Sloan

I'm the first comment!
Anyway.
I'm about to head out to the show, and I hope it doesn't SUCK like two years ago -- remember that? I was so disappointed, though Chris signing my "Between The Bridges" case was definitely a mood lifter. Here's to hoping tonight is great.
<3,
Danielle

Sloan put on a good show tonight. The new and "improved" Phoenix Amphitheater was disappointing though. It's no longer a remotely intimate environment and the sound was pretty bad. Sloan, however, still entertained. They made the best of playing after some, uh, not so spectacular bands and playing to some, uh, fairly drunk off their asses audience members. Lots of kick ass rocking and rolling!!

Just got back from Arts, Beats, & Eats; it was great to see the band. "Sensory Deprivation" blew my mind yet again. A bit of feedback at times, but all in all, it was a good show. Funny bit: my friend, who hadn't seen Sloan before, thinks Chris looks like Napoleon Dynamite... More in the mannerisms, he claims, than the physical appearance.

The venue was lame and the audience was weak (they couldn't even chant the band name without Chris's prodding) but Sloan was great as ever. Hopefully they'll play a smaller venue next time - say the stuffy St. Andy's again?

Being a fan since Smeared...this was the first time that I saw them live. (I know...I know)

I thought that the performance was great. I will be looking for them to make an appearance at a smaller venue in the future. 90 percent of the people there were like...Sloan? Nothing new about that.

They were the only reason that the wife and I went out to arts,beats, and eats...and I left very content.

The sound quality has gotten worse at that venue with the "improvements". A bad delayed echo comes back to you from that backsplash/overhang in certain areas of the seating (standing).

Finally, something fun to remember on an otherwise lazy Labor Day in the USA. The Arts, Beats, and Eats Festival in Pontiac was bigger than I expected and completely packed to the gills with people and stuff to look at. The festival was what it was, but that's not why I drove the 3 hours to Pontiac. Sloan's music has meant more to me than any other band in the last 10 years or so, and I had yet to see them live. At the last minute, my ride-along friend backed out and I instead invited my 16-year-old niece to go along and have our first 'bonding' event, you know... try and be the cool uncle. After managing to sit through Grinder and the Flamingo whatevers, Sloan's set-up was quick and they got right down and pulled out the hits. I didn't know what kind of set list to expect after reading theses forums, but they seemed to stick close to the A-sides theme of greatest hits, which was great for me as I had never seen them perform. Underwhelmed, Losing California, and I think even 500 up? The sound was over-amplified and kinda muddled, and there was a little feedback issue as noted previously but ah who cares. The audience was a little weak, but who didn't expect that? The people who were there were smiling and singing along and it was a great vibe, the kind of place where you could make eye contact with a total stranger and you'd both just smile and nod and share the energy. Chris is a total Rock Star, capital letters intended. The whole band knows how to bring their A game even at a free festival, but Chris... the flying kick, the windmill, even the rock drummer stick twirl. The encore of If It Feels Good Do It was a fantastic choice, and it definitely sparked the crowd where I was sitting.

After the show, Chris, Patrick, and finally Jay wandered out of the stage entrance and spent time chatting and taking pictures and stuff. It was such a classy and gracious thing to do, I couldn't stop grinning. Being able to get them to sign my CD and take a couple snapshots made what was already a great show, just so much better. Truly something to remember.

As an aside, I want to apologize to Patrick for calling him Jay. I've talked (almost preached?) about Sloan like they were friends of mine for years now, but at the moment of meeting them my brain froze and I felt giddy like a 13-year-old kid. Life has taught me that pride most definitely comes right before a fall, and once again.... yup. Patrick, I'm sorry. Thanks for not making me feel like an idiot.

Okay, this post has reached novella proportions and I'm gonna quit. Thanks guys for coming and playing and cranking and rocking and making this 36-year-old-won't-grow-old guy feel 13 again. The 6 hours of interstate tedium was worth every mile.

Hey guys,

What a great show. I had to sit front row center through Grinder, which was hell. The Killer Flamingos did a good set, and I know them personally. It was cool to see Sloan do their new hits live. The venue wasn't the best, figuring there was no sort of platform where Chris could come out to, but he did his best anyway. The show was kickass, and I met and talked with Chris afterwards and got my drumstick signed to. And just like I've said in the past comments, I can't wait to see them again. They rock my fucking socks. Much love to the Money City Maniacs, Will

Well what can i say my beast friend of 17years and i have seen them every time they come to detroit since 1996 and again never disapointed, although the venue did blow i must say no matter how drunk i am a sloan show is one of the few i always remember the next day hope to see you soon but in a more suitable venue like st. andrews or the state theater hope all who went enjoyed and agree to have them back very soon

I was quite excited Sloan would be in Detroit, considering they hadn't made a stop in their most recent round of touring, but was a little concerned because the last Arts, Beats & Eats appearance wasn't that cool (Sloan was great, it was everything else).

This set was great. I was especially excited to hear the two new songs (which totally rocked). I didn't get to see the entire set (we left when Losing California started) because we worried we'd miss our bus, but what I did see was totally awesome.

Hopefully there will be some more Detroit (or close to Detroit) dates soon. Just can't get enough.

The show was great. Not that many people though. This was mostly the wait to get to the Pheonix stage. I guess people didn't feel like waiting. Does anyone know why this happened? Anyways, they made my weekend along with Crossfade and Seether. The band Grinder itself was alright, with the lead singer of Broadzilla - rock chicks from Detroit playing with the band, with the exception of Darren McCarty, stick to your day job. I'm glad Sloan brought be back up after listening to what sounded like karaoke night.

My trip to Michigan to see Sloan was more than I could have ever expected, It was great to be standing around a bunch of other people singing every word also. It was fun for my best friend and I to be screaming giddy teenagers again for a little while. Patrick, thanks for the conversation, one never knows when ones epiphany may strike or that Sloan could cause one. Many thanks!
Leah in AZ
Here's the Eats n Beats set list, I'll save my 500 Up and Hollow Head signs for the next show I travel to. :)
Sloan Set list
Pontiac, Mich Sept 4, 2005

All used up
Underwhelmed
Live on
The lines you amend
Coax Me
Money City Maniacs
People of the sky
Sensory Deprivation
Try to make it
False Alarm
Losing California
The rest of my life
The good in everyone
Encore
The other man
If it feels good do it

First time getting to see Sloan in long time. Never a shortage of entertainment. Crowd was so so, I thought Sloan put on a great show, just as I remember. Would love to see them at the Fox or St. Andrews

I have been a longtime fan of Sloan - I remember sitting, waiting for muchmusic to run their "Everything You've Done Wrong" Video, it was sort of indie-epic in nature, as well the whole One Chord to Another album and my personal favorite Navy Blues which followed. I have seen Sloan several times in concert and I was super excited to see them this year at the Arts, Beats and Eats, because I had not seen them in two years. But I have to say, the energy level of the Sloan I am used to was not there. It was certainly present in the mucho-over-amplified-treble-ridden venue, stated before by other bloggers. But furthermore, the band seemed dazed, Jay's "Lines You Amend" seemed robotic - the 10 minute jam in the middle of the show was unbearable (500 Up) I have been to 100's of concerts - this was the loudest one to date - and I'm not watching Yanni or James Taylor. How could they not have known - they must have seen the blood dripping out of the front-rower's ears. Anyhow, hate to bear the bad spin on a beloved Canadian band. I love your recorded work and still think of you as that cool little band that played the wedding in the "Everything Wrong" Vid but I refuse to blow smoke up people's asses, especially musicians / celebs / etc. It wasn't their night.