Shadowland was a performance tour by The Residents, beginning on May 2nd 2014 and ending on July 2nd 2016.
The third part of the group's Randy, Chuck and Bob Trilogy of tours, the show revolved around themes of birth and rebirth, and the set list was arranged into seven distinct sections, most of which focused on specific albums from the group's discography.
Shadowland is notable for being the final tour to feature long-time composer Charles Bobuck performing with the group.
History[]
The Shadowland tour began on May 2nd 2014, in Gent, Belgium. The show on March 20th 2015 would be the group's last with Charles Bobuck, who later revealed himself to be Hardy Fox.
The August 6th show at the OFF Festival would be the group's first performance to feature their new member, Rico, who was said to be Bobuck's cousin.
The tour finished on July 2nd 2016 in Russia, with a show at the Krugozor Club in Moscow.
Structure[]
Randy, Chuck, & Bob, 2014
Shadowland's set list was divided into seven sections, each focusing on a different album from the group's back catalogue.
The Bunny Boy[]
The show starts with Randy Rose explaining the concept of the Randy, Chuck and Bob Trilogy, and introducing the band. Afterwards the group perform three songs from their 2008 album The Bunny Boy:
- Rabbit Habit
- Fever Dreams
- Golden Guy
Following these three tracks, a film plays on the screen behind the group featuring "The Butcher" from their 1994 album Gingerbread Man.
Freak Show[]
The Residents perform three songs from the 1990 album Freak Show:
- Herman the Human Mole
- Harry the Head
- Benny the Bouncing Bump
A second film follows this suite of tracks, featuring a Libertine performing "Almost Perfect" from the 2006 album Tweedles! as a monologue.
The Garbage Man[]
The following segment went through some changes after the departure of Charles Bobuck. Originally it was based around the group's 1998 album Wormwood, featuring:
However after Rico replaced Bobuck the setlist for this segment was changed to:
- They Are The Meat
- Caring
- Is He Really Bringing Roses?
Following this is another film featuring a man telling a story of his past life as a garbage man.
Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen[]
Then the group perform a suite of three songs from the 1978 album Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen:
Randy Rose plays drums on "Constantinople", which did not feature during 2014 performances. Following this suite of tracks a film is shown on the screen featuring a diver talking about her death and reincarnation.
Commercial Album[]
The group then perform three songs from their Commercial Album:
- Easter Woman
- My Second Wife
- Loss of Innocence
The Shadowland version of "My Second Wife" features an additional verse not heard in the original, with the following lyrics: "When I was young my father's wife insisted that the sun / Was oblivious and said that this could not be overcome. / Ed did not believe her, so she ran away instead, / Of feeding little animals, more meaningless than dead."
The film following this suite of tracks features the mother of a famous model, jealous of her daughter's success.
Demons Dance Alone[]
During Charles Bobuck's time with the band, there was a segment dedicated to the group's 2002 album Demons Dance Alone, however this suite was removed from the setlist following his departure from the group. This section featured:
- Betty's Body
- Caring
- Mickey Macaroni
The film that followed this suite features a train engineer.
Finale[]
The following segment features no particular theme, or film following the performance. It went through some changes after the retirement of Bobuck. "Is He Really Bringing Roses?" was dropped from this segment when Rico joined the group.
- Is He Really Bringing Roses?
- Melon Collie Lassie
- Hard and Tenderly
- Ship Of Fools
Encore[]
For the encore, The Residents perform the following two tracks:
- The Making of a Soul
- Forty-Four No More
Live albums[]
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Shadowland[]
On March 10th 2015, a live album was released featuring a recording of an early Shadowland show in Nantes, France. This live recording is considerably shortened, removing five songs from the setlist, as well as the Shadow Stories:
- Rabbit Habit
- They Are The Meat
- Easter Woman
- My Second Wife
- Loss of Innocence
Versions of the latter three tracks from a Shadowland performance in 2015 were released on the 2019 pREServed reissue of the group's Commercial Album. A version of 'They Are The Meat', recorded in 2016, was included in the Wormwood Box, leaving 'Rabbit Habbit' as the only song from the show not released.
An alternate recording of 'Judas Saves', made earlier that same week, was also included on the Wormwood Box.
Shadowland: Live in Fribourg, Switzerland[]
On October 18th 2024, another live album was released, which features the performance of Shadowland held in Fribourg, Switzerland. This release features the Rico-era arrangements of the songs. It includes every song that was performed at that show, as well as each of the Shadow Stories.
