Boc: BOC Cleveland Ohio Show

[Theodore O Jackson]

Ah, it pains me to comment on this thread, 

Me too.  'I come here to bury BÖC, not praise them...'


but unfortunately it appears that an excellent BOC show is not the lock that it used to be.  The last BOC show I was at was early 2008 and it was absolutely fantastic (they pulled out lots of old chestnuts), and I know they did a very well-received fans-only show last November.

Thing is, the quality of the playing is now essentially
immaterial, as Buck is the only instrumentalist from
the original band remaining, Eric's occasional rhythm
guitar notwithstanding.  The hired guys may play great,
but so what?  It isn't the BAND anymore...



  But based on setlists I've seen of many recent shows, I can understand fans frustration.  It would seem based on the setlists that Eric's ability to sing has been diminished 

And, he wasn't all that great a singer before.
Great frontman, though, and generally, that's
enough...



- this happened back in the late 90's for a year or so when he only sang 2 or 3 songs (and "E.T.I." was more "rapped", then sung).  He "came back" after that, and the band added Eric-belting songs like "Astronomy" and "Take Me Away" back in the setlist.  Unfortunately we're back to a mostly Buck-sung setlist (nothing wrong with Buck's vocals, and it's cool to get some otherwise unheard tunes like "Shooting Shark", "Perfect Water", and "I Love the Night" (all 3 verses), but there is something missing without Eric's heavier vocals, and some of the songs that go with them).  

Yes, Eric sets the tone for the band.  Buck
just doesn't convey the same humorous sense
of mystery...




I'm not sure if Buck's injury that kept the band out of action for 6 months is a factor...

However, while they are now "2 Oyster Cult" again, I thought the 3 "other guys" added a good deal of energy to their line-up.  Jules is an excellent drummer, Richie is possibly the most musically talented of all of them (Heaven Forbid!!), and Rudy Szarzo needs no introduction.  

Nope, but they're just a bunch of 'other guys.'
I grew up with BÖC the band...



Finally, we can opine whether or not BOC has anything left to offer,

Not really what I'm trying to say.  Buck is always
brilliant live, and he'll always be one of my favorite
guitarists.  It's still great to see a guy play like that
even if you need a scorecard to tell who's in the band anymore...


 but I'd turn this around - what demand motivates them to do anything other than what they're doing?  They're playing for a paycheck and (hopefully) they still enjoy what they are doing, but other than a (diminishing) base of hardcore fans that still hope they might breakout the setlist from *On Your Feet or on Your Knees* (and a few even more disillusioned fans that think the original line-up might still play together some day), what motivation to they have to do anything different?



Yah, we have to realize that they are professional musicians
who make a living from playing.  They are just doing their jobs...




Keep "living in the pocket of the moment",

John

PS:  I thought *Heaven Forbid* and *Curse of the Hidden Mirror* were excellent albums - understandably though, the demand from the audiences (who are aging as fast as most of the band) is not that great.


Yep, I liked them both too.  Good to hear some stuff
a little different from them.  No band can keep going
over the same ground.  Those 2 CDs were great because 
the band resisted the urge to copy old stuff.  Then 
again, some of the new material was pretty lame too.
I doubt half the songs on those 2 discs could have made 
the cut for a CD in the old days...


tj