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The many live versions of My December (per Mark's request)


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Mark asked me to post a thread on this for future reference purposes, so here goes:

 

Today, it occurred to me that the band has actually performed no fewer than SIX different arrangements of My December over the years. I figured I'd note when they were performed, and what the differences between them were.

 

*NOTE* ALL live versions of My December are performed a half step higher than the studio version. The original is in the key of D minor, the live version is in Eb minor.

 

Version 1: Debut performance at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Xmas in 2000 (12/17/2000). This version was performed by Mike on piano, Brad on acoustic guitar, and Chester on vocals. The rest of the band did not participate. This version also featured a unique piano intro by Mike that wasn't used at any other performances (likely due to the song opening the band's set that day).

 

 

Version 2: Performances on the September 2001 European Headline Tour (9/15/2001 through 9/24/2001), and possibly the When Bands Attack performance on 9/28/2001 that we don't know the setlist for. This version was performed by Mike on MPC (sampled piano parts), Brad on acoustic guitar, Joe (scratching and sampled drums), and Chester on vocals. Rob didn't participate, and I don't believe Phoenix did either (he definitely didn't play cello at these performances, at least).

 

 

Version 3: Performances beginning on the November 2001 Countdown to Revolution Tour (definitely 11/20/2001, probably 11/18/2001), and continuing through the end of Projekt Revolution 2002 (2/24/2002). This version was the first to feature the full band, with Rob playing live drums and Phoenix playing cello (yes, he played cello at ALL of these performances, not just KROQ 2001 - his cello can be seen on the 2001: A Hybrid Odyssey documentary, which was filmed on the Countdown to Revolution Tour, and it can be clearly heard on the 2002 recording on the Somewhere I Belong single). Brad continued to use an acoustic guitar for all of these performances, and Mike continued playing the piano part on an MPC, with the exception of the second night of KROQ AAC 2001 (12/9/2001), where he used a real piano.

 

 

Version 4: Performances on the 2004 Meteora World Tour (1/16/2004 through 3/15/2004). This was the closest thing to the studio version that the band ever played. The full band participated once again, Mike played a real piano for these performances, Brad played an electric guitar (albeit a piezo-equipped one designed to create "semi-acoustic" tones), and Phoenix played electric bass. About the only difference between this version and the studio version is the key.

 

 

Version 5: Performances in Japan in 2006 (8/10/2006 and 8/15/2006). This was the first "piano version" of the song performed as a duet by Mike and Chester, with Mike's piano parts being basically identical to all of the previous live versions.

 

 

Version 6: Performances in late 2007/early 2008 (12/8/2007 through 3/10/2008). This was the second "piano version" of the song performed as a duet by Mike and Chester, with Mike's piano parts being completely changed from the original version of the song.

 

 

There you go - all 6 versions!

Edited by Astat

This list is so great, i kinda remember that they did two different piano versions of MD during the summer sonic 06, probably i'm wrong.

We only have the Summer Sonic After recording, unfortunately. The other time they played My December at Summer Sonic was the first show that we have no sources for. I'm pretty sure they are the same versions. Astat will know.

We only have the Summer Sonic After recording, unfortunately. The other time they played My December at Summer Sonic was the first show that we have no sources for. I'm pretty sure they are the same versions. Astat will know.

I don't believe there's ever been so much as a 10-second clip released of anything from the Zepp show. We got the setlist confirmed right after the show happened, but that was it. No reason to believe they would have rehearsed 2 different versions of a song for 2 performances within 5 days of each other on a "tour" that only consisted of 4 total shows though...

I agree.

 

I am very surprised that the Tokyo Zepp 2006 show never had a recording. Usually tapers hit that venue really successfully. That's the QWERTY live debut and the debut for a lot of other stuff as well. I guess we can't complain if we got 3 out of 4 recordings from the tour though. I guess we'll never figure out the source of the Sendai show. I never understood how it hit the Internet the day after the show without anyone knowing where it really came from.

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