kingofallmen1
05-23-2007, 01:31 AM
OK folks! I want to give you some information on the concert last night in Nashville. I also wanted to express my viewpoint and opinion on some stuff, and I would like some feedback. The concert was great! We had such a wonderful time. I took a girl that had never been to a Hank concert and she was not a Hank fan. She loved the entire show and really liked Hank too. She was impressed with his talent.
38 Special had the opening act and also the best sound of all three groups.
Hank came out to Women I've Never Had. They had big-screens up on the side's of the stage so people could have close-up views of various things. There was a huge crowd there that seemed to love the entire event. Hank had exerpts from other stars talking about him before he came out playing on the screens.
I have seen Hank every year for over 20 years, sometimes more than once. I have developed somewhat of a Hank-scale over the years, although there is no science involved. This was a '6' on the Hank-scale-- 1 being the worst I've seen to 10 being the best I've seen him perform.
Hank is required to play a very scripted show right now. He has changed from his Bama Band and went to this new band not too long ago. Although they are better than they were one year ago, they are still not up to speed. Had I never seen Hank before, I would not be able to make this statement. I have been very slow to come out being critical of Hank's new band, because I realize that Hank Jr. understands marketing better than one might think. I also can easily see that they are talented musicians.
I also want to make something else clear. The band doesn't make Hank, they compliment him. This can easily be proven by watching him in the middle of his shows when all he has is whatever guitar he chooses and the crowd; but if you put the Bama Band on this Nashville show, it suddenly becomes a solid 7 1/2, not a six.
Consequently, the best show I've ever seen Hank perform was not back in his so-called hayday, not in the 90s when everything was random and fun. The best show was about 5 years ago. Hank and the band were a well-oiled machine. Yes Hank showed to be a little tired after the first hour and a half, but I can remember walking out of the concert with my friends and thinking that I had been a part of something very special. It was at a casino, and I sat down with an older gentleman after the show whom I did not know. He told me that he had never seen Hank before and had just saw him. He then mentioned that he thought Hank 'might' be good, but he had no idea the show would be amazing. His last word was 'WOW!'
On CMT awards (the night he sang Country Boy Can Survive), his band was late coming into the song, and if you listen closely, they were off in some cords when they first jumped in, but you have to listen to hear this. Again, if I had not seen Hank so much, I would not have noticed. I would be very surprised if Hank could randomly pick a song out of his 60 albums and be confident that his existing band could play it. They are not used to his radomness, and they have not gained a sense of full security on the stage. Last night during the opening, one could tell that they had not perfected their ability to ad-lib and make due when Hank did not play to the script. If I had to make a judgment today, I would bring back the Bama Band and keep a few of the existing members as well. I understand the need for 'new image' in the entertainment industry, because of marketing. However, in the case of bocephus, older is only better. I know after 20+ years of touring with the same people, it can become redundant, but the existing band does not live up to the high standards of past days.
The show was very fun, and I hope everybody doesn't think I'm being too critical. I will try to reply to posts etc. on this subject, but I think it's time to have this discussion concerning Hank.
38 Special had the opening act and also the best sound of all three groups.
Hank came out to Women I've Never Had. They had big-screens up on the side's of the stage so people could have close-up views of various things. There was a huge crowd there that seemed to love the entire event. Hank had exerpts from other stars talking about him before he came out playing on the screens.
I have seen Hank every year for over 20 years, sometimes more than once. I have developed somewhat of a Hank-scale over the years, although there is no science involved. This was a '6' on the Hank-scale-- 1 being the worst I've seen to 10 being the best I've seen him perform.
Hank is required to play a very scripted show right now. He has changed from his Bama Band and went to this new band not too long ago. Although they are better than they were one year ago, they are still not up to speed. Had I never seen Hank before, I would not be able to make this statement. I have been very slow to come out being critical of Hank's new band, because I realize that Hank Jr. understands marketing better than one might think. I also can easily see that they are talented musicians.
I also want to make something else clear. The band doesn't make Hank, they compliment him. This can easily be proven by watching him in the middle of his shows when all he has is whatever guitar he chooses and the crowd; but if you put the Bama Band on this Nashville show, it suddenly becomes a solid 7 1/2, not a six.
Consequently, the best show I've ever seen Hank perform was not back in his so-called hayday, not in the 90s when everything was random and fun. The best show was about 5 years ago. Hank and the band were a well-oiled machine. Yes Hank showed to be a little tired after the first hour and a half, but I can remember walking out of the concert with my friends and thinking that I had been a part of something very special. It was at a casino, and I sat down with an older gentleman after the show whom I did not know. He told me that he had never seen Hank before and had just saw him. He then mentioned that he thought Hank 'might' be good, but he had no idea the show would be amazing. His last word was 'WOW!'
On CMT awards (the night he sang Country Boy Can Survive), his band was late coming into the song, and if you listen closely, they were off in some cords when they first jumped in, but you have to listen to hear this. Again, if I had not seen Hank so much, I would not have noticed. I would be very surprised if Hank could randomly pick a song out of his 60 albums and be confident that his existing band could play it. They are not used to his radomness, and they have not gained a sense of full security on the stage. Last night during the opening, one could tell that they had not perfected their ability to ad-lib and make due when Hank did not play to the script. If I had to make a judgment today, I would bring back the Bama Band and keep a few of the existing members as well. I understand the need for 'new image' in the entertainment industry, because of marketing. However, in the case of bocephus, older is only better. I know after 20+ years of touring with the same people, it can become redundant, but the existing band does not live up to the high standards of past days.
The show was very fun, and I hope everybody doesn't think I'm being too critical. I will try to reply to posts etc. on this subject, but I think it's time to have this discussion concerning Hank.