We went to see Eels in Glasgow last night, and while the gig itself was great there were two big problems for me. The first was the “support”, and the second was the giant bass-shaped hole in the loud stuff.
Support first. Like any self-respecting Eels fan I watched the BBC documentary “Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives” (about E’s dad) when it broadcast, and because I was somewhat the worse for wear at the time I watched it again a few days later. So it was a bit gutting to discover that the gig would be preceded by – yes! – “Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives” in full. Projected onto a billowing curtain that was too far forward for the first six rows to see it. I think for a UK tour at least, showing the programme was a bad call.
And then, the bass. Once again Eels are touring without a bassist, and while that’s obviously not a problem when they do stripped-down stuff it leaves a gaping bass-sized hole whenever the drums get going. Purely personal preference, I know, but I find bass-less music sounds really tinny and anaemic.
Good gig despite all that, though.