Beck plays biggest gig ever

When attending a Beck concert, audiences have grown to expect to be inundated with groove, innovative music, a touch of soul, incredible lighting and some mean break-dancing.

Beck did not disappoint at Pine Knob last Tuesday. He gave the filled-to-capacity crowd a brilliant performance.

His set included a good number of songs from his first release, "Mellow Gold." These included "Beercan" and the popular hit "Loser," to which the crowd went wild.

Beck also included tunes from his current release "Odelay," and "Deadweight," from the "A Life Less Ordinary" soundtrack.

The audience was fortunate enough to hear a few new songs, which put to rest any fear that he might slack after his hugely popular sophomore release.

STEVEN GERTZ/Daily Beck pulls out his best plaid suit in honor of the largest show he's ever played last Tuesday at Pine Knob.

At one point in the show, Beck informed the audience that it was the largest crowd he had ever played for. As exciting as that news was, it was also the cause of the only major downside of the Pine Knob show.

Beck is famous for his showmanship at his concerts. From break-dancing to record-scratching, his energy and stunts are unparalleled. But they are also easy to miss if you don't have a good view of them.

Tthe nature of his shows requires a smaller venue where audiences can get up-close and personal with the performance.

Pine Knob, because of its expansiveness, caused some of the vibe that usually contributes so heavily to Beck's shows to be lost.

Although the crowd was packed in shoulder-to-shoulder, dancing and singing along with the pop culture hero, there was still a lack of energy.

REVIEW
	Beck June 2 Pine Knob

This can be attributed to the fact that a majority of the audience could not even see the movement on the stage and was forced to watch the concert on huge screens.

Going to see a live show only to watch it on television-like screens is disappointing, taking much of the thrill out of the performance. Concert-goers might as well stay home and watch MTV.

Despite problems caused by the huge venue, Beck gave a praiseworthy performance worthy of his smaller shows. He wore his usual unique and ever-stylish clothes, had creative lighting and offered a magnificent display of DJ prowess.

Beck's band members also contributed to the superb showmanship of the performance, as when his drummer ascended into the upper reaches of the stage at the conclusion of the encore.

Combining excellent music with stellar showmanship, Beck proved that no matter where you go to see him, it is sure to be a great concert experience.

06-08-98