What is this "Great Cycles Spectacles" shit? Is it an album?

they were a lot of fun at Vibes.

Sound is totally different. Very laptop'y. It's a "smoother" sound than the ~00 funk. Lots of haters of the new era, but I'll be catching them tour. I still dig what they do. Though, watching two or three guys at the same time on laptops is not really my bad. Even Zach Velmer has a lapper on his kit. I prefer their all acoustic shows they've done a few times the last few years because they are all actually playing their respective instruments.

Great guys , but paying to see someone check their e-mail is just not my style.

They've been playing very well is the consensus out there right now.

I was never a fan of STS9 but that acoustic stuff sounded pretty good!

I got my 2-pack for Best Buy NYC. Tickets are like $28. I always have fun.

I think they are better now than ever but I have always enjoyed their music.

10.24.12
Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, TN

10.25.12
The Fillmore
Charlotte, NC

10.26.12
Fox Theatre
Atlanta, GA

10.27.12
Fox Theatre
Atlanta, GA

10.30.12
The National
Richmond, VA

10.31.12
Tower Theater
Upper Darby, PA

11.01.12
House of Blues
Boston, MA

11.02.12
Best Buy Theater
New York, NY

11.03.12
Best Buy Theater
New York, NY

my FAVORITE band for several years. have left disappointed every show i have gone to since 08. band in a midlife crisis and just makes bangers for kids that were born the same time that the band was formed 15 years ago. also dont give a shit about their fans by canceling their re:gen festival without reason (several people i new bought plane tickets) and murph repeatedly on facebook and interviews say trashing old fans that want the band to play like they used to. will probably never pay to see this band again.

Saxton Waller on lights is on par with Kuroda. Yes, I said it. A totally different lighting style, but equally as innovative and creative.

I used to love this band. Haven't seen them in a couple of years. Everytime someone says "they're back! Check out this show!" I check it out and it's shit. At one point they were able to form a very special connection with their audience during their live shows. Now they follow a business model that involves cashing in on the popularity of the electronic music scene by throwing all of these "events" for spun teenagers. They're not coming to my town, so I guess 2012 will be another year without STS9. I still listen to their old shit a lot. I'm not saying they should keep playing the same shows they played 10 years ago, they should evolve and change their sound. But they're doing it wrong. Doesn't matter to them I guess, I'm not in their target demographic anymore.

Not really. I'm a big STS9 fan too but that's probably the biggest change they've undergone since I started seeing them (2003). Dude is a shell of what he used to be in terms of speed and technicality. And its effected their music a lot. People say its "dumbed down" but really its just more composed, simple music (more predictable) than they used to create and they've tried to make up for it by creating a light show with LEDs and other visual stimulation, a "spectacle". In my opinion aside from their "axe the cables" shows which the most recent one was really awesome, they're just sort of boring. If you're going to see them once or twice a year (especially if you pick a cool place like Holidaze) then you'll leave happy and get your money's worth. If you've seen them in their prime then you're probably not gunna like what they're doing in 2012 (Cycle Spectacles) and if you hit too many shows (like 2 or more) you're probably gunna bitch.

With all that said, still can't say enough good things about "Axe the Cables" especially the most recent incarnation that happened at the Saratoga winery. It was basically Phipps on a grand piano, Zack on a scaled down kit, Murph on an acoustic bass and Hunter with a guitar / Jeffree with close to his normal percussion set up, no computers and it was very organic, funky and great. They even did a cover of Sympathy for the Devil which was pretty good and very fun. But the highlight was definitely a super funky Wika.

So in a nutshell, go to one GCS show and see if you like it. I can't recommend anymore than that.

used to love sound tribe, not a fan at all anymore.

Random post but i love "Golden Gate" off When the Dust Settles