Personnel[]
- Randy Rose: Lead Vocals, Drums on 'Constantinople' (2016 Shows only)
- Lionel Bob: Guitar
- Rico: Keyboards (2015 - 2016)
- Charles Bobuck: Drums, DAW Operation (2014 - 2015)
- N.Cook: Guest
- N. de Rooji: Lighting Design
- H. Fokker: Tour Manager
- M. Postma: Merchandise
- Creeping Mac Kroki: Shadowland Photos
- The Cryptic Corporation: Producer
- G. Arts: Sound Designer
- The Residents: Written-By, Performer
Performances[]
First leg (with Charles Bobuck)[]
- May 2nd 2014 - Vooruit, Gent, Belgium
- May 3rd 2014 - Paard van Troje, Den Haag, Netherlands
- May 4th 2014 - Zakk, Dusseldorf, Germany
- May 5th 2014 - Grabenhalle, Gallen, Switzerland
- May 6th 2014 - Les Docks, Laussanne, Switzerland
- May 8th 2014 - Barby, Tel Aviv, Israel
- May 10th 2014 - Le Lieu Unique, Nantes, France
Second leg (with Charles Bobuck)[]
- March 12th 2015 - Rio Theatre, Santa Cruz, California
- March 20th 2015 - Paramount Theater, Austin, Texas (Bobuck's last show)
Third leg (with Rico)[]
- August 6th 2015 - OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland
- September 8th 2015 - Forum des Images, Paris, France
- September 9th 2015 - Forum des Images, Paris, France (professionally filmed, sound excerpts released on the Commercial Album pREServed edition)
- September 14th 2015 - Nescafe, Santiago, Chile
- September 17th 2015 - Popload Gig, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- September 18th 2015 - Niceto, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fourth leg (with Rico)[]
- January 28th 2016 - Doornroosje, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- January 29th 2016 - Ziegel Oh Lac, Zurich, Switzerland
- January 30th 2016 - FRI-SON, Fribourg, Switzerland
- February 1st 2016 - Mousonturm, Frankfurt, Germany
- February 3rd 2016 - Arena, Wien, Austria
- February 4th 2016 - Mochvara, Zagreb, Republic of Croatia
- February 5th 2016 - Palac Akropolis, Prague, Czech Republic
- February 6th 2016 - S-Club, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- February 7th 2016 - Beatpol, Drsden, Germany
- February 8th 2016 - Columbia Theater, Berlin, Germany
- February 9th 2016 - Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark
- February 10th 2016 - Kampnagel, Hamburg, Germany
- February 12th 2016 - Hackney Empire, London, England
- February 13th 2016 - Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
Fifth leg (with Rico)[]
- March 23rd 2016 - The Croxton, Melbourne, Australia
- March 24th 2016 - Factory Theatre, Sydney, Australia
- March 26th 2016 - Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Australia
- March 27th 2016 - Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Australia
- March 28th 2016 - Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Australia
- April 9th 2016 - Regent Theater, Los Angeles, California
- April 10th 2016 - The Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, California
- April 12th 2016 - Aladdin Theatre, Portland, Oregon
- April 13th 2016 - Neptune Theatre, Seattle, Washington
- April 14th 2016 - The Rio Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- April 17th 2016 - The Cedar, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- April 18th 2016 - Thalia Hall, Chicago, Illinois
- April 19th 2016 - The Crofoot Ballroom, Pontiac, Michigan
- April 21st 2016 - Adelaide Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- April 22nd 2016 - La Tulipe, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- April 23rd 2016 - College Street Music Hall, New Haven, Connecticut
- April 25th 2016 - Royale, Boston, Massachusetts
- April 26th 2016 - Gramercy Theatre, New York City, New York
- April 29th 2016 - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
- April 30th 2016 - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, North Carolina
- May 1st 2016 - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, Georgia
- May 3rd 2016 - Texas Theatre, Dallas, Texas
- May 4th 2016 - Marchesa Hall, Austin, Texas
- May 6th 2016 - The Crescent Ballroon, Phoenix, Arizona
- May 8th 2016 - Belly Up Tavern. Solana Beach, California
- July 2nd 2016 - Krugozor Club, Moscow, Russia
Related releases[]
- Shadowland (2015)
- Shadow Stories (2015)
- Blue Rosebuds (Shadowland) (2014)
- Theory of Obscurity Soundtrack (2014)
- Party Band (2009-2015 40th Anniversary) (2014)
- Theory of Obscurity: A Film About The Residents (2016)
- Commercial Album pREServed edition (2019)
- Wormwood Box (2022)
- Shadowland: Live in Fribourg, Switzerland (2024)