WDTTW live?

[AB23]

Before reading this, know that I was one of the fans that just loved the quality of their concerts. I was so happy for AB when they performed at Wembley. I just never understood why there was so much hype that they would play Words, and when asked if fans would see the song live they would always respond with answers like "you'll see it soon." Which leads to my question

Does anyone know the answer to why they decided to leave it off the set? After all our hype, their hype, the reports of them playing it during soundcheck, everyone thought that they would play it. The concert was great without it, I'm just wondering if anyone ever found out why they decided to leave it out.

[RuRo]

I don't have a source to link to but what I remember hearing was that while the other three wanted to do it, Myles didn't want to, so it wasn't played. I don't think there's official word from them about it so the why would just be pure speculation, but the likely answer is that he wasn't sure about doing the high notes at the ending so didn't want to do it for the DVD.

The one time I met the band was at Glasgow two days before, and Mark Tremonti's word was still that it would maybe or probably be played at Wembley (and he did just say "No" when asked if some other songs should be expected, so it wasn't like he was just saying maybe to anything). So they probably considered it but weren't sure until the last day when Myles decided not to go through with it. Hopefully though they will at least play it in future, when it isn't such a high pressure show.

[AB23]

try to find that link ruro! i mustve missed it

[luke62]

I know what you mean. I remember waiting during the night of the Wembley show & checking the old message boards to see if it had been played. I was disappointed when it wasn't but I understood why. I still hold out hope that one day it'll be played.

Personally, and I don't want to start a huge debate, I'd like to see them one day do a concert series where they play every song from every album, kind of like Creed did in the spring. That's a cool idea!

[\m/>.<\m/]

Plus WDTTW would be an insanely tough song to play live. With all the different guitar parts, both acoustic and electric. I think it's just one of those songs that can't be reproduced very well live. So I personally doubt if we'll ever see it. But I agree, I'd like to see Blackbird played in its entirety!

[Circles]

if they do any foxwoods acoustic type deals they will play it id think

[ThravRande]

I think if we hear it live it'll be a stripped down version.

Still, I want to hear it. It's the first and still my favorite AB song.

[Ryan]

I don't have a source to link to but what I remember hearing was that while the other three wanted to do it, Myles didn't want to, so it wasn't played..

dan catullo told me that when i got to watch the dvd at his studio before it came out.

[BSC]

It seems strange to me that Myles wouldn't want to do it, considering he works with Slash, where the setlists are alot more flexible, and could possibly be more vocally demanding, I would have expected him to be the most flexible in terms of wanting to change about the setlist? Slash's setlists have changed alot more than Creed's setlists have, which were just cycling between two.

If Myles doesn't want to sing it then that's cool with me, but I would of thought that high note would be pretty easy considering he sings songs like Paradise City and Sweet Child Of Mine with quite high notes fine? Then again, I know very little about singing ability and how it all works.

[Decay]

Don't worry, guys. We'll get to hear it in 2018 or something.

[\m/>.<\m/]

Yeah Myles has said in interviews before that high notes and upper register stuff tend to be easier for him to sing than midrange stuff.

[Jim]

Its nothing to do with what notes he can and cant sing.. The song wasnt ready to be performed for what they regarded their greatest ever show. Especially with the dvd recording and publicity to come from it all. They wanted it to be perfect, and as it wasnt; they didnt play it..

That's really all it is.

[AB23]

thats what i thought jim

everyone whose saying it was cuz of the high note at the end... myles never has one time held out the long blackbird note, many many times he leaves out high notes in all of their songs. so if his excuse was he didnt think he could do it because of the high note at the end, then why didnt they just play it and him leave that note out, or improvise like he did with the blackbird note at amsterdam for example?

[Metal-Mitch]

I wouldnt particularly want to hear it live to be honest. I like the song a lot, but its a very complex song and it is probably better left as one of those songs that are best kept to studio recordings.

[DonHarry]

I can totally understand him not wanting to stretch to the high note at the end. Sure he sings songs like starlight, paradise city, rocket queen etc live all the time, and all of those songs utilise the high register. They're not sustained notes though, the pitch changes quite rapidly throughout those songs, and the one in the Paradise city bridge is lower than the one on Words. I doubt we'll ever hear the studio style notes in songs like Words and Breath again, similarly we won't hear Far and Away and Not For Me like they sound in the studio.

It just isn't the same kind of reproducible sound you get with other songs. In the studio he can get totally comfortable with what he wants to do and he can nail while he's fresh as a daisy. He's not going to be able to belt out long sustained notes from the top of his highest register at the end of a 20 song playlist. It's just not going to happen.

I'd love to hear that stuff live, but only at it's best quality. I'd rather hear him do it properly in a small acoustic setting with maybe four or five songs where he can do it without the enormous pressure of a full size gig when he's tired and out of breath from a full set list.

[Macca]

Myles skips out on big notes all the time. Not sure why it would stop him from doing WDTTW.

[DonHarry]

Macca, do you mean to tell me you can't see a difference between short spiking high notes and long sustained ones? You're being outrageous.

[Macca]

No I mean he speaks half the lyrics anyway instead of singing them. Might as well speak that big last note

[AB23]

Haha he seriously does. That's what I wa saying, he leaves out so many notes anyway why couldn't he just sing it and leave it out?

[abw1987]

I don't think he could get away with skipping the high note, given the anticipation that has surrounded the song.