That is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to put the RV on blocks and only release albums, or to play a select few dates a year, leaving thousands of fans wishing they lived closer to the chosen "Holy lands."
I raise this issue because Danzig has announced the 2010 Blackest of the Black tour dates, and none of them come anywhere close to Virginia this year. So far it's 6 dates in October (3 of which are in Texas for some reason...) and 12 dates in November, all in the Mid-West, save one NY date. Last Blackest of the Black tour was 24 dates. I understand the economy has taken its toll on ticket sales and clubs, but 6 less dates than the previous tour? That seems like a lot. And at least the 2008 tour was a bit more spread out.
To be honest, I'm not all that interested in Blackest of the Black. I'd rather just see Danzig, with maybe one or two opening bands. And I was fortunate enough to do just that this year back in June, during his 9 date Deth Red Sabaoth tour. I'm not complaining; I'm very thankful he chose to stop in Virginia, but a 9 date tour? The only reason I was even able to go was because I was unemployed at the time, so I didn't have to worry about missing work. Otherwise I would have missed Danzig yet again. I missed him in 2008, when he did play Virginia, and I had to wait two years until my next chance.
And if I had missed that show in June, the next closest tour stop is in Knoxville, TN... A mere 7 and a half hour drive. Unless I get a flight, hotel, rental car...
It just doesn't seem fair to make so many fans do that just to catch a show. Yes it shows loyalty, but such a small portion of the fan base can actually afford to do that. And Danzig has gone on record saying that he doesn't like touring anymore, because of all of the downtime between stops. And let's be honest; he'll be 60 in 5 years. His voice isn't as strong as it once was. 33 years in the music industry will do that. So the likelihood of continued touring is minimal at best.
So what's better; a small tour, or no tour at all? It's hard to say. Being able to catch one of those select 9 tour stops really made it special. At the same time, it gets to be taxing having to wait for the stars to align just right. I can't expect him to tour like he's still 22 years old though. And I want his voice to be strong for new albums. And if his heart's not really in touring anymore, I can respect that. In a way, I'd rather have new music to enjoy than constant touring in support of old music.
I'm a huge Misfits fan, and I've seen the current line-up (Jerry Only on bass and vocals, Dez Cadena on guitar and backup vocals, and Robo on drums) over 6 times now. And the shows are fun; those songs will always be fun to hear live. Jerry at least is still into it and having a blast on stage. And they rip through nearly all of their songs in a two hour set, so you're bound to hear your favorite in any given night.
But they've recorded a total of 4 new songs in the last decade. Two of those were instrumentals. I've probably passed on as many Misfits shows as I've gone to at this point. The novelty is wearing a bit thin, to be honest.
It really makes me wonder how bands like Iron Maiden manage to keep touring so much, while still writing and recording new music, and keeping their tours interesting enough that fans want to catch them every time they come around. Granted, Iron Maiden songs are 4 times longer than most Misfits tunes. And Iron Maiden lasted longer than the Misfits (the Misfits had a 12 year long "hiatus" before releasing new music) so they have more songs to choose from. They have released 15 albums to date. They could take each of those albums and play them top to bottom and turn it into 15 different tours. And that helps to keep things fresh when it comes to live shows.
But then, Danzig has 9 albums to date. That's 9 potential different tours. And the tours for the first four albums would certainly sell out nightly.
I suppose in the long run, I prefer a mix of extensive touring, followed by well deserved lengthy breaks. Give fans a chance to see you live, then get your rest, clear your head, tap into the muse, and record a great album. Then get your ass back on the road. No more of this 2 shows in NY, followed by 4 California shows as a "tour," followed by a re-packaging of a 15 year old album, or an all covers album. And when it gets to be too much to handle, take a break, or hang it up. There's no shame in bowing out before it gets to be sad to watch **cough Rolling Stones and The Who cough**
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