“Making it” in the music industry is a Herculean task these days and being signed to a major label seems to mean absolutely nothing for a band’s financial position (see Tim Quirk’s article on how much money Too Much Joy HASN’T made over the years). As such, I admire any major label band that breaks from the ‘traditional’ release cycle of a shrink-wrapped product at a big box retailer.

Coheed & Cambria have made available soundboard live recording from their current Neverender: SSTB Tour through their online webstore which are available on both a USB drive and as a digital download. When Pearl Jam started releasing all of their shows on CD a few years ago, I was doubtful there was a market for so many live albums but I’ve obviously been proven wrong. These Coheed and Cambria shows are available as MP3’s but, before anyone ‘panics’ that they aren’t FLAC, they are recorded at 320kps and the recording engineer has done a nice job of capturing the clarity and precision of the band’s music and blending this with the excitement of their live performance.

Outside of a few metal festivals, I really don’t go to arena shows anymore. I think that I’ve gotten to a point in life where overpriced nosebleed seats and drunken audience sing-alongs just aren’t that enjoyable. As such, I’m probably part of the demographic that this type of offering is targeted to. I picked up a copy of Coheed’s April 11th show from Stubb's in Austin, TX (27 tracks – approx. 2 hours and 20 minutes) and I can clearly hear every guitar note and every vocal line without having to schlep out to (i.e.) Jones Beach with 5,000 other Coheed and Soundgarden fans. The $15 cost of this download seems worth it in comparison to the $52 price per ticket (to sit in the very back of the pavilion). Sadly, just avoiding the concession and parking fees more than pays for this download.

I don’t think there is much point in trying to review this live show (especially this far after the show) as you are either a fan of the band or you aren’t and the band doesn’t break from their established sound in the live arena. The set list (below) consists of one song from Travis Stever's solo project Davenport Cabinet (which kicks off the set), an acoustic set (that includes a new song "Iron Fist") which leads into a complete electric run-through of Second Stage Turbine Blade and the band closes out the set with an acoustic version of "Elf Tower New Mexico" which was a bonus track on the reissue of Second Stage Turbine Blade.

Acoustic set:
Nostalgia in Stereo (Davenport Cabinet acoustic)
Always and Never
Mother Superior
Pearl
Iron Fist
Milkfoot
Who Watches the Watchman
Happy Birthday V Man
Juggernaut
Wake Up

SSTB:
Second Stage Turbine Blade
Time Consumer
Devil In Jersey City
Everything Evil
Delirium Trigger
Hearshot Kid Disaster
33
Junesong Provision
Neverender
God Send Conspirator
I Robot

Encore:
Far
Ten Speed (Of God's Blood And Burial)
No World For Tomorrow
Welcome Home
The Black Rainbow

Encore 2:
Elf Tower New Mexico (Acoustic)

I still wonder if there are people who bought every Pearl Jam live disc as I don’t think I need more than this show from the current tour but this is a pretty solid tour souvenir.

Coheed & Cambria Tour Dates:
June 11 - Brooklyn Waterfront, FREE headlining show with Adrian Belew Power Trio & Tigers Jaw

With SOUNDGARDEN
July 02 – Toronto, ON – Molson Canadian Amphitheater
July 03 – London, ON – John Labatt Center
July 06 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
July 08 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
July 09 - Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
July 10 – Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center for the Performing Arts

Links:
Coheed and Cambria