the shins are usually horrible live. once when i saw them, the keyboard/synth was so freakin loud we left the main ballroom and tried to listen to it in detached bar, it was still to freakin loud. then the bass player/synth dude kept telling bad jokes...

i only saw them once...back in 2001 i think opening for modest mouse at irving plaza...i couldnt believe how shy the lead singer was. this was right before oh'inverted world got big but he was very weak live.

Not to heap on the negativity, but they were my biggest disappointment of Lollapalooza.

yep, Steve's right. they were not good at Lollapalooza. really boring, actually. and the sound at that show was crap as well.

They have yet to change my life

Saw them opening for the White Stripes last year in Coney Island. I enjoyed their short set and really like their albums but it gave me no desire to ever go see them again. I just think the "pop-rock" thing is hard to pull off live - can anyone come up with a band that really can/could do it? No one seemed too impressed with a recent Big Star set either.

How was J Mascis and what'd he play? Jr and the Fog tracks? Set list? Anyone???

saw these guys twice at the bowery and they killed both times. i guess some bands just don't adapt well to big venues.

nice guys, i'm sure but geez what boring music

Not that anyone was really there to notice, but J Mascis was AMAZING.

It was just JM sitting onstage with his Martin and a full board of pedals. In true Mascis style he brought it playing the ususal collection of DJ favorites. 9/10.

I do love the Shins and they were quite good, but not great - 7.5/10.

Wow, I can't believe how rough you guys are. The sound wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed the set and the few new songs they played were excellent. I'm twice as excited for the new album.

totally, totally boring.

I dunno...I had a great time. The sound wasn't amazing, and The Shins could of had more energy, but I think it was a good show. People need to lighten up and dance. I felt like everyone was so uptight at the show! All in all, I was happy to finally see them, and am looking forward to the new album in January.

Seen em in large venues, small ones. Their live shows are not revelatory, not even close. But their songs -- their dynamics, the melodies, the construction -- are very strong, and carry their live sets. Not all lead singers are iggy pop; not all groups convey the kind of urgency and controlled chaos that some people find to be the sine qua non of the live music experience. They are what they are: a group of super talented songwriters who don't do anything special live except deliver those songs with minimal fuss & improv.

and yeah, the keyboardist chatters a bit fucking much. Half the time it's been funny, the rest of the time it's been just filler.

even the pic bkvegan posted looked meh. i didn't know that was possible...
ah, 35 bucks saved.

neeeeeeeeext

The ultimate studio band. Immaculate albums, terrible live.

I saw them play at Bowery Ballroom too and they were amazing there. Clever stage banter between band members, tight sound, and a great set. I agree that they definitely don't belong in a huge, outdoor venue like McCarren Pool.

You're all wrong. Shins are great live. Everyone has a bad show every now and then. No one sounds good at a festival. And festivals are for retards. FYI

'No one sounds good at a festival. And festivals are for retards. FYI'

blah, blah, blah what ISN'T gold to someone and yet "for retards" for someone else? why does everyone bash things just to bash them. it's never ending...

I completely disagree with that CMJ reviewer’s last paragraph. When I saw the Shins at Bowery Ballroom (Sept. ’03), supporting Chutes Too Narrow, I was shocked at how much tighter and more exciting they were as a live band in the year or so since they had played at Maxwell’s. Especially due to the superb rhythm section of Dave Hernandez and Jesse Sandoval, the faster songs sounded absolutely killer (as did a great and surprising cover of House of Love’s “Destroy The Heart”). In fact, their songs (to me) sound so much better live, that it baffles me how anyone can call them a “studio band”.

When I later saw them at Webster Hall, I felt the sound was mixed badly (typical Webster), cheating the bass/drums so much that the tightness the band displayed at Bowery seemed obscured, though Mercer’s vocals sounded wonderful. True, McCarren Pool was probably too big for them. And, for the first 5-6 songs, the bass was mixed way too high, causing an annoying thump in my chest (I was about 8-9 rows in front of the stage). But after the soundman fixed that, the band sounded terrific (not muddy), as powerful as the Bowery show.

Finally, I did enjoy the new songs on first hearing, and a few of them (especially the one resembling Morrissey/Smiths) sounded very un-Shins like. Can't wait to hear the new album!

that bass/keyboard player needs to stop with the gayness. no more candy please!

I don't know if it was because I was standing close and straight on, but I really enjoyed the show. Alot. I thought everything sounded great. (yeah there was some bass problems on a few songs). But as a live band, the shins rule. . . Not to mention that awesome venue that doesn't get too crowded and the weather was amazing. so pumped for new album.

I skipped this show to go see Rhett Miller Blues Cruise it up. The show was cool, just him and a guitarist, but the crowd was the lamest collection of after-hours schoomzers ever to be graced with Rhett's presence. The bystanders, as they are more appropriately termed, were more interested in each other and the NY harbor sights than would-be pop Idol Miller and his usual enthusiastic performance.

I just recently saw them open up for Belle&Sebastian at theHollywoodBowl......i thought they were prettty good.
Not to mention, I was still sober at that point......

oh well, to each is their own!!

Cheers-

I've never seen a performance I enjoyed at the Siren Festival -- except for the Shins. I guess everyone has their good days and their bad days.

They were amazing at Sasquatch Festival in Washington in '03. Or was it '04? Either way - amazing.

the larger, party-venue does not seem to suit the shins. sure, they were tight, but for false starts and mediocre sound, but lacked the energy and vibe that a live performance should create. and I think the drummer was sleeping.

i don't think it was the shins that sucked, i think it was the audience. ive never seen so many motionless people before at a concert in my life. people, get that stick out of your asses and have a little fun. the shins were and are great.

Does anyone know who the the first band that played before J Mascis was? I only saw thier last song but liked it. Hopefully the shins will kick it up a notch next time...

sam jayne & friends

J Mascis was amazing. highlight of the evening.

J Mascis was amazing. highlight of the evening.

The Shins are one of the most amazing bands ever put together. A few bad shows are understandable but so much negativity about such a talented band should be evened out with compliments.
I mean damn who has better
lyrics than James Mercer
maybe Elliott Smith...Maybe

"I mean damn who has better lyrics than James Mercer maybe Elliott Smith...Maybe"

hmmm. Craig Finn....John Darnielle....Colin Meloy and of course Elliott Smith, but he passed, so I'm trying to stay current. I dig Mercer's lyrics a lot, but c'mon.

I thought the music sounded pretty good and overall it was a good time. And Sam Jayne was great.

But I was surprised at the bad jokes. For some reason I thought the shins would be funnier. I think they should let James Mercer talk more.