AdamH Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Well on a whim Saturday me and some friends went to check out what I THOUGHT was an $8 show at Zaphod's: Mark Robertson of Bullfrog. That's about as clear as things would get however. we got to the door and found out that cover was 15 bucks, because it was actually Mark Robetson AND Bullfrog. Apparently Kid Koala was playing too. so we bit the bulet and paid the most cover I've paid at Zaphod's thus far. Bullfrog is one of those bands that's been a slippery slope for me. The first time I saw them in Guelph they knocked me over. Best white guy funk I'd seen in a while. Subsequent shows have been good but disappointingly monotonous and repetitive...there were no new songs and after the 6th "Moon River" seque I was getting teary-eyed from yawning. Alright back to Saturday. SO we go an sit down and this Remy Shand type character with reflective sunglasses starts playing lo-fi electric guitar and a kick drum. Interesting...but too bad he only played 4 songs! This being Zaphod's with such a strict curfew you'd think they'd try and keep to their start time...doors were at 8 and the opener was on at 9:15 or so. ANyway I beleive this was Mark Robertson who played four songs solo and then brought the rest of the band out. Well surprise surprise 90% of the show was EXACTLY THE SAME as the last time I saw them. Many folks were visibly pissed. There's a new EP coming out soon so there were a few new tracks which were ok, but I'd say this band is just about done for a while. And to make matters worse the usual Saturday night DJ wasn't there after 11:00 so the mix wasn't as fun as usual. Boo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 You know you are dead right about these guys. They should be embarrassed. The sad thing is they are all really good musicians Mark, Joanna, Santiago, Massimo, James (BluRum) Eric (Koala). But for whatever reason they have totally sat on their laurels and blown total cheddar for really years now. The thing about Bullfrog is that they’re a true band not just Eric’s side project, they are old friends, they have equality. If there were a bandleader it would more likely be Mark than Eric which is what you are getting at in part. Some bands have their artistry together, some their business some both and some neither. Of course Bullfrog is a shining example of not having it together. They should be embarrassed. Still when I heard they were playing Evolve I didn’t get it, they went on after the Slip which has to be tough on the best of days and they really rose to the occasion- rain teeming down and it was perfect. They are such good players especially the rhythm section but again they should be embarrassed. I don’t get these fu©king bands full of pros that play THE EXACT SAME SET NIGHT AFTER NIGHT (WHO THE fu©k DO YOU THINK YOU’RE KIDDING?). I guess they just count on the fact that new audience’s of fans are just going to come and choke on the cover and hopefully no one will see them more than once in a year let alone a week or month. I would guess they insert the same jokes into their segues between songs a la Reba McIntyre too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Well... I don't know why you expected an $8 show when tickets have been on sale and the show has been advertised for at least a month at $15.. Didn't see the opener but heard it was Robertson... I thought this show was much much better than the last 2 times I'd seen them (no Moon River thankfully). They still don't really do it for me, but I had a better time than other shows. I saw no visibly pissed people (I'm assuming you mean pissed = angry). I was visibly pissed (pissed = drunk) :: Sorry you didn't have that great a time. They're a pretty touch and go band. And I'll agree that $15 is waay too much for Bullfrog. I'd saw they're in the $8-10 range for sure. AD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gentlemonkey Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 The drummer is super talented, as is the percussionist and kidkoala, robertson is ok, but i think blurum's mid range Qtip impression wears thin quick for anyone who knows the real thing. He reminds me of one of the early casaulties in Mortal Kombat( the movie )- maybe its the hair. The gimmics that worked the first time, are nauseating the 2nd and especially 3rd time. Blargh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 New drummer Saturday night (his 2nd show with them) and Blurum hasn't played with them for over a year I think... AD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 You nailed it monkey. Much worse could be said of these cats. Keep the trash coming I am going to forward them the link so they know that even the people on their side aren't buying this watered down uninventive shite. Who the fu©k do they think they're kidding is my question? Who the fu©k do they think they're kidding and are they even fooling themselves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Except GM's post is dealing with the antics of a guy who doesn't even perform with them any more... AD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gentlemonkey Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 ooops!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 He only made a glancing blow in their direction and it was quite easy. I wouldn't even try and pull out my top drawer wrang fest sh!t on these guys because it would be like beating up a small child with down syndrome (okay I meant to say a retarded kid). