The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 17, 1979, Page Page 4, Image 4
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By David Baker
Entertainment Editor
Although the concert fell a
few hundred seats shy of
selling out, a crowd of over
11,500 filled the coliseum
Sunday night for the
somewhat-less-thantriumphant
return of Boston.
In the two years since their
first appearance in Columbia,
the group has gained a second
multi-platinum album, but it
has lost a great deal of on-stage
spontaneity.
The members of Boston had
only one album to draw
material from when they were
here in 1977, but even so, they
did not stretch out their songs
to make up for the slack. The
show was barely over an hour
long, but it made up for its
brevity by being tight, wellexecuted
and aurally exciting.
Sunday night's show,
however, was an altogether
different story. After an explosive
opening set that included
such favorites as "Rock
Rr Roll RanH "
Mind" and "Feelin' Satisfied,"
almost every tune had an
unnecessary guitar solo, an
unnecessary organ solo, or an
unnecessary drum solo, none
of which bore the slightest
resemblance to the songs into
which they were interjected.
The first, though hardly
foremost example of this
problem was the group's first
big hit, "More Than a
Feeling." The group played
through about two-thirds of the
song, and then while the other
band members took a break,
leader Tom Scholz pawed
away at his guitar for an
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inordinate length of time. After
Scholz' droning, the rest of the
group returned for a quick
chorus to let the audience know
that they had indeed been
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for over 10 minutes.
From 4'More Than a
Feeling," Boston segued to an
impressive version of "Don't
Look Back," with Barry
Goudreau joining Brad Delp on
vocals. The effect of the song
was diminished, though, by
having Scholz' sleep-inducing
nroan intprlnHp "Tho tnnr.
ney," tacked on at the song's
end (a problem which is also on
the album).
The restless crowd came to
its feet, however, with the first
few bars of "Smokin',M but
Scholz again put a damper on
the evening by donning a
Batman-like cape and injecting
the fiery number with
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the classical music that
iNorman jewison used to score
the film Rollerball a couple of
years ago. As Scholz was
banging away, a giant pipe
organ mock-up rose from the
rear of the stage, looking for all
the world like a bevy of nuclear
missiles on their way to the
moon.
Such an elaborate prop was a
surprise, considering the only
special effect used in the 1977
concert was a simple backdrop
of the Boston spaceship.
After Scholz' solo turns at
two different organs and a
lengthy drum solo, "Smokin' "
ended. It must have lasted only
15 minutes or so, but it certainly
seemed like an eternity.
Fortunately, it wasn't long
before the band rolled into
"Long Time" and regained
some of the magic they
displayed at the concert's
beginning. The crowd
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olz and Barry Got
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responded by calling Boston
back for not one, but four
encores, the first of which,
"Something About You," was
the evening's highlight.
As individual performances
go, Goudreau was superb on
guitar and provided sparkling
backing vocals to Delp, who at
times sounded rather strained.
Sib Hashian was more than
adequate on drums, but his
solos were totally lacking in
imagination.
Scholz' guitar and organ
wuiiv was quite goou wnen ne
wasn't playing alone, and
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SINGERS DANCERS INSTRU
TECHNICIANS
Seasonal Performers I
KINGS ISLAND, Cincinnati, OH I
CAROWINDS, Charlotte, NC Han
Preliminary and C
Univ. of So. Car
Fraser Hall, Frl.,
Carowinfls, Charlotte, NC,
10 A M to 8 PM , Pal
Round trip Jiri.ue p.?d for hired performers t
V._ KINGS PRODUCTIONS,
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bassist Fran Sheehan deserves
mention, if for no other reason
than his stamina. Honestly,
there were stretches of up to
five minutes where Sheehan
stood practically motionless
from the shoulders down, while
he shook his head with such
vehemence that it's a wonder it
did not pop off into the
audience's waiting hands.
Opening for Boston was
Sammy Hager, formerly of
Montrose. The less said about
his fifty-minute ear-piercing
symphony of guitar noises, the
better.
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MP- - i
MENTALISTS $ 170-S200/week
$150-$ 175/week
bring auditioned for
<ING5 DOMINION, Richmond, VA
n? Barbera i MARINELAND. LA, CA
all-Back Auditions:
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w.M \.UIUIIlUld
Jan. 19; 3-9 P.M.
Sat & Sun.. Jan 20 and 21,
adium Amphitheatre
raveling ovrr J'jO miles to work .it thp parks
Cincinnati. Ohio 45219 y