bluejeangirl76 wrote:I picked LTS, but not because I don't like it. That's the one that really think no one else can touch emotionally. It just never seems to come across the way it should. I didn't actually hear Arnel's version because my streaming just flat out failed at the end, but I wasn't real sure I even wanted to hear that anyway.
Although Stone in Love... BLECH! That should go becasue Arnel just can't do it.
And I love that one too much to be able to stand hearing what that dude did to it. If it doesn't improve heavily, it should go.
not that it would take much, but the Santiago version of SIL is considerably better. It's not his best song by any means, but I'm willing to give the opening part of the first show benefit of the doubt for nerves/sound mix/etc. He was better on the 2nd show, and nailed a few that he missed the first time around like Only the Young. Give the band about 15 shows to gell and let Arnel figure out how to sing everything for maximum effect, and things will probably be fine. As people have said, the guy is more of a ballad singer than a rock singer, but that can be learned. He's got the voice and the range--now it's just a matter of learning how to use it.
That being said, it wouldn't bother me a bit losing the song for a little while though. It has been played at probably EVERY concert for the past 10 years. Dropping it for a new song or other rocking song from either Perry era or Augeri era would be fine with me. Plenty of Perry songs to choose from (including some rarely played), and Augeri stuff like Higher Place and To Be Alive Again seemed to go over really well at the shows I went to. As long as you can keep the energy level up and position the songs in the setlist correctly, you should be able to keep the majority of the crowd entertained.
I still think the band could easily put several of the songs on a rotation, where you play some one night and others the next. Wheel, Lights, Stone in Love, LTS, Who's Crying Now, Send Her My Love, Girl Can't Help It, I'll Be Alright Without You, etc.