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\/\/illy Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 I've only seen them about three times but I've enjoyed it every time. The first time was at Le Swimming in Montréal. They played to an empty room but I was impressed. The second time was after The Slip at Evolve. I agree: They really pumped us up in that god-awful rain. The last time I saw them was at The Casbah last year. The room was quite packed (a young crowd), BluRum was not with them, and I thought that Mark and the boys played well and put on a good show. I am saddened by their stagnation though. I thought they really had potential; I just wish they'd step up to the plate and recognize some of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 I like the part in your first post where you criticize the band and talk about 6 players, when only 3 of the 6 you mentioned are still playing with them. And yes it is 100% Mark Robertson's band. Koala is just a sideman. AD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted October 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 AD I was standing stage right next to 3 groups of people I didn't know..at various points I heard them all say "they haven't changed it up at all" or "this is the same show I saw last time". I may have had my lines crossed with tix but I swore it was listed in last week's Xpress as 8 bucks..this was either corroborated by my friends or we're all stupid which is quite possible. I should stay mum about the price since I did actually go in, but for a dollar more could have seen The Weakerthans and the Constantines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Ah well. Yeah, I guess it was a ho-hum show for sure. Too expensive, you're right. What's with the people up front not knowing how to blow bubbles?? (Heh.. The reason I missed the opener was because I was at Capital seeing the Constantines.. Gotta love being friends with the staff :: ) AD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaggyBalls Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 I first heard Bullfrog briefly on college radio. Thought it was pretty cool and decided to check em out in London. The First time I saw them I was blown back. I thought they were tight, slick, and had their sh!t together. I went to see them again, hoping it'd be better (months pass and musicians improve...usually) but it wasn't as good as the first show, it had less people than before (but the band was riding more popularity...strange) and there was less life to the show...the same 'freestyles' - the idea isn't to use the same gimmicks and call them fresh. then i thought 'okay - this must be a fluke' and I went to a 3rd show, still increasing ticket price, lamer audience than before, and it was a crappy show. this was pre-mark robinson headline. i was fed up and after the show i wrote a letter to their manager. i dont' know where i put it but it's somewhere...if i find it i'll post it. the reply i got said that they were going to take a break and retool the show...still missing my point that it's not about one show, it's about every show. not worth 15 bucks when you can see the constantines and the weakerthans for a dollar more. garage sale... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Oh they definitely reTOOLed the show. You can just tell from that response that they don't get it. Either you play an engaging live show and mix it up or you don't. Stop blurring the lines, you're a canned bullshit band like every other canned bullshit band- stop trying to pass yourself off as legit. To your point about 3 of 6 members being gone hell yeah you're right. They can't even keep their oldest friends in the band so why would I want to go see them. It is all so incredibly lame and desperately in need of sending up it isn't even funny. Maybe someone should start like a website that's a fictional newspaper that talks a bunch of trash about so-called jambands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 They can't even keep their oldest friends in the band so why would I want to go see them. Haha, yeah that's a good point... I bet the other 3 won't even pay $15 ::Almost talked Koala and Santiago into having sushi with me after the show, but instead I showed them the poutine shack and it was all over. Plus if I ate sushi I would have been horribly sick. All over the Koala. And nobody wants that.AD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Last time I saw them in Toronto at the Mod Club it was disgustingly bad. Their lineup had changed and no longer included the rapper dude. The music was lame generic pop rock. The crowd was super disapointed. At one point the whole band left the stage sulking and kid koala explained to the crowd that "it's about the songs tonight". The band came back out and did a couple more lame tunes. Mocked what little of the old material that they did play, that the crowd was so hungry for... Not only was it a lame show, but also very poor showmanship, I lost all my respect for that band. That's the only time I've been to a show and wished I could have my money back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaggyBalls Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 bullfrog never touted themselves as a jamband...Zero...i think you're going the way of indie rock sometimes - especially when you call them a jamband. they're just a 'groovy' band. a live experience that's a spin off of kid koala's turntablism. Just because they get exposure on a jamband website doesn't mean they're a jamband or call themselves one. but you're right...they're going the way of the mediocre jamband...getting less respect daily by people that once dug them. you should make the mock paper. maybe you're onto something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Sometimes your grasp on sarcasm or lack thereof blows my mind Beats. There was a mock newspaper about so-called jambands and it was called Northern Heads. Bullfrog is not a jamband and I wasn't saying they are only that there is an overlap with that audience. Bullfrog is still really blowing choda hard though- that much has not changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 i was fed up and after the show i wrote a letter to their manager. i dont' know where i put it but it's somewhere...if i find it i'll post it. you have a knack for that sorta thing, eh? :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezy Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 I saw Bullfrog (for the first time) at the jazzfest this year and was extremely disapponted. It was adult contemporary cheese wizz. Not my cup of tea - not even my parents cup of tea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaggyBalls Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 I'd read it. I'm sure a lot of people here would read it. If there was a discussion forum it could get nice and messy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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