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Thread: Ambrosia live?

  1. #1

    Ambrosia live?

    So I just found out that Ambrosia will be performing in my sleepy little town of Sumter, SC this coming October at the historic Sumter Opera House. (In fact, I have performed on this very stage several times, including once with Farpoint.) So I'm just curious if anyone can tell me what to expect? I love the first two albums, and while I understand that they went in a more pop direction after those two, I have only heard the hits. Does anyone know if they play any of the older, more adventurous stuff these days? It looks like 3 of the 4 original members are still there, along with a few new folks. Any info would be appreciated!
    "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter" - Yoda

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  2. #2
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    According to setlist website they were playing two songs from the debut ("Nice Nice Very Nice" and "Holdin' On To Yesterday") and two from the followup ("And" and the title track.) But that was November 2017.

    And they played "Magical Mystery Tour" too.

    And, of course, all the hits.

    Might be worthwhile!!!
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    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    I'd go regardless, they are top notch live.

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    Geriatric Anomaly progeezer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean View Post
    I'd go regardless, they are top notch live.
    ^^^ YUP!
    "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"

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  5. #5
    Thanks guys. Yes, I definitely plan to go. It's just 15 minutes from my home. We almost never get good, big name artists here. I certainly want to support it.

  6. #6
    Wasn't there talk just prior to Peter Banks passing that he was to tour with them? Or perhaps they were to be his backing band?

  7. #7
    After never having seen them live, even though I've had their first 3 albums since they came out, I've seen them twice in the last year. One was a casino show where they were the only band and so played a full almost 2 hour set. The other was at a holiday weekend outdoor park for free! where they were the headline band (Pablo Cruise was one of the lead in bands).

    They are great live, with 3 of the 4 original members still in the band, Puerta, Drummond, and Christopher North, who still plays an old Hammond. The singer who sings the Pack songs is decent enough, and Puerta still has good pipes. They sing the obligatory top ten pop hits, but if you catch them at a full show where they are the main act, you will hear Nice, Nice, Very Nice; Somewhere Ive Never Traveled; Time Waits for No One; Heart to Heart; World Leave Me Alone; Life Beyond LA and of course the fantastic Holdin On to Yesterday. If you get lucky you might get The Brunt. As mentioned they usually do a few classic covers like Mystery Tour and I'm Crying by The Animals. They have a couple other backing musicians help flesh out the vocals and sound, but North is a madman on the keyboards and its cool to see a band where 3 of the 4 are still playing together after 40+ years. After the casino show, they all came out and signed autographs and posed for pics with fans etc.
    These guys are top notch musicians and put on a great show. A truly underrated band. In fact, I got chills hearing them do Time... and Holdin on... In fact, introducing Time Waits for No One, Puerta specifically said something like "this is for all our progressive fans from the 70s, we know you're out there" so they are well aware of their prog roots.
    Last edited by DocProgger; 02-22-2018 at 08:35 PM.

  8. #8
    I've seen them a bunch of times over the past 8 or 10 years including last year. They play 2-3 songs from the first album and Somewhere I've Never Traveled from the second. They've also been doing The Brunt. Most of the rest of the set is stuff from 180, Life Beyond LA and 1-2 new songs plus Magical Mystery Tour and I think a song by the Animals? They've been really good but the last time I saw them Joe Puerta's voice was shot. I don't know if he's losing his singing voice or if he just wasn't doing well that night or maybe on that part of the tour. Every time before then his vocals were excellent. I strongly recommend seeing them if his voice is good. If not, well its probably still worth seeing them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by happytheman View Post
    Wasn't there talk just prior to Peter Banks passing that he was to tour with them? Or perhaps they were to be his backing band?
    Found this on an old Yesfans thread from late 2010:

    I can now confirm and share that the Peter Banks Original Yes Songs tour is planned for March 2011, and the band supporting Peter is *AMBROSIA*. This will be a great partnership and show, as Ambrosia are big prog fans & Yes fans, as well as a great band in their own right with their roots in progressive rock, and they played on Alan Parsons debut album "Tales of Mystery and Imagination". Peter and founding Ambrosia drummer Burleigh Drummond have been friends for many many years. The tour will begin in Los Angeles area and move north to San Francisco Bay Area, possibly Sacramento and on to Portland OR, Seattle WA, then Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, St Louis, Cleveland, and the East Coast etc... The show will consist of several songs from the first 2 Yes albums, Peter's post-Yes songs including Flash and Ambrosia will also perform their best progressive tunes and hits.

    And then Pete got sick and there was this:

    Was high with great supporters, venues, presenters, friends. Unfortunately the plan to tour in March 2011 is not going to happen due to unforeseen circumstances. Clearly, the early original Yes songs mean a lot to many fans of Yes who had a wish to experience this music live with a great band like Ambrosia supporting. Hopefully, at a later date. Thank you for the lovely support.

  10. #10
    Thanks for the info everyone. Now I'm looking forward to the show even more than I was before.
    "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter" - Yoda

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    Member Gizmotron's Avatar
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    I saw them back up The Strawbs (in NJ) in 1977. A superb show!
    I always enjoyed their work.

