Pat Metheny Unity Group - Kin (<-->) / Tour

[chalkpie]

Of course you can challenge his output - and you don't need to be a 25 year-old fan to do so

I just don't agree that there's no progression on Kin. I think it's a combination of confluence and smaller steps forward. A lot of people hear things that reflect on past albums; the difference is that I'm fine with that. With someone whose discography is as broad as Metheny's, I think he's entitled.

I also don't think every record needs to be a major forward leap - I don't think artists with longevity, for the most part, can sustain it. But for me, Kin has plenty of forward motion, built into the self-references.

We'll have to agree to disagree, then.
Cheers!
John

Fair enough and cheers back!

Also slightly O/T - my favorite single PM composition is "Finding and Believing" on Secret Story. THAT is an amazing piece.

[aith01]

Also slightly O/T - my favorite single PM composition is "Finding and Believing" on Secret Story. THAT is an amazing piece.

That is indeed an incredible composition. One of my favorite Metheny songs as well. Secret Story had several really great pieces on it.

[Gerhard]

Well, I didn't get to see them in concert last night, because of the snow storm. The Durham, NC show was canceled (finally, a little over an hour before show time). Sucks, but what can you do about the weather. I hope it can be rescheduled.

Tonight's show in Roanoke, VA is also canceled, to be rescheduled. Good luck to those who have tix to Friday night's show in Charlotte, NC and Sat night in Atlanta.

[Wah3]

I was lucky enough to be in the 6th row for Pat Metheny's show at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady last night. It was the best jazz fusion concert I've seen in years, going back at least to the Return To Forever reunion with Jean-Luc Ponty. Pat and the Unity Group played for almost 3 hours nonstop. An incredible bunch of versatile musicians.

Pat played 4 guitars including an intro on his custom made 42 string Pikasso. Bassist Ben Williams stayed primarily on the upright but he did break out a 6 string for one tasty solo. Wind master Chris Potter was great on tenor sax as well as alto sax, bass clarinet and flute. And I couldn't really see what keyboardist/vocalist Giulio Carmassi was up to since he was oddly located at the back of the stage, but I did see trumpet and flugelhorn. Oh and the 6th member of the group was the Orchestrion, a version stripped down to about 1/3 of the full size monster from what I heard. It still looked like a mad scientist's lab on that stage.
Tasteful use of visuals including lights, a full stage backdrop that showed clouds, pastel colors, and toward the end a great big full moon. There were also 2 smaller screens on the left and right sides of the stage that were used for additional effects.

It was a mesmerizing feast for the first day of spring.

A rough setlist from the show is below, format seems about the same as I’ve read elsewhere: solo on the Pikasso, 1st 3 tracks from Unity Band album, Kin selections, duets, more Kin or older tracks, Have You Heard, Are You Going With Me, acoustic medley.
*
Into The Dream (solo)
Come and See
Roofdogs
New Year
James
Kin
Rise Up
Born
On Day One
Bright Size Life (duet w/ Ben Williams)
All The Things You Are (duet w/ Chris Potter)
Dream of the Return (duet w/ Giulio Carmassi)
Go Get It (duet w/ Antonio Sanchez)
Have You Heard
*
Are You Going With Me
*
Acoustic medley

[jkelman]

It's now official; I will see PMUG in Stavanger, Norway on May 6. In a word: EXCITED!!

[Yanks2014]

Nice review! I'm pretty excited about Saturday's concert at the Keswick. I think show may finally get me to pick up some Metheny music. Just never got around to it.

As to the Keswick, this is becoming my regular stomping ground for concerts, I hope they have more cool shows coming up this spring and summer.