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14th May 2002 — Slim's, San Francisco, CA
Setlist
Provided by Paul (Dr. Killpatient).
Cloudless
Fragile
Sunrise
To Be
Everywhere
Loved
Shining Road
Future Song
Flute Song
Lillies
Adoration
Encore I
Angel Bell
Jewel
Far Away
Adrift
Encore II
Driving In the Sun
Paris And Rome
Review(s)
I've been waiting nine years to see the Cranes live
and may 14th 2002 was as good a day as any....
I've built them up in my head imagining what they
would be like live (Only when I fantasize the Cranes
I always imagine them playing in a huge gothic cathedral--
sometimes black, someitmes white - the cathedral that is)
For lack of a better description I was in 'the zone' when
they came out on stage- the 2 long island ice teas I slammed
were kicking in... and as I heard Cloudless start up and
the band come out and the crowd applauds like a gang
of crazed scientists that just discovered a new drug. I
had purposely not looked at any pictures of the Cranes
while waiting for the show to come so I wouldn't have
any preconceptions of what they looked like on stage.
It had been a few years since I had dared look at pictures
of the Cranes live that were posted on the web and I have
never seen any motion pictures fo them- no videos, no clips,
no interviews- only a few pictures from albums and
websites... and I was instantly relaxed when they came
onstage. Ali has the most soothing smile to go with the
voice I had come to know as the audio equivalent of
thousands of fingers massaging your body... bliss!
The Cranes seemed to be like glitters in the darkness-
the second song was Fragile from the new album, 'Future Songs'
which I had purchased at Tower Records. I had not fully
yet realized how good the new album is since initially
it left me longing for some of the heavy upbeat songs that
I loved the most like 'Shining Road' and 'Lillies', but after
hearing the new songs live I have a new apreciation for the
new songs- more light than darkness, more ethereal than
furious but still very much the Cranes I have come to love.
Later in the set they did play some of my favorites off the
Loved EP with all the intensity I had imagined plus an extra
dimension I never imaged- Ali's stage presence. She seems
comforatble up there but also shy and very self aware. She does
not put on a big show for the crowd in the traditional sense-
she is very soft and quiet and is obviously very into what she does-
sometimes her facial expressions gave away how critical she
is of herself....sometimes she would make a face that seemed
as if to say 'that last note just wasn't quite right'- but I don't
think Ali has anything to worry about- even if every note isn't
perfect her voice is still the most unique and amazing instrument
in the global chorus. I wish I could have seen the Cranes a
hundred times before and a hundred times again- they have
a permanant position on my personal top ten and I am seriously
considering trying to find a way to see them again this year
if it takes me to the ends of the earth-- I missed them in 1997
due to working and schooling- too much to keep track of
every band that was coming in and out of town even though I
probably was listening to the album 'Population Four' while
they were playing - only miles away without my knowledge.
So when they came out west for the Mexico City show- I remember
thinking that I had never been to Mexico but I had to find a way to
Mexico City to see them....my dreams were dashed on the rocks
of complete poverty. But however much it costs- if I have the
money then I would go to another country or continent just to see
them again. I heard that Robert Smith chose Mogwai and Cranes
to play with them at a festival in the UK in July, I hope the Cure
tours again and brings both bands along then too! Robert could really
do some good things for the Cranes if he had them play to the huge
arena crowds that the Cure attract, then maybe they could start to
get the recogintion they deserve. I was shocked when I first showed
up at the club a half hour before the doors opened and only 4 people
were there waiting. I thought there would be more...but then again
I don't quite understand how they don't have enough fans for the
Warfield Theatre- maybe Robert Smith can help fix that problem
by introducing thousands of new people to their music again. Too
bad I missed the Wish tour- you have to understand that I had not
yet heard of the Cranes and I had already seen the Cure on 4 different
tours during the late eighties- and during the last 2 tours (Kiss Me and
Disintegration) he had for some reason said this was the Cure's last
tour EVER. So I took a break from the wish tour (stupid!stupid!)
thinking he could go choke on that 'last tour' stuff- why? why? why?
