Topic: Over the top shows

[blackrose]

Does everybody like this idea? I mean people dressing up in costumes, stage props, belly dancers etc. Cool idea to do a few times but seems a little over the top. I don't know if Therion should be like Brittany Spears or Alice Cooper. I think it should be more about the music and less about all the smoke and mirrors. Instead of paying a belly dancer why not a violenist or something? Watching all these videos I think it doesn't fit Therion too well. I mean cool to do for the moment but is this the future of Therion?

I guess though I really liked the idea of a keyboardist and a truly live album without the tapes. But they'll probably take that in the studio and edit it to death like Live Gothic so then its pointless. The live with symphony was incredible to do as well.

[The One]

Well, Rosie, over the top shows were what came with Gothic Kabbalah.
As Chris has stated, Therion changes with every era. So who knows, we might be getting a more "regular" show with the next album, or they might as well turn it into "Therion: The Musical"... You never know...

[Lasse]

IMHO the GK tour was not over the top, I think it was done with good taste, but the Anniversary one was a bit ridiculus in terms of costumes and such. Not the whole thing, but this fake evil glamour kinda thingy is totally... Well... Fake. I really don't like Snowy's influence on this.

[The One]

I really don't like Snowy's influence on this.

Based on what I've seen, I have to agree.
But as Chris says, they play for pleasing themselves, and for the sake of art.

[Blackthrone]

I really don't like Snowy's influence on this.

Based on what I've seen, I have to agree.
But as Chris says, they play for pleasing themselves, and for the sake of art.

correct 

[deathmetalpat]

Speaking of over the top a few people in the America therion crowds at small club shows come dressed as ferries ,eleves,trolls and various other costumes.The crowd is more interesting than the band because we get a stripped down show.Does this kind of activity go on at European shows?

[blackrose]

That was there normal clothes and faces. I don't think they were dressing up

[Majestic Beast]

I liked the whole concept of stage scenery and costumes, think it brought fun to the shows. I'm pretty aware this wasn't supposed to sound serious in any way.

Snowy opening the book gave a peculiar touch to Schwarzalbenheim.

[Symphoniker]

Well...uhmm..Not really..The bok..uhmm..contained the lyrics..so...uhmm..It was kind of dumb

[blackrose]

I like the book but that confused me. I wondered "does he not have the lyrics memorized or is it for style" Anyway they had the book back in the old shows when bald guy was singing (I don't remember seeing him on the videos... I thought he was at the anniversary tour??) anyway I don't think any one thing by itself was bad it was just getting to be too many things. Getting too far away from the music itself. Though I was the one who bragged about the way Alice Cooper shows were put on. It just doesn't seem to work as well for Therion. Though it wasn't bad, it just doesn't seem like what Therion is.

I agree though I think on the Live Gothic CD is was a pretty good show. Just as I watched all these online videos after a while it was like some of these shows are just getting absurd, like on the Aldruna tour.

It's kind of like I was saying with adding drum beats to classical music. You have the lights flashing, you have a girl dancing around, you have people acting and putting on a show and fog and 101 things going on it starts to distract from the music. Though I guess in small doses enhances it.

I think most of the guys are staring at lori and the women are staring at snowy now anyway lol

[Thomas V]

Does everybody like this idea? I mean people dressing up in costumes, stage props, belly dancers etc. Cool idea to do a few times but seems a little over the top. I don't know if Therion should be like Brittany Spears or Alice Cooper. I think it should be more about the music and less about all the smoke and mirrors. Instead of paying a belly dancer why not a violenist or something? Watching all these videos I think it doesn't fit Therion too well. I mean cool to do for the moment but is this the future of Therion?

I guess though I really liked the idea of a keyboardist and a truly live album without the tapes. But they'll probably take that in the studio and edit it to death like Live Gothic so then its pointless. The live with symphony was incredible to do as well.

Hello Blackrose!
I see your point but I dont agree. For me personally its important that you go and SEE a band play live. Not only hear it! And I think and hope that Therion shows will get even bigger and more flamboyant in the next ten years to come. Of course the show should never overshadow the music. But the fact is that we sing and play the same with or without the  make up, costumes, and stageprops. It sounds the same. The idea is to give the audience a little more for the money. I like the philosophy: "Less is not more! MORE is more!!"  But of course Blackrose its just a matter of taste. And who knows. Maybee we will go out some tour with just T-shirts and jeans and wing it. I recpect your opinion but I dont agree!
Best wishes your servant and singer Thomas Vikström

[deathmetalpat]

Let us all hope that the next Therion album stirs alot of interest in the band so they can put together a nice big show and play places with alot of sqaure footage on stage.Nothing like Pink Floyd's Wall shows but the dancers and back drop from Live gothic were very nice.

[blackrose]

That was what I meant about making an album that sells well so they can pay for everything. Not many bands are willing to put so much effort into doing so many great things like the symphony show. It seems like the really good material that like even other musicians enjoy just isn't that popular in comparison to some other things.

Just buy lots of T-shirts and fan club memberships and such.

[Frenkie]

So basically you're asking them to sell out?
Become pop crap of which we have 15 in a dozen?

The main reason I respect most rock and metal bands are because they stay true to their believes and make music they like (which is also the music I like). I would hate the idea of a band like Therion making music like, let's say Linkin'Park because it sells!

I prefer 1 good band which is small over 15 bands that sell out but suck.

[deathmetalpat]

Not selling out just sell some albums would be nice.If this were 20 years or so ago Therion would be able to sell 10 times as many cd's as they do today but downloading and to much watering down of music has hurt them.Alot of bands 20 years ago were able to sell half a million coipies of one album but still only have a small loyal fan base.Besides if you were to ask alot of now what is old-school death metalers, Therion sold-out a long time ago.

[blackrose]

Yeah make one album that is commercially successful out of 20 that is not bad on the fans. Such an album is still good to listen to. This would give more to the fans because there would be more money for stuff like live with symphony. I doubt Therion will make much of a profit off that. The tour in North America they lost money for example.

I will keep telling Therion to put out a bunch of crappy mp3s before the new album is released (which is what almost all the major bands are doing now). This will discourage some downloading. With Gothic Kabbalah and previous albums they didn't do it. I could easily download the whole album before it was even released in the U.S. All you have to do is flood the internet with mp3s that cut off at the end or in the middle say "you are listening to the new --- album". So its good to listen to, but also you want more so you buy the album. But even with this with a enough effort you can still find the downloads.

The music industry is more competitive than ever. You not only have downloading but 100 times more bands than before. And each year the standards are higher for new bands. They must be better or different from bands 10 years ago. Or in some cases of sold out music just spend a lot more on advertising and putting sex in their music or whatever sells it.

I realized a second thing about sales. The stores determine a lot of sales. Like the store around here carries some Therion albums but not others.

But wasn't this topic on another thread and not this one? lol

[Grotesquè]

What?
Therion's profit does not come from the selling of CD's and merchandise. They just get a small piece of that cake. It only hurts the producers. A bands profit is a result of their live shows. That's where they make their money.

[blackrose]

That is true. It all goes together. CD sales increase people at shows. Doing shows increase CD sales. T-shirts and other things are more profitable than CDs, but you need strong CD sales to stay signed. But with a good selling CD= income for life. You can retire on it if you have royalties. Doing shows you earn the money and its usually spent the same year.

Most hip hop artists and such suprisingly do almost no live shows. All their money is basically CD sales. Heavy Metal relies more on live shows and more fans go to the shows. Classical even worse. The CDs sell almost nothing and only live performances pay.