I know I've been tardy with my own opinion, but I'm angry with all the idiots on the Herald's website complaining the Pumpkins played a few less well-known songs and their well-known material different to how they were recorded - you know, by a different band, over ten years ago. Tards.

On the night I was particularly annoyed by the guy behind me shouting, "Just play some rock!" during a particularly well-done moody controlled-feedback section in United States. I think a few people forgot they came from the 'alternative' rock era, and aren't exactly Nickelback. A highlight for me was a completely re-worked Ava Adore that kicked the album version's ass, and a piano/vocal My Blue Heaven - a Mellon Collie-era b-side, of all things! I was pleased they mixed up the set too - Mellon Collie featured heavily (Porcelina!), there was a bit of Siamese Dream, a bit of Machina, a bit of Adore - plus Cash Car Star from Machina II. I think some people there were just expecting a setlist that ran Today - Zero - Cherub Rock - Bullet - 1979 - Tonight, Tonight - Ava Adore - Everlasting Gaze - Stand Inside Your Love - and done. Well, they played Today - and let the crowd sing it. They didn't play Cherub, nor Zero, played Everlasting (which was ruined by the shit Vector sound, as was Tonight) and Stand Inside Your Love (came off pretty well). Every few songs Corgan pulled out the acoustic, and did a nice 1979 and Perfect this way. But I think the absolute highlight had to be My Blue Heaven. It was just so unexpected, so left-field, and must've pissed off the idiots behind us so much. And it also highlighted another surprise - Corgan can definitely sing live. Watching/listening to old Pumpkins footage was difficult at best, as no matter how well they played, his vocals were always hit and miss. He barely missed a note on Saturday though, and alongside the drums, his singing was occasionally the only clue we had as to what exactly was going on, the Vector's sound was so bad. He was spot on all night, which made the acoustic/piano stuff such a joy to hear.

But why build a venue specifically to attract medium-big acts, and make it sound like a canyon? It wouldn't cost that much to line the walls with egg cartons, would it? Or turn down the sound a little, perhaps, and let a little definition through?

But as the biggest gig I've probably been to outside of the BDO, I have to say unless the Vector people fix the sound, I think I'll be sticking to smaller venues. At least I'd like to - but the way things are going, it's only going to be more and more difficult to see good bands in small enough venues for a decent price. tariqa's complained about annoying people at the latest Muse concert (which had a capacity 2-3 times what their previous headlining gig here did), and I still have fond memories of the amazing sound quality at the relatively intimate Placebo gig at the Town Hall a few years back. And the Ryan Adams gig last year... was awesome. God forbid he be forced to play the Vector on future visits.

And I hope, in some horrible-for-them way, the next time the Pumpkins come here we're supporting them at the Whammy Bar! Haha. Aeroplane Flies High would be awesome in a small, underground bar.

I did start writing something on the topic of MacGyver, then realised it was the kind of "blog" entry I'm being asked to produce in my New Media blogging class at uni. I wish I was kidding, but I'm not. My planned first-week-back Uni entry on people scalping Muse tickets has kinda been scuttled by Ticket Direct and the Trusts Stadium making such a royal screw up of things that people are pretty much justified in selling tix on TradeMe, at least for now.

How royally? Well... lets just say at the ultra-super-fan presale, held a few days before the C4 presale, they only had seated tickets available, but the website was kinda messed up and led people to believe they were purchasing GA/"go anywhere" tix. Of course, they didn't announce the mistake, and people who received their tickets by courier early quickly noticed they were seated only, and began selling them on TradeMe. In my research into ways to stop scalping, I spotted this trend, and we soon enquired about the two tickets Tariqa and I had purchased - it turns out they were of the seated variety, which we didn't mean to purchase. Who the hell wants to sit down to watch the best fucking live band in the world? It's not exactly Ryan Adams, now is it?

Ticket Direct said to call the stadium, blaming them. The stadium were ambiguous on whose fault it was, saying something about the wrong floor plan being supplied, etc etc. The first few times they promised to call me back about it went unfulfilled, I even went a little crazy at one girl who said she couldn't find out why our original (incorrect) tickets hadn't turned up because she didn't have access to a computer... Eventually they called back and said the couriers hadn't found Tariqa's workplace, despite the fact they had the address ALL the couriers who pick up and drop off magazines EVERY FUCKING DAY go to...

Apparently we're getting new tickets sent out, ones that allow us to stand. WOOO! Standing. Will they arrive? Who knows. There's a small chance we might be meeting the band after the gig (relative of a friend on road crew, ie a TINY chance) and although the last thing they'd want to hear is how useless their management's selection of ticketing agency is... okay, I'm sure I'll have better things to talk about... I fucking hope...

I have other things noted on my hand to write about, but have to write a review of the new New Pornographers album. I'll Be Back.