A friend of mine works with the Bubbler (Reprise Records), so I've seen him perform twice. He is -IMHO- a solid, if unremarkable, singer. He is also -IMHO- a terrific entertainer.
I was actually favorably surprised by the SQ at both shows - particularly given that they were at the +/-20,000 seat Staples center in LA. Now, my expectation bar was set spectacularly low. Between ca. 1995 and ca. 2005 I saw zero arena shows because the SQ was generally so poor in the shows I'd attended <1995. I just concluded that arena shows were more often about spectacle than music, and for the most part that's not my cup of tea.
Since 2005, I have seen 4 shows at Staples (the 2 above and Fleetwood Mac twice). The SQ at all 4 was vastly superior to that which I remembered from the "old days". Fleetwood Mac's sound was -IMHO- shockingly good for high volume, high impact rock 'n' roll, and Bubble's was solid plus, for biggish band jazz. The acapella group that opens for Bubble was also handled pretty well by their sound squad.
Maybe it's just Staples, or maybe it's my own particularly low expectations, but I can't bitch about the SQ at the Bubble shows.
Marty
BTW, I though that Buble's band was solid thru and thru. They never attacked much challenging material, though. I don't think that this necessarily reflects on their capabilities, more likely it's a concession to audience taste and expectations.
I was actually favorably surprised by the SQ at both shows - particularly given that they were at the +/-20,000 seat Staples center in LA. Now, my expectation bar was set spectacularly low. Between ca. 1995 and ca. 2005 I saw zero arena shows because the SQ was generally so poor in the shows I'd attended <1995. I just concluded that arena shows were more often about spectacle than music, and for the most part that's not my cup of tea.
Since 2005, I have seen 4 shows at Staples (the 2 above and Fleetwood Mac twice). The SQ at all 4 was vastly superior to that which I remembered from the "old days". Fleetwood Mac's sound was -IMHO- shockingly good for high volume, high impact rock 'n' roll, and Bubble's was solid plus, for biggish band jazz. The acapella group that opens for Bubble was also handled pretty well by their sound squad.
Maybe it's just Staples, or maybe it's my own particularly low expectations, but I can't bitch about the SQ at the Bubble shows.
Marty
BTW, I though that Buble's band was solid thru and thru. They never attacked much challenging material, though. I don't think that this necessarily reflects on their capabilities, more likely it's a concession to audience taste and expectations.
