LIVE FROM TD GARDEN IN BOSTON / February 23rd, 2010Right before the encore performance, a crew of cameramen, at least four are seen rushing up to the stage with big budget filming cameras on their shoulders. Leaving much of the sold-out crowd at the TD Garden in Boston bewildered as to what exactly is going on. The lights fully rise over the stage to show Ryan Ross Hernandez and his band back onstage ready to continue their performance, which causes the audience of 20,000 plus (mostly women between the ages of sixteen and mid-thirties) erupt in cheers. As his band starts to get their gear ready to play the final couple of songs of the night, Ryan decides to give the Boston crowd a little of his well-known banters.
Ryan Ross Hernandez: "
Boston ladies, you having a good time so far?"
His fans increase the amount of cheers to respond to Hernandez's question. Ryan backs away from the microphone stand and lets out a small chuckle underneath his breath until the praise calms down.
Ryan: "
You know, I got into town last night. And I spent the entire night from 8 PM until 2 in the morning at Newbury Street in Downtown Boston. It was me and most of the band you see here on this stage. Last night we stopped by every club and bar in Newbury. None of us got fucking wasted, I mean I barely drink and I especially don't drink when I got a show the night after 'cause it fucks up my voice, but that's not the point. Last night to every club and bar we went to, in each, there was around 20 drunk chicks in each. I don't mean the tipsy type shit, I mean the fucking drunk type that you'll be barfing for a week after that night. By seeing that I found out two things; One, Boston has a alcohol problem and two, even with so many drunk women and I still didn't get laid. And today I've spent most of the day thinking, 'Shit! I still haven't gotten laid in 2010'. But at the same time I thought, 'Hey! Maybe this is a sign that the next woman I date could be the one'. By 'the one', I don't mean the woman I marry but I mean the woman that I could actually date for a year or so.
I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I've gotten to the point in my life where I just don't want to settle for second-best. I don't want to waste a couple of months just to pass time and have sex on with girl I don't really feel anything for. And neither should any of you. 'Cause trust me people, loneliness fucking sucks! But you should never settle for a relationship you don't think is real just to not be lonely, just to have a body with a complex next to you. And that is my speech of the day."
The women again swoon over Hernandez's words, well then again they cheer for anything that comes out of his mouth. A crew member hands Ryan one out of the two hundred or so guitars in his collection. This time it is his custom-made, blue Fender Stratocaster/Telecaster hybrid.
Ryan: "
So, I'm sure you are all wondering, 'What the fuck is Ryan up to with these cameras all over the stage?'. Most of you I'd phrase that. The guys that were dragged here by their girlfriends are yelling in their minds, 'Oh my god when well this fucking douche finish so my girl could fuck me in the car'. Well for all the dudes out here with their girlfriends, if my music is the soundtrack to your love-making or my music turns you're girl on I'm happy that my music is getting you laid even if it isn't getting me laid.
Back on topic. These big-time Hollywood cameramen, are here because I gotta record a little 15-minute snippet of one of my shows for a Battle of the Bands thingy. And I thought what better place to kick this off then in beautiful Boston, Massachusetts. So, don't let these cameras distract you all still have the fucking time of your life. And to all the guys just standing there next to their girlfriends that are going crazy for me, if I can even make you nod your head a little to one of these last tunes I've done my job. So let us get this shit outta the way."
The lights dim down once again, as an old time film countdown is shown across the huge screen standing high at the back of the stage.
A laid-back drum beat is played by drummer Steve Hurley, it is just played alone for a good 20-seconds or so before Ryan gets on the microphone again.
Ryan: "
It ain't your TV, though it's fun to laugh at people sometimes. It ain't your computer, though it's nice to spend the whole night online. It's not your movies, I see the same damn storyline. It's only music now. It's only music now."
