Glasgow Review - The Guardian

[Parkey]

Beastie Boys

SECC, Glasgow

James Smart
Monday December 6, 2004
The Guardian

One day, perhaps, the Beastie Boys will act their age. Tonight the rap trio, all pushing 40, sport wonky baseball caps and customised Adidas tracksuits, which they remove to reveal T-shirts championing their favourite board games. Standing on a huge stage in front of a roaring, mostly male crowd, they look like overgrown street urchins fronting a frat party.
Longtime cohort Mix Master Mike mans the decks with predictable dexterity, coaxing scratches, squeals and some enormously heavy beats as he spins his way through the Beasties' back catalogue. Much of new record To the 5 Boroughs is given an airing, and its old-school samples and "New York!" shout-outs go down well. Later, the band dress as a festive lounge act for a live interlude, and appear in the crowd for a storming Intergalactic.

These departures from the standard hip-hop format help keep things interesting. It's a shame, then, that the band seem too withdrawn to truly enjoy themselves. MCA slouches around the stage looking vaguely uninterested, as if waiting for the crowd to impress him rather than the other way round. That's not a great attitude for an arena gig, where false gestures are far better than no gestures at all. It bleeds into the group's stagecraft, where, despite some nice interplay and fake karate moves, the trio often look content to meander in and out of each other's personal space, muttering in-jokes.

During breaks while they get their breath back, the big screens show footage from just before the gig, in which an assortment of tipsy or pre-pubescent fans say how much they're looking forward to hearing Fight for Your Right. The band encore with a punchy Sabotage instead, but seem unable to escape the fact that while they favour jazzy samples and good causes, many of their fans still want rampant gooning and rap metal. The problem may not be that the Beasties haven't grown up, but that their fans won't let them.

At Manchester Arena (0870 190 8000) on Monday and Wembley Arena (0870 264 0264) on Tuesday.

Link

[enree erzweglle]

"That's just nitpicking, isn't it?"

[na§tee]

this "age" thing really pissed me off.
seriously, because you push 40 does that mean you have to stay inside all day, wearing slippers, stroking a cat and wearing cardigans? perhaps nipping out once or twice to have a game of b-ball (har!)? jesus!

[Freebasser]

That review was bollocks. NEVER trust anything broadsheet newspapers say about music. Papers like The Guardian and The Times employ stuffy conservatists with no musical taste (I think they screen them for it, and if they show up positive they're kicked out of the interview).

Oh and I was not drunk when they filmed me, and I have plenty of pubes so they can just fuck off

[LoriLee]

Well, I would pay good money to see those "pushing 40" year olds even when they are using walkers and wearing dentures....not only would I pay to see them perform I would still find them to be the hottest grandpa's around.

[wavin_goodbye]

i actually liked that review.. it was perhaps a bit harsh.. but often did speak the truth.. with good bite too.

[Beckalina]

Originally Posted by Parkey

MCA slouches around the stage looking vaguely uninterested, as if waiting for the crowd to impress him rather than the other way round.

why does everyone think that about MCA, ok not everyone, but a lot of people say that. I think he brings great atmosphere to the stage, maybe he just has one of those faces that when not smiling can look pretty grumpy mines the same people are always saying "you look like you wanna murder someone" when i am feeling perfectly happy,
its called having an upside down mouth

[j-dog]

Originally Posted by Parkey

Longtime cohort Mix Master Mike mans the decks...

proof that most of these music journos don't know their arse from their elbow. workin on 2 albums with them would hardly constitute a long time. ok, there were about 6 years between the albums but still. bawbags. i thoroughly enjoyed the gig so up yours.

[skept-a-cleptic]

Yauch had the flu.

[Parkey]

Originally Posted by skept-a-cleptic

Yauch had the flu.

I think he is allergic to the UK. When they were here in May he was sick too. Can't hack the Anglo-Saxon germs...

[MCA126]

Originally Posted by wavin_goodbye

i actually liked that review.. it was perhaps a bit harsh.. but often did speak the truth.. with good bite too.

I agree I think he was right about the whole waiting for the crowd to impress them, i'm sure its not like that but i have to say that sometimes MCA doesn't look like he's really into it, sometimes(not all the time) he looks like he's just goin through the paces. No diss, i mean obviously i love the boys to death but i agree.

[synch]

Originally Posted by j-dog

proof that most of these music journos don't know their arse from their elbow. workin on 2 albums with them would hardly constitute a long time. ok, there were about 6 years between the albums but still. bawbags. i thoroughly enjoyed the gig so up yours.

I had the exact same train of thought, six years is a pretty long time in the music industry...

He's not a fan, being a fan multiplies the pleasure one has from a concert by a thousand times.

[MCA126]

well maybe his MMM comment was slightly dodgy,but i think he was overall on the ball. Its constructive criticism, i think people on this board are afraid to say anything negative about the boys, i mean i love them to bits they are without doubt my favourite band, no contest but i do agree with 90% of the review.

[Parkey]

There's a full page, very favorable review of the Glasgow show in the NME at the moment. I would share more, but I didn't buy it as Ufucking2 were on the cover...