Then in 1993 I heard Jewel on a CMJ compilation CD and fell in love
with their unique sound and started collecting every single CD I could
get my hands on. Then I got 'Loved' right before a two week vacation
in Maui- needless to say by the time the plane got to the island I had
dismissed all the other CDs I brought. It was more or less two weeks
in a tropical paradise with nothing but 'Loved' getting played over
and over- so that is forever etched into my brain as well as many other
mental impressions that the Cranes have brought me over the years.
I think I am rambling on about all my Cranes related stories because
I am having a hard time putting into words what it was like to see them--
but hopefully anyone reading these has already seen them and if you
haven't you know what I would prescribe. I do know that the sound
was excellent- everything seemed to be mixed just about perfectly-
and that doesn;t happen at live shows much- but it could have just
been the fact that i was right next to the speaker and the volume levels
were low enough that nothing was distorted (that shouldn't be) and
the bass was under control- you could hear the sequencing and vocals
just as clearly as the drums and guitars. There was this guy near me
who was ready to be dissapointed....he was yelling for them to play
'Starblood!!!' over and over in between every song. That would be
great I thought to myself, but shut the fuck up and let the Cranes pick
the songs. I used to be selfish like that too, but now I am happy to
let the bands I respect choose what songs they want to play for me-
after all THEY know best! I came away happy with the selection-
but still starving for all the songs I have not yet seen or heard them
perform. This is why I would really like to talk to anyone else who
may have recorded any Cranes shows over the years- I recorded
during this show and it is one of the best sounding recordings I
have ever had the pleasure of listeneing to- as I said the mix was
brilliant and the volume was not over bearing. Even though I would
like to see them in front of an arena size crowd with a ga-zillion watt
sound system and stick my head inside the speakers!!!! It is interesting
because most people, myself included, really don't like it when they
find a favorite band and see them many times at smaller intimate
shows in small clubs and such and then the band hits it big and moves
up to theatres and then stadiums and arenas and festivals and such....leaving
you to fight with thousands of people to see them up close instead of
a handful. People say things like 'sellout' and 'mainstream' and then
eventually tire of fighting the crowds and stop going to see them.
That has probably happened to almost everyone at some point. But
now there's the Cranes who have (in a way) done the opposite, gone
from stadiums and US mainstream success back down to the level
of an underground band with a cult following (at least in the US).
And I'm afraid that not enough success could end up hurting me as
much as success-- because if they can't sell enough CDs and tickets
to shows to keep them going, maybe they will stop making music???
I certainly hope nothing would stop them, but on the other hand if
they are interested in making a good life out of fame and fortune, then
I would have to be behind them all the way and would gladly give
up the opportunity to see them without camping out for tickets and
fighting off thousands of crazed groupies in exchange they would
continue to release albums as long as they grace this earth with their presence.
And I honestly hope they achieve whatever money or staus they
want on their own without a major label controlling everything....I really
admire them for going it alone without corporate sponsorship, just like
2 other favorite artists of mine have done recently- Siouxsie & the Banshees/
Creatures and Robyn Hitchcock- both touring and releasing CDs
without a record company and doing well- and judging from how
packed the show was (not sure if it sold out or not?) I know they
have a healthy base of fans in San Francisco anyway. What is it like
in other places around the country? I am confindent after this show
that they would definetly make some new fans if they had more exposure
(hopefully with the help of Mr. Robert Smith!) because during the
show I could hear this one very drunk sounding guy behind me who
was being loud an obnoxious (love to hate it) and he made it clear
he had not heard the Cranes before in various ways- like calling the
crowd 'the Cranes fans' and himself- wondering what the fuss was
about. During the course of the show he warmed up more and more
to their songs-- even though he was still detached and insulting in
his comments, they obvisouly made an impression on him too. After
Shining Road I heard him say 'that almost makes me want to dance'.
That made me laugh, I'm still not sure why. By the end he was screaming for
more along with everyone else- and of course the 'Starblood!!!' guy.
