The evolution of their live music: what worked? What didn't?

[GaryAlan]

^^By the way, I double-checked the Louisiana venue and I quoted it correctly, 74,000--so, I suspect that that is either a typo in the
newsletters, and supposed to be 47,000, or that is multiple nights at the same venue totalling 74,000 spectators.
Of course, what we are seeing is that generally they did play rather large venues--for the day--and they were sold out.
Another aside from the Newsletters: generally there were limos to and from hotels rooms to the venue.
Many times Richard drove his own vehicles between venues. Also, lear jets and airplanes were utilized if available.
My point is this--for those who believe that "Road Ode" is the "be all to end all" regarding this discussion--
a careful, detailed, perusal of the Fan Club Newsletters does NOT necessarily paint a dismal touring picture.
There appears to be a direct correlation between record sales and touring.
Their own Weintraub/TV Specials appear to have little influence upon 1976-1980 record sales.

 

[Portlander]

^ After some research, I think I solved our Lake Charles, LA concert attendance numbers. Sudduth Coliseum was opened in early 1972 as part of the Lake Charles Civic Center complex with a seating capacity of 7400. The Carpenters played the venue on two separate occasions in November 1972 and June 1973. Appears to be a simple typo.

 

[Jarred]

This has been mentioned on this thread, but I never liked how so many of their best songs were never sang in-full as standalone’s, but rather were a link in a medley chain. I’m not a big medley fan in general, and I think Karen’s vocals work best when she’s given a whole song to get into the words, through steady accumulation. I get that live performances need to be different than choosing whatever pace you want in a studio, but I think, again as others have said, that they were less about the “craft” live despite hammering home the idea that it *needs* to be precise. It’s a weird contradiction. Also they needed to include some more album cuts that weren’t hits like I remember them doing with Reason to Believe. Give the experience some variety instead of becoming a greatest hits act which I’m sure got stale faster than they thought. Not every song could honestly been done justice to live with the intricate instrumentation and overdubbing needed, but some absolutely could have been more than passable live material.

I think for me that the music and the voice had such a quality of intimacy that it almost sounds like an invasion of privacy hearing it live with so many others present. That’s why the studio recordings work best - Karen’s measured tones are framed by complimentary arrangements that come alive emotionally because the sense of private identification isn’t exposing when you hear it with earbuds or on a radio. I don’t know of another musical act that I can personally say this about. It goes along with the idea that Karen is sitting in your lap singing just to you, as has long been said by diehards. There’s a beguiling braiding of the cerebral and emotional in their music that wasn’t there when they performed live.

 

[Martin Medrano]

Also they needed to include some more album cuts that weren’t hits like I remember them doing with Reason to Believe. G

you make a great point that they should have sung lesser known tracks. i bet that the song i can't make music would have been nice to hear live. or one more time that would have been one of the best songs live just karen and richard alone or better yet an acapella.

 

[Jarred]

you make a great point that they should have sung lesser known tracks. i bet that the song i can't make music would have been nice to hear live. or one more time that would have been one of the best songs live just karen and richard alone or better yet an acapella.

I Can’t Make Music would have worked so well as just a piano ballad with harmonica at the end. They wouldn’t need anything else for it on stage.