing an ingredient?
She already had the "it". She was born with "it".
Voice, personality, humor and drums !
The re-vamped stage show should have capitalized on the strengths.
Where is the Richard Carpenter who played keyboards on the All-American College TV Show?
Go back to his performance(s) on the earlier material to see that his role changed drastically from
those early concerts.
Am I missing an ingredient?
Chris Mills
That was funny....like the dark vomited up
Richard conformed and lost his bit of edginess and turned into a Mr Guder! (Only joking, I think he's amazing) After the album release "Kind Of Hush" where Karen was recorded in a very subdued vocal style, to hear her singing live, not that long after "Kind Of Hush" album was released, you realise that there was one Karen vocal style for the studio recordings, and another vocal style for the concerts. Makes you wonder which was her preference. Singing in the studio or singing live.
Obviously you need to be more animated in a live performance as you're interacting with an audience who are sat right in front of you, as opposed to being in a studio surrounded by technology and engineers in what must be pretty much a sterile environment compared to a concert hall.
I'm not sure which surroundings Karen was most comfortable with. I'm sure Frank Pooler said once that Karen considered the audience to be "vultures" and almost begrudged having to perform. Karen had no idea what an incredible stage presence she pocessed.
Obviously you need to be more animated in a live performance as you're interacting with an audience who are sat right in front of you, as opposed to being in a studio surrounded by technology and engineers in what must be pretty much a sterile environment compared to a concert hall.
I'm not sure which surroundings Karen was most comfortable with. I'm sure Frank Pooler said once that Karen considered the audience to be "vultures" and almost begrudged having to perform. Karen had no idea what an incredible stage presence she pocessed.
CarpentersFan
Member
Karen seemed to be happy performing. Not sure if its an act or if she truly enjoyed it! She had a way of disguising her true feelings! She seemed to really have fun up there, especially behind the drums. I just wish I had the chance to see her perform live. Thank goodness for YouTube!
Thanks for posting it!!!
Thanks for posting it!!!
ullalume
Well-Known Member
The Sing segment is very contrived. . .and those audience members "voices" suspiciously change the second time they're played back. . .members of the band perhaps. . .and is it just me or does the woman's voice sound a little like Karen doing an impression of someone singing off-key.
I totally get why they had to pre-record all this stuff. . .they were doing this dozens of times, concert after concert. . .and in the atmosphere of the show the whole thing would be over in 5 minutes. It's only on repeated listens that the illusion becomes clear.
Much prefer the version where they excise sing. Perhaps they tailored it to the culture they were in. I doubt the audience participation would have gone down too well in the UK. Also the casual racism of "in San Francisco they come up and sing in Chinese" may have been lost outside of the states.
Laters
Neil
I totally get why they had to pre-record all this stuff. . .they were doing this dozens of times, concert after concert. . .and in the atmosphere of the show the whole thing would be over in 5 minutes. It's only on repeated listens that the illusion becomes clear.
Much prefer the version where they excise sing. Perhaps they tailored it to the culture they were in. I doubt the audience participation would have gone down too well in the UK. Also the casual racism of "in San Francisco they come up and sing in Chinese" may have been lost outside of the states.
Laters
Neil
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
Jeff, I would love to hear your assessment of the 'Sing' audience participation segment.
Do you believe that the episode went over well in concert, was it fun for all involved?
Did it achieve a symbiosis between Carpenters and audience ? (That is, beyond the symbiosis
we already have whenever Karen sings !).
I always enjoyed when they got the children to do the "la,la,la,la,la,la...", Karen seemed to enjoy it.
Do you believe that the episode went over well in concert, was it fun for all involved?
Did it achieve a symbiosis between Carpenters and audience ? (That is, beyond the symbiosis
we already have whenever Karen sings !).
I always enjoyed when they got the children to do the "la,la,la,la,la,la...", Karen seemed to enjoy it.
Jeff
Well-Known Member
I did the la la's. Karen at SING verse. It was fun, terrorizing, intoxicating and in your face as Karen put the mic to my pie hole. Upon playback Grandma and I at the foot of the stage heard all 4 or 5 participants upon playback. It was engaging, some laughs. Karen smiling ear to ear as tho this were the first event of its kind. I was caught completely off guard as Karen descended down the 3 steps off stage to my table that was placed squarely in front of said steps. With a resounding Karen exclaiming to me first up she asked " do you wanna sing?' What was I to do but lala lala la la la lala lala la la la and on. Karen a mic's distance in my 15 y/o face, heart racing, palpitating, agog, stunned by my idol and her beauty. Really beautiful! So yes Gary, for me anyway the stint was quite successful. However my invitation to join the band...well...not so much.
Jeff
My palms are sweaty, heart racing at this recollection. Whew!!! Thanks for taking me there.
Jeff
My palms are sweaty, heart racing at this recollection. Whew!!! Thanks for taking me there.
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