At their peak

[SILVERBEASTIE]

Having seen the Boys live 3 times, first way back in LTI era, then the round tour, and finally the Pageant tour, I think they peaked around 98, with HN, they just seemed to be on top on their game, and knew exactly what they wanted to do, like very settled with their sound. I know not everyone will agree with me on this, and it's taking nothing away from anything they have done before and after this era ( TT5B ). It be great if others shared their opinion on this. (y)

[cj hood]

Having seen the Boys live 3 times, first way back in LTI era, then the round tour, and finally the Pageant tour, I think they peaked around 98, with HN, they just seemed to be on top on their game, and knew exactly what they wanted to do, like very settled with their sound. I know not everyone will agree with me on this, and it's taking nothing away from anything they have done before and after this era ( TT5B ). It be great if others shared their opinion on this. (y)


i agree......HN wasn't my favorite........but it sounded like they put time into it.......TT5B sounded like it took a solid week to make......spread over 6 years of course.......

[dave790]

They're all different era's and theres things I love about all of them, but for me theres no time like the present (y)

["The Dude"]

Check your head - Ill Communication still defines them for me, and I saw them live from the Licensed ti Ill tour, all the way up to the present.

[djc1980]

ill communication era does it for me they did lollapolooza around that time and then started the TFC concerts in 96 even the way they dressed around then was cool

[brooklyndust]

i think in terms of style it was all about the cyh ic era, but in terms of a live performance and just having the energy and freshness, i think it would have to be HELLOOOOOOOOO NASTY

[Justin]

I liked the HN tour, but the IC tour was better. MMM fucked up some tracks during the HN tour(he has gotten better)

I also think sabotage and gratitude sounded better with adrock back in 94 than in 98-99.

I do think the instrumentals and hardcore material sounded better in the HN tour. It's just a matter of what you like and how you listen i guess.

[brooklyndust]

gratitude sounded so good during the hello nasty tour

never herd it sound better, turntables vs. bass

don't belive me listen to the sydney 99 version or tfc 98 version

[Kid Presentable]

I've spoken to a few people, and read accounts on here, that point to the Quadrophonic show at MSG in 1995 being the finest concert ever. By any group. Ever.
And let's not forget the underground pop-chart relevance the Beastie Boys had at this point. You could build a decent argument toward this being their peak.

Then there's the two stages of HN. The first was the review stage of the disc, where the group were playing festivals with a new D.J. In this instance the 'live' aspect really took off, but it needed a lot of work. It is worth noting at this point that while they were being lauded for the genius of HN, they were being lambasted for the shabbyness of the supporting gigs.

The second stage, though(99) was a different thing altogether. I saw them in February of that year, and they were on fire. The Glasgow show down the track was tight too, and the same magazines that flung shit at the performances where they wore lab coats now doled out 'Five Star' ratings to the Parisian gig where Mike D was the only one who bothered wearing the shirt and tie costume.

If you want an opinion, I think that there's very little to complain about now (although we always find a way :rolleyes: ) when you put everything in context. If you didn't like the album, at least admit Open Letter is one of the best B-Boys vids ever. We got some sick B-Sides with relative ease. The concerts were amazing for many reasons: the hip-hop heavy nature of the shows, the fact that they hadn't retired as it once had looked they would, the fact that they weren't dressing up as scientists but instead shouting out the culture that spawned them (the tracksuits are the collector's collectible) in their attire, the fact that MMM really knew what he was doing, and that the performance catered to more of our senses (although strangely, not smell).

If not now, then probably when the FFYR vid was released.

[dave790]

I've spoken to a few people, and read accounts on here, that point to the Quadrophonic show at MSG in 1995 being the finest concert ever. By any group. Ever.
And let's not forget the underground pop-chart relevance the Beastie Boys had at this point. You could build a decent argument toward this being their peak.