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    Geriatric Anomaly progeezer's Avatar
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    I saw them once at the Waukesha County Fair outside of Milwaukee (and subsequently 2 other times), and the reason I mention it is because my then gf & I were amazed that day that for free, on the same day, the fair had booked Ambrosia, Roger Hodgson solo and the Gregg Rolie Band! We stayed late.

    Puerta has lived in Milwaukee for several years.
    "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"

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    Here's an hilarious video of an Ambrosia fan discovering the Progressive Rock side of Ambrosia.


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    I saw Ambrosia 2 years ago minus David Pack who’s hasn’t payed with them in years. However in 1999, I saw them with Pack at Jax near Springfield VA. Just absolutely superb. Even if you don’t like some of the soft side of David, One can not argue that his guitar work is not excellent. For me the band was at the pinnacle of cinematic rock on there first 2 albums. Although helped a lot by Alan Parsons, Ambrosia was the Alan Parsons Project. Later on APP, David kicks ass on Try Anything Once, one of the most underrated APP albums. The Ambrosia performance at ROSfest was killer. David Pack also performed on a Walk Down Abbey Road, with a list of superstars including Alan Parsons, John Entwistle, Ann Wilson, and Todd Rundgren. IMO Ambrosia defines Cinematic Prog and I would like to see CP become a serious subgenre.

  15. #15
    ^^^^
    I'm surprised to hear that Pack reunited with the band as late as 1999--I thought they never played together since the breakup in the early 80s. Was that a one-off or did they do a tour with Pack? Pack wasn't at Rosfest was he?
    Always liked his voice, he was prone to the more MOR top 40 route, but no denying the fabulous voice.
    I also am not familiar with the term "cinematic prog" as a genre, but Ambrosia certainly fits that description.

  16. #16
    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
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    I saw the original lineup in the 80s and maybe three times since. Always excellent!

  17. #17
    Member BobM's Avatar
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    Saw them a few summers ago and was very pleased that they played so much from their early period, maybe half the show or more. In fact, so much from their first two albums that people who came for the pop love songs were threatening to leave. You will enjoy it.
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    Member Gizmotron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DocProgger View Post
    ^^^^
    I'm surprised to hear that Pack reunited with the band as late as 1999--I thought they never played together since the breakup in the early 80s. Was that a one-off or did they do a tour with Pack? Pack wasn't at Rosfest was he?
    Always liked his voice, he was prone to the more MOR top 40 route, but no denying the fabulous voice.
    I also am not familiar with the term "cinematic prog" as a genre, but Ambrosia certainly fits that description.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmwg5X1FwrY

    Here is your classic, Cinematic Progressive track

  19. #19
    I've always called that one "Western prog." A very small genre to be sure. Only three songs I can think of, and I wrote and released the other two! 😁

  20. #20
    No doubt those guys incorporated a lot of soundtrack/musical/American classical in those first few albums. Cowboy Star Coplandesque, I hear Bernstein and West Side Story influences etc.

    Quote Originally Posted by BobM View Post
    Saw them a few summers ago and was very pleased that they played so much from their early period, maybe half the show or more. In fact, so much from their first two albums that people who came for the pop love songs were threatening to leave. You will enjoy it.
    That was similar to my experience when I saw them at a city park for free on a holiday weekend. Suburban housewives type crowd, a lot of casual fans, you could tell they knew or remembered tunes like Biggest Part of Me, You're the Only Woman, but had complete blank looks for Time Waits for No One, Somewhere....etc. The casino show I went to where they were the only band playing a full show drew more dedicated Ambrosia fans who seemed to know more of their music.
    Last edited by DocProgger; 02-24-2018 at 04:28 PM.

  21. #21
    Caught the NYC show a few weeks ago. Brought my 67 year old Mom. Great show! She loved it. She went in cold not even knowing what hits were coming let alone the other more proggy stuff. Drummer made some funny jokes before the big hits like "here's the song that was playing in the room when you were conceived or when you conceived your own child". And then later they played another hit and he said something like "here's another baby-maker!". Funny. Tight too.

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    One of Pack's last shows with Ambrosia from 6/25/1999. Pretty hot version of "Life Beyond LA".
    Great transition from acoustic to full on Rock. North over the top.


  23. #23
    ^^^^

    Geez, kind of a restless crowd lol. Little mulleted Hoosier kids running around up front. Interesting version of Life Beyond LA. Where was that, out in front of a shopping mall? No one has answered my previous question--was Pack back with them for a few shows in 99, or one tour?
    Last edited by DocProgger; 02-26-2018 at 12:53 PM.

  24. #24
    Member Guitarplyrjvb's Avatar
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    I think Pack had to quit touring because of sever tinnitus.

  25. #25
    The first three songs on the first album--"Nice, Nice, Very Nice," "Time Waits for No One," and "Holding On to Yesterday"--are excellent progressive pop, and the last song, "Drink of Water," though it gets off to a terrible start, features an outstanding melody, excellent singing, and Kansasesque lyrics. The second album starts off well too, with "And.../Somewhere I've Never Travelled."

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