The Cars Are Back!!!

[1001001]

I got it from iTunes yesterday.

There are a couple of slow songs that kind of miss the mark, but overall it's very satisfying for an old Cars fan like me.

So far, Keep on Knocking stands out as a favorite. Very rocking tune.

Very few albums have every song hit the mark.

Can't argue with you there.

It's gonna take a really bitchin' track to be better than Sad Song for me, but I'll find out in a few hours. I'll probably rip the CD on my work computer.

Let us know what you think, especially when you hear Keep on Knocking...

I don't know if anyone cares or not, but here's the setlist from last night's opening show. Some interesting choices. I'm really looking forward to it.

Spoiler: The Cars Setlist Seattle 5/10

Good Times Roll
Blue Tip
Since You're Gone
Up and Down
My Best Friend's Girl
Hits Me
Touch and Go
I'm in Touch With Your World
Keep on Knocking
You Might Think
Drag on Forever
Free
I'm Not the One
Heartbeat City
Let's Go
Moving in Stereo
Encore:
Sad Song
Just What I Needed

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Obviously no Drive on that list, though that's always been the one that sounds the least like something Ric could do.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It's funny to read some of the stories on the reunion calling them things like a "synth band." Sure they had syntesizers, but Easton was always prominent and known as a hotshot guitar player. It's not like they were the Human League or something.

...and then Heartbeat City happened. I've heard Kraftwerk songs that sound more natural and organic than that one.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad album. I actually like songs like "Hello Again". But that was one of the most programmed, synthetic, keyboard-drenched, sequencer-fueled albums in history.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Heartbeat City was their "owned the world" moment.

I got thru 7 tracks on the way in to work. Keep on Knocking is very guitar heavy, like Strap Me In from Door To Door (my favorite song from that album), but not as catchy musically or otherwise. Still a really good song.

Free could have been my #2, as it's very catchy and strong in almost every way except the "Free" chorus, which I found kind of weak for that particular song.

 

[1001001]

Heartbeat City was their "owned the world" moment.

Yeah, that album sold 100 trillion copies. They were everywhere in 1984. I had 4th row seats at the Fabulous Forum for that tour.

I got thru 7 tracks on the way in to work. Keep on Knocking is very guitar heavy, like Strap Me In from Door To Door (my favorite song from that album), but not as catchy musically or otherwise. Still a really good song.

Free could have been my #2, as it's very catchy and strong in almost every way except the "Free" chorus, which I found kind of weak for that particular song.

Well, I like Keep on Knocking a lot. Probably my favorite track. The others ones I like are Blue Tip, Free, Sad Song, and Drag on Forever.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Obviously no Drive on that list, though that's always been the one that sounds the least like something Ric could do.

Might be because Benjamin Orr sings on it. Apart from the music being totally different from the usual The Cars style.

 

[1001001]

Obviously no Drive on that list, though that's always been the one that sounds the least like something Ric could do.

Might be because Benjamin Orr sings on it. Apart from the music being totally different from the usual The Cars style.

There are other Ben-Songs on the setlist.

Perhaps this one is just too identified with him? Maybe they just don't feel like playing it. I don't know.

Tonight is the night! I can't believe I'm going to see The Cars in a few hours....

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Like I said earlier, Drive is the one song I knew was Ben's. On the others, he sang a little more like Ric and I was never quite sure.

Make sure to give us a review of that show. It seems like they have all the dates so soon after the album hit, I didn't have the chance to make plans for Chicago.

 

[1001001]

I just got home from the Bay Area.

It was really fun to see these guys again. I'm glad I went and I'm glad we were part of it.

If it matters to anyone, be warned...SPOILERS AHEAD!





As for the show itself, it had positives and negatives. Being only the third show , there are still some kinks to work out. In the beginning the sound was kind of muddled. Not nearly as crisp and clear as The Cars normally are. That got it fixed about a third of the way through, and they sounded better and tighter as the night went on.

Except...when they tried to introduce a new song to the setlist they hadn't played the first two nights: Touch and Go. Man, they botched that pretty badly. They were so out of sync Ocasek didn't even sing the first section. They caught up to each other and straightened it out, and at the end of the song Ocasek turned to Elliott Easton and said sarcastically "Yeah, we've got that one down all right...."

Lastly, the show was very short. Even though they played 18 songs, it just under 90 minutes.

Now for the positives: the new songs sounded great, especially Free and Sad Song. And some of the old stuff was just so great to hear. Best Friend's Girl sounded so great, and Easton was right on the solo. He is a monster, and I don't care what anyone else says. He and Greg Hawkes have such great charisma and talent, it makes up for Ocasek's statue-like delivery. Ocasek's vocals sounded perfect, and he carried off Ben's songs quite nicely.

There were a couple of interesting choices that actually worked (I'm in Touch With Your World, I'm Not the One) a couple of deep cuts (Up and Down, Heartbeat City) that were really spectacular, and a smattering of the big hits (Let's Go, You Might Think).

A nice moment when Greg Hawkes picked up a bass that belonged to Benjamin Orr to play on a couple of songs, and he said "A tip of the hat to our friend Ben." It was a very nice moment. The bass stayed onstage the whole time.

Overall, a very fun night. We had a great time.



The complete setlist was:

1. Good Times Roll
   
2. Blue Tip
   
3. Since You're Gone
   
4. Up and Down
   
5. My Best Friend's Girl
   
6. Hits Me
   
7. Touch and Go
   
8. I'm in Touch With Your World
   
9. Keep On Knocking
   
10. You Might Think
    
11. Drag On Forever
    
12. Free
    
13. I'm Not the One
    
14. Sad Song
    
15. Heartbeat City
    
16. Let's Go
    

Encore

1. Moving In Stereo
2. Just What I Needed