Saw this incredible band at The Bluebird Theater a couple weeks ago. This is an overview I posted on some other prog forums the morning after:
Still coming down from their show here in Denver last night. SGM did not disappoint as usual. I can't say the same for Secret Chiefs 3. Not sure what it is, their music just doesn't click with me. Your mileage may vary and probably does. I decided just a couple hours before the show to go since it was a weeknight and I have a very busy weekend ahead getting ready for our show. Secret Chiefs 3 was being billed as the headliner so I thought at the least I'd catch SGM's opening set and be home at a decent hour. Well, while in line outside the venue I learned they are doing the coheadliner thing again this tour and are switching opening and closing positions. SGM would be going on last...so much for an early exit.
This is the first time SGM has played one our our mid-sized theaters and they were up for the task. The place was packed to the gills. I'm guessing 500-600 people...standing room only. The show was slated to start at 9:00 and didn't get going 'till 9:30 which was not too bad. Secret Chiefs 3 played for an hour and ten minutes. Sorry, I know there's folks who really like them but I found the tunes rather tedious about halfway through their set. (OK, perhaps the fact that it was standing room only and as mentioned I was really hoping SGM was gonna play first influenced my mood). They had several technical issues like overwhelming amp buzz, (not the good kind of buzz 
) feedback and earsplitting sound spikes that made put on my ear plugs. They also stopped in the middle of one tune because of tuning issues. I did find a handful of tunes to be decent but over all their brand of Middle-Eastern style surf music didn't engage me that much as technical as it is to play I'm sure.
On the other hand I'm happy to say SGM did engage me! This was the best show I've seen them do (third time now). They opened with 30 minutes of new material. Nils announced at the start of their set, "we have a new album ready (In Glorious Times) but it won't be released till May, but we're ready to play it now so here we go". The stuff was fantastic! The second half of their set they pulled out some of their "hits" like, Phthisis, Donkey Headed Adversary and Sleep is Wrong...they were all by far the best renditions I've seen them do. They definitely fed off the large crowd, who I'm happy to say stayed for the whole show. Their sound was awesome...full, clear and no earplugs required. Overall, their set ran about a hour and 20 minutes...fantastic light show as usual too. I snagged a cool-ass SGM In Glorious Times T-shirt and got the whole thing on video tape. Can't wait to watch again. Glad I stayed and was in bed about 1:00am. Definitely an extra cup of coffee morning for me. 
Btw, Nils announced they will tour again in May and June after the new album comes out.
Click on my YouTube station's link over on the right. I've posted a handful of videos I shot of the show. There's some pics of Secret Chiefs 3 at my photosite too.
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