2017-04-07 - Beachland Ballroom and Tavern, Cleveland, OH, USA
Another decent audience recording considering the location and pit activity. Seemed like Stu was going to play Danger $$$ after audience request with excess cheering, but then he breaks into The River, which they cheer for just as enthusiastically. It’s another standard version, although part 2 feels a little faster but just as tight, like a band that has been on the road for a while. There is a big false ending with lots of crowd cheering before moving into a solid part 4. They never do play Danger $$$.
Don’t have a full breakdown yet, but wanted to ignore the amazing Lonely Steel Sheet Flyer and get this in here. This is surely one of the best of The River:
We haven’t yet been inclined to label anything as a ‘type 2’ jam, but I wonder if that section between Parts 2 and 3 might change that as it really doesn’t resemble the song that much.
They waste no time diving right into this River out of Invisible Face. This is a solid show and often overlooked, having only a little over 2k views on YouTube in 6-years. It sounds great for an audience recording in a smallish club. The end of part 2 of The River keeps getting a little longer, but it looks to mainly just be Stu playing a couple of notes while most everyone else takes a rest, which helps build the tension ahead of the big “ahhhhh”. Stu’s aggressive head bobbing seems to give part 4 an extra bit of lift after the satisfying false ending.
This is a super fun pro shot video from Arte Concerts, the same group that released the La Route Du Rock 2023 festival video a few days ago. The River closes this hour long set, so I’m really looking forward to how they play it as the set closer…should be interesting.
Cavs needs to bring back that mustache. Part 2 sounds tight and fast, maybe a little faster than most from this period. Stu seems so ready to jam at end of part 2…crowd clapping along is a nice touch leading into the big “ahhhhhh”. Nice false ending…and the riff leading into part 4 is slightly different than normal…very psychedelic. Joey trying to fit some extra notes there in at the end. Nice version and fun way to close a great set.
A few interesting things happening in this 2023-08-20 version from Pukkelpop festival in Belgium:
Normal Intro to Part 1, and rather than stick with one big jam for Part 2 they cycle through a few different things in two distinct sections. First it all swells up into a big epic sound, which breaks down and they start again with a different sound. I’m really digging that ‘bent alarm’ effect on the guitar starting at 20:40 ish, I think they tend to do it more during Magma, so it gives this song a more dire feel.
Transition into Part 3 is extra drawn out too, into that sustained chord post-rock kind of sound that I know they also did at some point later in the Residency tour, would be good to compare those at one point.
Classic transition into Wah Wah, which then had The River teases where the crowd finally decided to start a rowing pit, also loudly chanting ‘row’. Then Wah Wah > Road Train is even more classic.
This recording is a bit rough and missing the beginning of the song. I love the camera angle, seeing both the band and crowd in one shot for most of the song. I wouldn’t want every show shot this way, but its a nice chabrenge for an audience recording.
Cavs turns around at the start of part 2 and its almost as if he’s looking into the camera to tell us, get ready for this next section. From this angle, it’s more obvious that Joey keeps things going during the transition between part 2 and part 3 while everyone else is taking a breather, or a swig, and/or tuning their instruments. The crowd reacts to the added tension this short delay provides and starts clapping along before the big “ahhhh”, which it seems Joey sings as well as Stu, at least per this video.
This one has a big false ending that almost had me fooled before Joey yells something at start of part 4, like “oh, shit, damn, shit”. No, not “boy, man, god, shit”, that’s a different band.
Here is a lesser-known pro shot festival stream with less than 4k views since it was posted a couple of years ago. It’s another outstanding version of The River as set closer, which is something they seemed to be doing for all the shows during this tour. Of course Eric would drink from a martini glass. Love the “Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!” from Joey I assume to start part 4.
Going to move through these a little quicker until we get to some more significant variation.
2017-06-20 - Paradiso Grote Zaal · Amsterdam, Netherlands
Here is a partial playlist that includes The River. There are other clips on the spreadsheet, but not a complete recording. As of this moment, only 520 people have viewed this clip of The River posted 6-years ago.
This audience recording is decent, and I like the camera panning back and forth to see the entire band. The audio is about average for an audience recording of this kind…it could be a little better, but certainly could be a lot worse, especially for how for back the camera actually was when it eventually zooms all the way out near the end.
This is another standard version, very close to the studio recording with a few additional flourishes. As I said previously, it’s interesting that The River was the closer for this and most or all other shows this tour, especially following an Am I in Heaven? for this show, which just seems like the more natural big closing number.
This is an audience recording of most of the show, except the Altered Beast suite. It’s another River closer and another directly following a monster Am I in Heaven? Right before The River, Stu announces the release of Murder Of The Universe album in Australia. This is a mostly standard version of The River, except I can possibly make out the audience singing along to the melody at various times during part 4, following the big false ending and crowd ovation. My ears could be playing tricks on me though…this is like my 4th River today and its only 2:30pm.
2017-06-25 - Glastonbury Festival · Pilton, England
Thanks for uploading this Spid! This is the last River of 2017. The subsequent US Fall tour and several Australia Gizzfest shows has no River that I am aware of, or at least recorded. But they do debut Lonely Steel Sheet Flyer for that US tour, so I guess that takes the place of The River for a while.
Although this is a festival stream, the audio could be better…not sure if it’s the recording or the show. They are back to the standard festival setlist for this tour with The River closing out the show following a nasty Lord of Lightning > Cellophane. It sounds like Amby’s harmonica is turned up a bit high in the mix during part 2 and part 4…not my favorite version.
It’s a new year and a brand-new River. I’m breaking my rule and including a partial version in this project. It begins at part 2. I wanted to include it for a few notable reasons:
Is it sped up, at least the beginning sped up? A few of the comments seem to suggest that. I’m not so sure, at least when we get to the vocals. Part 2 does feel fast, but they may have been playing it that fast. I’m curious as to hear subsequent versions to see how the speed compares.
In the lull in-between part 2 and part 3 you see a bit more band interaction and soft jamming or noodling before the crowd picks up and the big “ahhhh” comes. The prior year this lull seemed more of a spot for a breather, quick swig and tuning.
At the end of The River, it slowly transitions into God is in the Rhythm with a special message from Han-Tyumi! How fucking amazing is that? It looks and sounds great and only has 3k views in the last 5-years.
2018-03-06 - Paradiso Grote Zaal · Amsterdam, Netherlands
We are back at the Paradiso, less than 9-months from the last time, and they again close with The River. Quite a few repeats from the 2017-06-20 show. I’m so glad they (Stu) changed their approach to tours, setlists and repeats.
So, yeah, they are playing part 2 section of The River very fast, so the prior version from Paris was no editing trick imo. I love how they all sort of come crashing together at ~1:22:44 - 1:22:50, and its a sign the song is beginning to progress more substantially outside its composed confines. The speed though…the speed of part 2 really is noticeable compared to the 2015-2017 versions. There is a very nice false ending and a strong part 4 with a great big riff at 1:28:16.
Was Philly’s float down The River the longest yet? Whew it sure was an experience. That part 3 was amazing and then part 4 came along and blew it away!