As soon as Ryan finishes his sentence a distorted low-pitched bassline joins in with the drums. Soon later Hernandez starts playing a quick and clean guitar riff, giving sign that he is starting to perform "Something's Missing," from his debut solo record. In a melodic tone he uses the wah-wah pedal before diving into singing. A red light illuminates the stage along with the limelight that was already in place. The basslines progress to a much cleaner tone while the drums don't change much from the start, only with the occasional cymbals added here and there. Ryan sings in a more registered deep voice rather than his regular falsetto vocal register. By the bridge, the performance turns into a all-out electric blues jam by then Ryan goes back to relying in his lady-loved falsetto voice. From there his vocals to very melodic charming from as low as Elvis Costello-like vocals to as high as Prince, probably Ryan giving a little shot at those who say he doesn't have range in his music since he relies on his falsetto for much of his music. Hernandez plays a guitar solo right before the outro, much quicker than the rest of the riffs he played during the progression of the song. Afterward his riffs slowdown, just enough that they echo through the arena. The well-known 'checklist' outro for "Something's Missing," is where it goes back-and-forth with the vocals from Ryan to the audience.
Ryan: (Crowd) "
Famous friends (check)
Money (check)
A well slept bed (check)
Women (check)
Cars (check)
Millions of fans (check)
Messages waiting on me, when I come home (check)"
The band goes into a really quick instrumental blues jam lead by Hernandez's relaxed guitar solo which he even sits down on an amplifier as he continues the solo. As soon as Ryan stops playing his guitar the rest of the band stops playing right in-sync. A great deal of cheers is given by the audience although it isn't known if it was for the song performance or for the many guitar solo's Hernandez layered into it.
Two crew members run onto the stage each with a stool that they set center stage over the rug covering Ryan's movement section on stage, as the guitar techs come as well handing Ryan his handed his custom wooden red-ish Martin D-18 large body dreadnought acoustic guitar. Robbie Ryan Harris is given a Gibson SJ-250 Monarch acoustic. They both take a sit as Robbie starts to tune his guitar, Ryan tells the crowd about the song they will be performing now.
Ryan: "
This next song isn't by me but it is one of my all-time favorite and I've been trying to cover it for a well but we've had a tough time figuring out how we wanted to perform it since I can't sing it as high-pitched as the original performer can. The song I'm about to perform with the man sitting beside me now, the amazingly talented Robbie Ryan Harris. This tune is by one of the best rock artist of all time, this is a Tom Petty song. This is a song about being a bad boy, a heartbreaker 'cause of course I am one. (chuckles) This is "Free Fallin'" in my own little style. I hope you guys enjoy it."
Unlike the previous song, Ryan plays rhythm guitar instead of lead seemingly to focus more on his vocals. Nor does he play around with his vocals, singing with his falsetto vocal range. Thankfully for Ryan, a lot of fans now the song and are singing along with him adding a little something special to the already intimate performance. At the chorus point, Ryan's backing female vocalist sing along with him, seemingly to hide any fault Ryan could have with the difficult chorus although he doesn't go very much higher than his regular vocals of the rest of the song. By the breakdown of the song, Hernandez seems to notice that he has to finish off the song strong, with every note from the breakdown forward get a higher added pitch without any auto-tune or pitch-tuning nor do the backing vocalist join in. Ryan seems right on key tonight as his high-pitch vocals might even be sending goosebumps to the crowd in attendance. At that point is when Hernandez finally seems really into the song adding a bit of a guitar solo to the acoustic performance with so intensity that it was a miracle he didn't break-off a few strings off his acoustic guitar. Ryan finishes off the song a capella which what would be a challenge to most vocalist, he makes it look easy, echoing over the phrase "Free Fallin'" getting lower each time giving until it feeds out completely.
The audience give Hernandez a shower of applause and cheers, even louder than the one for the previous song. Ryan chuckles a bit to the crowd sort-of saying without any words, 'Shit, that sounded good'. Ryan motions with his hands for the audience to settle down, once they do Ryan leans over to the microphone again.
Ryan: "
Thank you. You guys are awesome. Honestly, I was scared shitless to perform that especially the way the song was changed from the original one. So, thank you for enjoy it. Even if you just pretended to like it I'm happy with that. So, that is it for this recording crap, so wave goodbye to the camera. Who knows I might even win this Battle of the Bands because Boston fans are one of the best in the world."
Even more cheers are heard by the audience as the cameras fade to black.
Setlist:
Something's Missing
Free Fallin' (Acoustic) (Tom Petty cover)
--.
END ROUND ONE RP(
OOC:
Hope I got this in on time. :/)
Edited by user 17 March 2010 13:03:42(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified
