Shearwater (Not)

If one of your favorite bands shows up at your local venue and 4 of the 5 members are different is it the same band? Should it even be called the same band?

Let’s say you bought a ticket to see the Pixies. The band walks on stage and you have Black Francis, but in place of Kim, Joey and David you have three people you have never seen in your life. Is it the same? No. Should they be called the Pixies even if they play Pixies songs? No.

So this is the scenario I encountered last night at the Cat’s Cradle. The lights dim, the band walks on stage and what do I see. I have Jonathan Meiberg and four questions marks. No Thor. No Kimberly. So this is Shearwater?

I don’t know the reasons. Maybe Thor and Kimberly either had conflicts or didn’t want to tour, but this is not Shearwater. And what’s bad here is it should not be sold as Shearwater. I’d been okay if it had been sold as “Jonathan Meiberg” — I have seen him solo — but to show up with a four unknowns is not acceptable.

Was an explanation offered? No. Was there any indication there would be a difference in players? No. Look at the NPR article that accompanies the stream of the new album. It shows the five members I expected to see and even talks about Thor’s and Kimberly’s contributions. So what gives?

From the moment I realized I wasn’t getting who I expected, it became an immediate disappointment. I was done and it was all I could do to stand there and take it. This is not to say they weren’t good – they were – but my engagement was zero. I just wanted it to stop.

This may seem like harping, but this is a band I have seen more than any other band. This was show number six (or was it?). I had planned to buy the CD at the show and I didn’t and at this point I doubt I ever will.

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~ by Genevieve on 2012.02.13.