Amazing band can’t find a good venue
by Rob on 2/29/24The Observatory North Park - San DiegoAs a long-standing follower of the Cory Wong band from back rooms of breweries in Minneapolis, to venues all over the US, I was utterly disappointed by the pure lack of space given to the band by whoever mic’s the kick drums. For each quarter note of performance, I missed at least five sixteenth notes due to the sonic assault that is the kick drum reverb/sustain. I saw a bass player on stage, but even though I moved more than 300 feet left/right/front/back, I did not hear any bass guitar playing over the sonic boom that was every trap drummer’s dream tone. It worked for La Lom, the opening band, because the kick drum and upright bass played in sync, like a classic jazz/walking bass sound where the kick drum and bass play the same rhythm. When The Wongnotes took the stage, I was horrified to hear that nothing changed, and many many notes played by professional musicians would be covered by a booming resonance that never really let the audience understand what to do with their hands while their feet shuffled side to side at a reasonable quarter note pace. I paid a lot of money for this concert ticket, and heard approximately 1/4 of the notes I intended to hear. Oh well, I’ll chock this one up as a loss, but funk bands who work hard on their Synchronicity deserve better.