- Set 1:
- Encore:
- Shattered (Turn the Car Around)
- Program Director
- City on Down (Organ Intro)
Entire show with MikelParis on keys, percussion, and vocals.
Recordings No recordings available. Check back later.
Reviews Venue? Crowd energy? 115 degree heat? I don't know what it was but this was the weakest performance from OAR I've experienced. I love this band and enjoy the older songs, as well as the new, but Marc looked tired last night! Crowd was throwing energy but nothing like what was felt at Celebrity Theater for the past two years. Dodge Theater was great when I took my kids to see Elmo and Friends but not good enough for OAR's up close and personal vibe! The sound was too low, too flat, and well, not up to par! Nevertheless, I will continue to see this band play.
7/4/08: After reconcidering how much I enjoy this band, I had a great time at the concert. The new arrangement of Lay Down is fantastic! -AZRisen June 30, 2008
Was not at the show, but looking at the setlist, I cannot imagine a poor show. Living in the End? RATTTOWT? This Town opener? City on Down closer? God -TheWanderer27 June 30, 2008
Date- June 29, 2008 O.A.R. w. Jeremy Fisher Dodge Theatre, Phoenix, AZ w. Jen, Morgan, Brian, Blake
Rating:
Crowd- 9
Length- 7.5
Venue- 8.5
Music- 9
Closeness- 7
Overall Experience- 8
We all got to Dodge well before the show started and took our seats. Dodge Theatre has a nice ambiance and seating before the show makes waiting more bearable. Jeremy Fisher came out and played a short but entertaining set with songs mainly from his new album Goodbye Blue Monday. Fisher blends Paul Simon-esque vocals, with a Dispatch-y style three piece band to create very enjoyable songs. He doesn’t have an incredible live performance, but is certainly worth seeing and regardless, his new album is worth checking out. ‘High School’ ‘Cigarette’ and ‘Scar...Heals’ are especially catchy.
Jeremy Fisher setlist
Jolene
Cigarette
Scar That Never Heals
Lay Down
Sula
American Girls
Summer of ’69 (intro)
Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel cover)
High School
After twenty minutes or so, O.A.R. came out and opened with one of their new tracks ‘This Town.’ ‘Dareh Meyod’ was next and I especially like the 34th and 8th style intro. ‘About an Hour Ago’ was my first highlight. After several more songs, ‘Hey Girl’ took the crowd to an entirely new level. Somewhat surprisingly O.A.R. doesn’t always play ‘Hey Girl’ so I was pleased we got to see it.
‘Poker’ has got to be one of the best concert songs being toured this decade. It is simply one of the most engaging, powerful songs I have ever heard live. There simply isn’t much to say that hasn’t been said about this song. ‘Love and Memories’ perhaps their most radio friendly tune was the closer, and after a short (too short) encore cheer, they came back and played current single ‘Shattered’ followed by the reggae influenced ‘Program Director’. ‘City On Down’ was last with an extended intro, and before we knew it, the show was over.
This is a hard show for me to review. On one hand, O.A.R. is a very talented band who I enjoy listening very often and who I have a ton of respect for. They blend multiple instruments, different sounds, positive and unique lyrics, a relatively engaging performance, and catchy, well known songs to create, perhaps, my most “perfect†live band. At least in theory. Of course on the other hand, I feel we saw a rather standard show. They didn’t give as much energy as they did last year and some of their newer songs simply aren’t that good. The show wasn’t nearly as long as I would have expected (13 songs main set, 16 total; about 90 minutes total performance time) and some notable songs (‘Black Rock’ ‘About Mr. Brown,’ others, although this is being unnecessarily picky; my bigger complaint was simply length in general).
Before I make the next comment, let me first note that I prefer to go to shows where bands mix up the setlists. It makes shows much more interesting for those weird people who research setlists. However, and this is only my humble, non-musician-and-therefore-not-at-all-educated opinion, but I think, from my experience, that it is more enjoyable to have a show peak near the end. This is usually accomplished by saving a crowd favorite for last (or near to last) to build anticipation. I think the crowd’s energy and the band’s energy peaked right during and between ‘Hey Girl’ and ‘Poker.’ That’s fine except, as the show went on, the crowd, with some exceptions, seemed to lose a little life, and the band did too. During the intro to ‘Love and Memories’ there was a definite revival, but besides that, from ‘Poker’ to the end, I felt a little let down.
I didn’t know anything about O.A.R. (besides ‘Poker’) before spring of last year at the Tempe Music Festival. As soon as I saw them, I knew I needed to get their entire catalog. I just totally loved their music. So when I saw they were touring and releasing a new album, I was pretty excited. Until I heard the songs. I was disappointed in how remarkably late 1990s, boy bandish they sounded and looked. Fortunately O.A.R. has a deep back catalog that will continue to support their touring careers. People respond incredibly well to ‘Poker’ ‘Hey Girl’ ‘I Feel Home’ and many others. And the new songs aren’t as bad as I’ve portrayed them. But they’re not that great either. I am not saying “Don’t buy this album†or “You won’t like their live show.†Instead let me encourage anyone to listen to some songs first and remember this is a band that has evolved (I would argue in a negative direction but that is purely taste I suppose) since their live CDs from several years ago and Stories of a Stranger.
Check out this and other reviews and setlists at
http://www.myspace.com/lizzzzardking -ekstewie1441 July 2, 2008
If you think Stories of a Stranger represents O.A.R, you musn't know them very well. Their new CD is way better than Stories of a Stranger. I bet O.A.R gets frustrated with people that complain that new music is different than the old music. Sure the old stuff is great, but you can;t expect a band like O.A.R to not evolve. Their music is way more complex and in my opinion, just as good as the oldies. You can't expect them to stay in the basement forever.
I think this show suffered from the choice of venue. I think it is to spread out and formal for O.A.R. They have played Celebrity Theater for the past couple years which have been perfect. No limit on who can go into the pit and being litereally feet away from the band and inches from every other person in the house makes the shows more intimate and way more exciting. The length of the show was normal, I thought it was pertty bad ass. Especially the drum interlude in Lay Down.
I dunno, reading the review above mine kinda pissed me off cause people get way to intense on rating this band and their shows. Just be happy and listen to the music. -nlturner July 11, 2008
I saw O.A.R. in Anaheim two nights before at the House of Blues and then at Dodge. I was actually more disappointed with their choice of song selection at HOB. I thought the Dodge show was GREAT! I met the band after the show and found out that Marc was actually sick. I thought he did a terrific job for being sick, but probably why people think the energy lacked. GREAT SHOWS!!! Will ALWAYS see them in concert!!!! -OARnut July 21, 2008