Avalanche tour revisited

[d_hambly]

Hey all, long time lurker and former poster from many moons ago. I finally figured out how to log in again recently after a year or two of trying.

Anyway, I looked over today at the framed/signed setlist on the bookshelf in my living room and noticed that the show I saw on the Avalanche tour in London, ON was 20 years ago today. So I thought that was worth a post. After 55 MG shows that one still holds the crown for me as the most legendary. And I'm lucky to have a recording from a few nights later in Toronto with the same setlist, which I was happy to revisit tonight. In my books that 2002-2003-2004(?) period was the absolute golden era of live MG. Such an incredible mix of new songs from Avalanche and interesting reworked takes on older MGB tracks. Don't get me wrong, I've seen some incredible shows since, with the WLRRR and In A Coma tours being other classics and the small-club Something Like A Storm tour being a recent (and even all-time) standout, but I'd be curious what others think about the Avalanche era versus others.

Cheers all, and happy to find my way back into this community!

[thewickernightmare]

I’ve seen MG play about 15 times and no show has ever lived up to the one I saw on this tour. It was the third time I had seen him play and the first two times he was okay but not amazing. The show on this tour was on another level and felt like someone who was at the top of their game but still had something to prove.

The different arrangements of not only MGB songs but different arrangements and extended jams of Avalanche songs hit harder than the album versions. I think at this time Matt’s vocal range was the best of his career and he wasn’t afraid to show it off. 

it was definitely a special tour and I’m glad to have gone to it. People want an Avalanche anniversary tour but I don’t think it would ever be able to match this tour.

[foats]

Is there something wrong with the site? I know I had posted a response on here and now it's gone. I could have sworn Sharon and at least one other also had a post here but it's disappeared? 

[Crusader]

Hm. I'm not seeing any recent posts from you foats. Did you remember seeing any error messages?

[THE MAN]

Avalanche/WLRRR era shows were fuckin' bangers.

Christian Valdson, Pat Stewart and Rich Priske were a phenomenal trio behind Matt and that is just tough to beat.

He played a one off show with Pat back on drums and Jimmy on guitar (maybe his best lead guitarist) at Young and Dundas square in Toronto during the LOES era that I will always think was a great performance as well. That specific live take of Shallows Low I wish the world could've heard.

[russic]

It's the jams. The jams were unique to this tour it seems (maybe I'm wrong). Was this also the tour with piano + slowed down Hello Time Bomb. God that was the _best_. If I recall he also had a jam after Under the Influence that I listen to all the time. Also the reworked Symbolistic White Walls? Christ what a time. 

[d_hambly]

On 4/10/2023 at 5:44 PM, thewickernightmare said:

The different arrangements of not only MGB songs but different arrangements and extended jams of Avalanche songs hit harder than the album versions. I think at this time Matt’s vocal range was the best of his career and he wasn’t afraid to show it off. 

I definitely agree, his range was at another level back then. I still find some of Matt's impressive vocal runs burned into my brain all these years later, and in many cases that's now the primary way I remember the songs.

 

18 hours ago, THE MAN said:

Avalanche/WLRRR era shows were fuckin' bangers.

Christian Valdson, Pat Stewart and Rich Priske were a phenomenal trio behind Matt and that is just tough to beat.

As much as I love Stu and Blake, that original trio was hands down my favourite set of musicians he's played with. Rich and Pat were such a muscular, heavy hitting rhythm section. I also loved on the WLRRR tour how Matt started each show with an "audible" and tried to trip up the band by quickly launching into either Put Out Your Lights, Poor Man's Grey or North American For Life without telling them which one it would be.

 

15 hours ago, russic said:

It's the jams. The jams were unique to this tour it seems (maybe I'm wrong). Was this also the tour with piano + slowed down Hello Time Bomb. God that was the _best_. If I recall he also had a jam after Under the Influence that I listen to all the time. Also the reworked Symbolistic White Walls? Christ what a time. 

The jams were so freaking good. Every time I hear Symbolistic, my mind goes to that extended verse he used to do, and I try to fit it in while singing over top of the outro. The extra verse/outro for Under the Influence was also awesome, very atmospheric. And yes, you are correct - that tour featured the slowed down chorus of Hello Time Bomb. And I still get goosebumps thinking back to the first time I saw him play Avalanche, with the crowd repeating "one foot in front of the other" to see the song out. And does anyone remember 4 Minute Mile?

 

I'm very happy to have a good collection of bootlegs from that era to take me back. I miss the old days of sharing stuff on DC++, as I'm severely lacking in documents of his more recent tours. I guess I just miss the old days in general, ha.

[Prairieboy]

The Avalanche tour was something else. Pledge of Allegiance, Near Fantastica, 21st Century Living…so punchy when played live. 

[Stwlegend]

Agree with everyone.  2003/2004 is my personal favorite MG live era for all the reasons mentioned. 

Always thought Rich being on bass provided that familiarity of MGB and a bridge for those jumping over to solo MG.

It sucks there is not any live footage available from those 2 years, outside of a few short clips.