The Song Fight Bulletin Board

http://www.aldimeola.com/neu/index.php

Went to the show last night with a couple friends, never heard the guy. First, the opening band was typical freeform jazz crap, just three guys masturbating on stage for 30 minutes. Ed Soph was drumming though, so I guess that was cool. Anyway, that set me up for a real yawner of a show.

He finally comes out nearly an hour after he was billed to go on carrying a high-end PRS, the kind that go for >$10,000, so that lets me know he's probably a prick. They have an intermission planned for the show (~90 minute show, wtf?).

After two 'songs' consisting of him playing fast scales for 8 minutes, he goes to the mic and says "I want to play the best music possible, and to do that, the sound guys must be doing their job competently, which they're not, so I'm going to leave the stage and come back when everything is fixed." Drops his guitar, walks.

Wow.

Is that John Stamos?

What do you expect from a guy who did an album called Kiss My Axe?

Just for "The Devil's Advocate" perspective:

He obviously did something well enough once upon a time in his career to collect your money. If you were even minutely familiar with his work you could have expected nothing less than "...'songs' consisting of him playing fast scales for 8 minutes".

And today you get to complain about the show and make funny pictures of him with a guitarpenis ejaculating by his own hand guilt free.

And he has your money.

It's pretty close to being even.

EDIT: Oh and did he come back? Was the sound better? (No longer playing Devil's Advocate BTW, just curious)

Did he literally drop the guitar?

Maybe since he's trying to look like Russell Crowe on his Web site photo he's decided he should also try to act like Russell Crowe.

I saw him maybe 10 times in the 70s. Another amazing player who lost all passionate expression the faster he played. Out of Berkeley and into Return To Forever doing some pretty intense fussion. But since 1978 or so and his solo career...yawn...plus he is a prick. That sounds like a very disappointing situation right there.

i saw the original Return to Forever in the early 80's and he was pretty smokin. the whole band was in fact. but they are what they are - fusion jazz.

The Sober Irishman wrote:

So that's what a 10k Paul Reed Smith guitar looks like. Somehow I pictured them a little less penis'ish.

Dan-O from Five-O wrote:Just for "The Devil's Advocate" perspective:

He obviously did something well enough once upon a time in his career to collect your money. If you were even minutely familiar with his work you could have expected nothing less than "...'songs' consisting of him playing fast scales for 8 minutes".

And today you get to complain about the show and make funny pictures of him with a guitarpenis ejaculating by his own hand guilt free.

And he has your money.

It's pretty close to being even.

EDIT: Oh and did he come back? Was the sound better? (No longer playing Devil's Advocate BTW, just curious)

I didn't pay. Someone had bought tickets for a group and one of the group dropped out. So nyah.

He did come back on about 15 minutes later, and I guess it sounded better on stage, but it was noticeably worse in the house. Sound guys getting him back I guess.

My point was: Your job is to play. You can't halfass and take unplanned breaks because the environment isn't completely optimal. Further, calling out the sound guys on the mic was a huge douche move. Just say 'technical issues' or something. What a dick.

Dan-O from Five-O wrote:...did he come back? Was the sound better?

The Sober Irishman wrote:He did come back on about 15 minutes later, and I guess it sounded better on stage, but it was noticeably worse in the house. Sound guys getting him back I guess.

I've had the experience of playing at this club in Boston and the soundguy was so coked up and didn't have monitors working at all. I bitched at him right thru the mic and he got the situation fixed damn quick.

Al DiMeola is definitely a prick, but I'm sure he's had his share of dumbass coked-up soundguys who get so complacent with the house sound that they spend more time with their thumbs up there asses and their noses to the mirror, than with their thumbs on the plugs and dials.

not to mention, said soundguy is fed up with dealing with pain-in-the-ass bitchy musician and it becomes a nasty snowball.

That picture with the "C.H.I.P.S." sunglasses makes me want to punch the screen.

Hey Look: You can go on Al DiMeola's Messageboard and post that pic of him...should I? should I?

If you'd like to host the image yourself, feel free.

The Sober Irishman wrote: My point was: Your job is to play. You can't halfass and take unplanned breaks because the environment isn't completely optimal.

Yes - spot on. You are right - he is a dick.