Then there's the two stages of HN. The first was the review stage of the disc, where the group were playing festivals with a new D.J. In this instance the 'live' aspect really took off, but it needed a lot of work. It is worth noting at this point that while they were being lauded for the genius of HN, they were being lambasted for the shabbyness of the supporting gigs.

The second stage, though(99) was a different thing altogether. I saw them in February of that year, and they were on fire. The Glasgow show down the track was tight too, and the same magazines that flung shit at the performances where they wore lab coats now doled out 'Five Star' ratings to the Parisian gig where Mike D was the only one who bothered wearing the shirt and tie costume.

If you want an opinion, I think that there's very little to complain about now (although we always find a way :rolleyes: ) when you put everything in context. If you didn't like the album, at least admit Open Letter is one of the best B-Boys vids ever. We got some sick B-Sides with relative ease. The concerts were amazing for many reasons: the hip-hop heavy nature of the shows, the fact that they hadn't retired as it once had looked they would, the fact that they weren't dressing up as scientists but instead shouting out the culture that spawned them (the tracksuits are the collector's collectible) in their attire, the fact that MMM really knew what he was doing, and that the performance catered to more of our senses (although strangely, not smell).

If not now, then probably when the FFYR vid was released.

Nice and insightful post, man (y)

[Kid Presentable]

Nice and insightful post, man (y)

Thanks Dave. By the way, as 'on fire' as they were in 99, they were ablaze in '05. :D

[paulb]

Well said Mir, Beasties have not yet reached their peak. And i really look forward to whats to come in the future. Although i do love the 92' days and the setlists back then. Although each tour is different, and I love every single one.

P

[SILVERBEASTIE]

In reply to the 2 above posts...as I stated, I'm taking nothing away from what they have done before ( all good ) or what they will do in the future..but when I say peak..EVERYONE reaches a peak at some point, your preferences is of course what you like, whether it be CYH or HN etc. Sure we never know what to expect from them next, I doubt even they know what they will do next..one of the things that make them who they are and so different to other bands, but, as I said, everyone peaks..for me it was around 98/99. I love all their stuff, always have, always will.

[paulb]

I knew what you meant mate, its all good. (y)

[Laver1969]

I personally think they peaked during the Aquatic Session...I mean how can you top the bubble machine with the whales crying...damn. That's inspiration.

:D

[cj hood]

Peak, schmeak. How can anyone possibly believe the Beastie Boys have reached their peak? Does anyone know what is yet to come? The Beastie Boys' future potential cannot be predicted or measured because they are not a predictable band.

Before last year, who would have guessed that the Beastie Boys would put out the most political album of 2004? Before 1996, who would have guessed that they would organize something as ambitious and important as the Tibetan Freedom Concerts? Before 1994, who would have guessed that Hornblower would storm the stage at the MTV Video Awards? Well...you might have seen that one coming. :D My point: They are crazy, wild, unpredictable people, and one cannot gauge what crazy, wild, unpredictable people will do next.

I think it's okay to say you like one album or tour more than another, but to say the band have reached a peak and imply there may be nothing better to come is insulting and wrong. They have a long-standing tradition of putting out shit that's worthwhile (even though we have to wait forever for it). They have earned that we should expect they will continue to do so.

Personally, I find them more interesting with each release. You certainly can't accuse them of being boring and all of their albums sounding similar, which is what happens with a lot of bands as they mature.


you're just tryin to make nice with yauch for trashin the dvd...

[laurie_hammy]

you're just tryin to make nice with yauch for trashin the dvd...

She only made a comment about the Brass Monkey vid. Chill dude.

[Justin]

I've listened to all the 98-99 performances of gratitude and i hated that they were scratching to it. The same goes for sabotage, (if its over done) it doesnt sound original and not how its supposed to sound.

I like everything mixmaster has done with playing diffrent samples and the scratching to diff tracks, but I think he should stay away from scratching so much to the live instrumental tracks.

I just like originality when it comes to the live instrumental tracks.

