Dear Great Big Sea,

First of all, the concert last night in Chicago was a lot of fun — it’s been too long since I’ve been to a GBS show. You guys are amazing performers, accomplished showmen, and I’m always happy to introduce someone new to your music.

And on getting the impressions of someone who was attending her first GBS show, it confirmed something I’d been feeling for a while. She said the first set was, by far, the best part of the show, and I’m inclined to agree. Discussion with my other GBS-loving friends come up with the same end result; lose the drum kit.

I’m not saying lose the drummer. Kris is a great and multi-talented musician. In fact, the small percussion set used in the first set was perfect. Enough to add the right nuances to the songs without overpowering the rest of the band. If you want to use a full drum kit in the studio for the more pop/rock oriented music, that’s fine — the production you do in studio tends to make it blend more. But in a live show, when the drum kit is in use, the music is suffering.

I don’t think I even understand why Séan even bothers playing the bodhrán on songs you’re using the drum kit with. You can’t hear it at all. Meanwhile, in the first set, the combination of the congas along with the minimal percussion lent a nice nuance, while it let the bodhrán shine. And Séan’s a fine bodhran player –
don’t drown him out.

[As a side note, the electric guitar doesn't quite feel right either, but it's used sparingly, which is good.]

Your strength as a group lies with your ability to entertain an arena full of people using nothing more than a couple of guitars, an acoustic bass, a bodhrán, Bob’s retinue of instruments, and your fantastic voices and harmonies.

Why gild the lily?