Europe Shows VS US Shows

[Wario]

I start this topic to find out what important differences you would highlight between Mark's shows in Europe and North America. It generally tours Europe and then goes to America when the machinery is more oiled. Now, I'd be interested to know which shows you prefer (beyond the quality of the recordings). In my opinion the European shows are very good (fresher) and the American ones tend to have a fitter MK, so to speak. I know that MK has had better and worse nights for years, but I would be interested in exchanging opinions.

[jbaent]

I start this topic to find out what important differences you would highlight between Mark's shows in Europe and North America. It generally tours Europe and then goes to America when the machinery is more oiled. Now, I'd be interested to know which shows you prefer (beyond the quality of the recordings). In my opinion the European shows are very good (fresher) and the American ones tend to have a fitter MK, so to speak. I know that MK has had better and worse nights for years, but I would be interested in exchanging opinions.

Not always, some tours went to NA first and then Europe.

Don't forget that it is NA, not US, they also visit Canada!

[dustyvalentino]

The US shows tend to be shorter don't they?

I guess this is partly due to the band having worked out what songs "work" and what doesn't but I think there may also be union restrictions involved.

ChrisW said that it takes a few weeks for a live band to really get cooking and this makes sense, but the opening show in Dublin in 2015 was really enjoyable when I went there as it seemed they were trying to play nearly every song they had rehearsed.

[Chris W]

ChrisW said that it takes a few weeks for a live band to really get cooking and this makes sense

Hmm, I didn't exactly say that. I said you couldn't play every night for a few weeks and not gel further and not discover new bits that took a sing to another level.
No band at this level exists rehearsals uncooked, as in not cooking. You are at the top of your game and you can't imagine how things can be even better, but after a few months you realise that the songs have developed even more.
I don't need to get involved in this debate because I've never toured one of Mark's solo shows. however, there are a lot of things at play here.
As a performing musician you feed off the crowd. It is difficult to play in Japan for example as the audiences are more subdued, conservative.
British audiences tend to be a little cool, critical. Like prove to me you are a great band.
European and American audiences tend to be more looking for a good time, therefore screaming their approval from the first song inwards.
All of this impacts the performance.
American music is very important to Mark, so it may be he feels more tension, wanting to impress his American fans. On the other hand he may feel more at home and therefore relaxed. I don't know which it is.

[Knut]

I think it's mostly about early vs late on the tour. From what I recall, there's always been longer shows with some rarities in the beginning of the tour (regardless of where it starts), and then a setlist that is more or less fixed after some point in time.

[rmarques821]

Mark usually enters autopilot mode when he reaches the US. Setlist gets cut from 16/17 or 18 songs to about 14/15.

[dustyvalentino]

ChrisW said that it takes a few weeks for a live band to really get cooking and this makes sense

Hmm, I didn't exactly say that. I said you couldn't play every night for a few weeks and not gel further and not discover new bits that took a sing to another level.
No band at this level exists rehearsals uncooked, as in not cooking. You are at the top of your game and you can't imagine how things can be even better, but after a few months you realise that the songs have developed even more.
I don't need to get involved in this debate because I've never toured one of Mark's solo shows. however, there are a lot of things at play here.
As a performing musician you feed off the crowd. It is difficult to play in Japan for example as the audiences are more subdued, conservative.
British audiences tend to be a little cool, critical. Like prove to me you are a great band.
European and American audiences tend to be more looking for a good time, therefore screaming their approval from the first song inwards.
All of this impacts the performance.
American music is very important to Mark, so it may be he feels more tension, wanting to impress his American fans. On the other hand he may feel more at home and therefore relaxed. I don't know which it is.

Apologies Chris, I was of course paraphrasing you and I didn't mean to imply that you had suggested that a band wasn't firing on all cylinders from the off. I guess I should have emphasised the REALLY part of my post.

Interesting points on the differences between UK and other audiences.

[jbaent]

I always liked to travel to the UK to attend live shows because Spanish people are noisy and very unrespectful at gigs, and in the UK people are more quiet, listening the music in silence, very respectful, only thing I never liked was the going in and out to buy beer...

The RAH shows started to be ruined pretty soon in that respect as many Spanish and Italian fans started to attend that shows, so they can of bring the worst of that type of audiences to that shows.

It's funny as British people when attended MK shows at Spain or Italy loved our ambience and crazyness... LOL

[Chris W]

Yes, well for more intimate contemplative music like Mark's solo work it probably is annoying, but for a stadium rock show it is GREAT.

[Chris W]

Mark usually enters autopilot mode when he reaches the US. Setlist gets cut from 16/17 or 18 songs to about 14/15.

I doubt this is by choice. It is probably about the promoters or the venues. Often places have a time limit (curfew). Sometimes promoters insist on a support band, some times promoters insist on an interval.

[Pottel]

The US shows tend to be shorter don't they?

I guess this is partly due to the band having worked out what songs "work" and what doesn't but I think there may also be union restrictions involved.

ChrisW said that it takes a few weeks for a live band to really get cooking and this makes sense, but the opening show in Dublin in 2015 was really enjoyable when I went there as it seemed they were trying to play nearly every song they had rehearsed.

same goes for the 2008 Amsterdam and 2006 brussels show. happy to have been there.

[hunter v2.0]

No band at this level exists rehearsals uncooked, as in not cooking.

Not sure if that goes for Mark. I always have the impression that he needs a few or even several shows to really get going. I'm talking about the solo shows now. It seems to me that he has a "sweet spot"; early in the tour, he even seems a little rusty, late in the tour he seems almost bored. With exceptions of course.

[Chris W]

He's getting old, maybe he starts to get tired towards the end of a tour.

[Wario]

I tend to think of North America as the US (I realized that mistake and that's why I mentioned North America below).
In any case, I think it depends a lot on Mark's mood, when he is having fun it is noticeable and I prefer a fun show to a technically perfect one.
The "autopilot" thing is also debatable since on the last tour there were great shows in America (Beacon Theatre 2, Red Rocks, Woodinville 1 and 2, Santa Barbara, among others) and also regular ones (MSG especially for me, and it's strange to me because very few people say it). Was it a massive show? Yes. Was it musically up to par with the rest of the tour? Not for me. But it's all a matter of taste.

[Wario]

No band at this level exists rehearsals uncooked, as in not cooking.

Not sure if that goes for Mark. I always have the impression that he needs a few or even several shows to really get going. I'm talking about the solo shows now. It seems to me that he has a "sweet spot"; early in the tour, he even seems a little rusty, late in the tour he seems almost bored. With exceptions of course.

I have to agree with this. As I have read in publications from the last tour, the best European period was from Bordeaux to Birmingham (May 2019) with some outstanding moments before and after (Verona especially). I understand that the North American shows were more stable in the way they played, with MK in better shape but already tired (not to say a little bored) towards the end.