I had an extra ticket so I brought a friend of mine who appreciates
good music and has an open mind and he loved it too even though
he had never heard them before. I also came with my brother and his
girlfriend who have had to deal with the Cranes for all these years
whether they liked it or not because I played them constantly while
vacationing together and things- well, they are of the few people
that liked the band- it seems most people either LOVE them or
can;t stand them- more specifically the vocals. They are so unique
that people are shocked or awed and usually have a strong opinion
about them whether it's good or bad. No one ever says that they
'sound like' some other band or that they are average in any way-
it's always either love or hate it. For instance my girlfriend loves
the music but has never gotten over the vocals- she says it sounds like
Miss Swan. I admit that makes me laugh a bit picturing Miss Swan
singing for such an intense and dynamic band. (If you don't know her-
Miss Swan is a comedy character from MADTV played by Alex
Borenstien (sp?)) I forget who, but sometime ago a friend told me
the vocals sound like a 5 year old japanese girl. I guess if you haven't
seen a picture it would be hard to come up with a face to go with
that voice. The face that I can now imagine while listening to my
Cranes collection, finally after all these years. I'll probably think of
a new and different review in my mind each day, but I'll spare you
poor souls who had to read all this dribble and end this here. But
I'm sure I will find a way to see them again and you can be sure I will
have something to say about that too. My prescription for you is
to be sure and take a heathly dose of Cranes daily - repeat as
nesseccary - and this should relieve any ailments you encounter...
Reviewed by Dr. Killpatient
i flew to san francisco from los angeles to see the acoustic set and the
concert the next day..well i was late to the amoeba music thingy, and didn't
see them play but ali and jim were still there signing things, so i bought
the submarine single and got it signed by them, and jim was drawing
submarines, so he drew me one, and i had him draw a bunch of zzzzzzz's (for
the song don't wake me up)coming out of the submarine/fish (and he was like
'that doesn't look right..is that a zed?' and i said yeah you did it right)
and had him draw a sun (for the song driving in the sun) and then he asked
if i had any albums to recommend cos the store was gonna let him get some
free cds i think, and i said Rasputina's new album but he was like 'well
we're on the same label so i could probably get it for free' then i said
tori amos' new album and he was like 'eww' and the same for pj harvey's new
album, and any dead can dance..then he went looking for albums, and i did
too and i saw bjork's new album and asked him if he'd like that and he
pretended to run away (cos he didn't like bjork), and paul was behind me and
said jim was blasphemous and i talked to paul about how jim doesn't like
tori or pj (cos paul does), and paul was buying a nick cave album, and a
marilyn manson album that someone recommended to him....and the next day at
the concert the opening band was ok, and Cranes came on and it was nice, and
i think the loud idiots next to me knocked over one of the monitors, which
knocked out a fuse, but the nice guy next to me gave it to the bass player
guy i think, and it was fine. i don't remember the setlist, but i was happy
to hear adoration, which is my favorite cranes song. in case no one sends in
the setlist, here's the songs i think i remember in no order: to be, adrift,
jewel, ummmmmmm angel bell, lilies, everywhere, driving in the sun, fragile,
sunrise, future song, cloudless, i dunno.
i went to the 'acoustic set' in los angeles (it wasn't like, acoustic
guitars, things were amplified, but it was stripped down some, like no
backing tape) and it was cool cos we got to see them do a soundcheck..and
ali's voice is soooooooooo pretty, she was just going 'la la la heyyyyy
heyyyyy' and singing the begining of some songs (cloudless, future song),
and her voice sounds so smooth and perfect, even better than when she's
actually singing the songs. heh. i don't remember every song they
did...um..sunrise which she said was a slightly different version than the
ones at the concerts, to be, future song, jewel ....i don't know if i'm
mixing up the days i saw them with the songs they played. i'm gonna see
their concert in l.a. tonight, and i'll write more about that, but here's
this for now. maybe i'll also try to take a picture with my crappy webcam of
the cd sleeve jim and ali signed and send it to starblood.org
Reviewed by Erin
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