[SILVERBEASTIE]

So you're talking about your fandom peaking? Ok. You said, "I think they peaked around 98"; I interpreted that to be about the band's abilities.

I don't believe in levels or peaks of fandom. I'm either a fan or not a fan. There's no in-between for me. If I like a party, I stay. If I find a party to be boring, I leave. I don't stick around hoping the party will get better.



Are you accusing me of being insincere about what I wrote? :confused: You don't know me.

For the record, I didn't trash the dvd. I made a comment about the editing on the "Brass Monkey" video.

[SILVERBEASTIE]

Everyone hits a peak in their career, whether it be in music or in sports. I said IMO it was HN era..not saying my opinion is right. Yes BB will no doubt surprise us again when they release a 7th studio album, something probably different again, but in 24 odd years of being in the business, they would have peaked at some point. TT5B is a great album, but energy levels for me weren't the same as HN.

[mcamuto]

I've spoken to a few people, and read accounts on here, that point to the Quadrophonic show at MSG in 1995 being the finest concert ever. By any group. Ever.
And let's not forget the underground pop-chart relevance the Beastie Boys had at this point. You could build a decent argument toward this being their peak.

Then there's the two stages of HN. The first was the review stage of the disc, where the group were playing festivals with a new D.J. In this instance the 'live' aspect really took off, but it needed a lot of work. It is worth noting at this point that while they were being lauded for the genius of HN, they were being lambasted for the shabbyness of the supporting gigs.

The second stage, though(99) was a different thing altogether. I saw them in February of that year, and they were on fire. The Glasgow show down the track was tight too, and the same magazines that flung shit at the performances where they wore lab coats now doled out 'Five Star' ratings to the Parisian gig where Mike D was the only one who bothered wearing the shirt and tie costume.

If you want an opinion, I think that there's very little to complain about now (although we always find a way :rolleyes: ) when you put everything in context. If you didn't like the album, at least admit Open Letter is one of the best B-Boys vids ever. We got some sick B-Sides with relative ease. The concerts were amazing for many reasons: the hip-hop heavy nature of the shows, the fact that they hadn't retired as it once had looked they would, the fact that they weren't dressing up as scientists but instead shouting out the culture that spawned them (the tracksuits are the collector's collectible) in their attire, the fact that MMM really knew what he was doing, and that the performance catered to more of our senses (although strangely, not smell).

If not now, then probably when the FFYR vid was released.


That show was phenom and by far the best of 11 I have seen. I think the
beasties. I think in terms of 'concert draw' they were at their peak
during the 1995 Quad tour. They sold out the garden in minutes, coba arena in like 9 minutes and all other places that sold out real quick. In 98 they sold out some but not as fast and I saw some shows that were not fully sold out. And this past tour had good draws but not like in 95. I think they had the best crowd draw potential then. Who knows about the future but that 1995 tour they were really pulling them in and selling tickets at an alarming rate.

Ironically I was at the garden last night and like a total dork sat down in my same seat from the beastie show in 1995 (first time there since then) and like a scary hip hop flashback it all came back to me.

[SILVERBEASTIE]

I wish I'd have seen them in 95..sounds like they blew you away..as I've said..I've only seen them live in 3 eras ( LTI, HN, TT5B ), so I can only base my opinion on that. Had I seen them live in 95, who knows, maybe I'd agree with you.

[anthony]

Yeah Ive seen the beastie boys 87/92/92/94/95/96/98/BS2000/2004!!!
The Baddest Mo Fo's in the world. I conversed with those fools a couple of times when they were from LA and the I will never forget the time in Nov of 92 when they were at the Unive Amp, they ROCKED THE HOUSE! Luckily I got the bootleg to that show. My Kid (22 months) trips on that shit and knows every lyric to all the beats! SO STICK EM UP YALL!!

[SILVERBEASTIE]

Sounds like you're the envy of alot of BB fans..I know I ENVY YOU!