The Cars

We are total 80s folk, so we love The Cars. We had never seen them play so this was a first. The guys were clearly having fun and enjoying their tour and love from the fans. We came from NYC to see them because the night they played NYC we couldn't go. The venue is ok but the box office staff are snarky, 20-somethings that have NO customer service skills. Plus, it's RIDICULOUS to not have way to check your bag. We had to put our bags on the floor by our feet the entire concert and then take turns going to the restroom. However, the pros greatly outweighed the cons because all the attendees were friendly and there to just have some good ol' fun rocking out. No attitude, which was nice. The band played one encore. I jumped up and down so much and screamed so much that my muscles ached in my legs and my face, but that's rock & roll, right?

Life's the same; I'm moving in stereo; Life's the same; except for my shoes. The Cars concert was stupendous and sent me back to the late 70s/early 80s with unmatched sound quality, professionally polished guitar riffs and beautiful vocals. Their new album creates its own aura but doesn't forget the band's origins. This was one concert I truly didn't mind hearing a measurable amount of new material because the new stuff rivals what the Cars have built their loyal fan base upon. Watching the show in Boston was an added bonus, especially when Rick O said, "It's great to be home."

The Cars USED TO BE great.. Now, they ARE great. And guess what ? THEY ALWAYS WILL BE GREAT !!!

Was at the Seattle show- their first show in over 25 years! I was just a baby when they broke up, so I'm very pleased that I got the opportunity to see them. They played "Moving in Stereo" twice, which was cool since the first version of it was out of tune. I wish they had played an encore.

Title sums it up. No energy, slow pace to all songs. But it was there first concert in 24 years...crowd responded well. I hope they do well.

Was well worth the wait. Ric Ocasek sang all the Lead Vocals as Benjamin Orr passed away in 2000. Yes he was missed. They played about 90 Min and it was all Good. Some new and the Best of the Old. I last saw them in 1980 Oakland, and 1979 in Seattle. If you like this Band buy quick as this show Sold Out Fast. Such a Privelige for the Seattle Area.

I have alwaays always ALWAYS wanted to see The Cars and now I get my chance to. I'm sure it won't be the same without Benjamin Orr, but 4 outta 5 members of the group isn't bad at all!

The Cars are back! New album out on 5/10 too. Sounds good so far!

I didn't know until today that they were singing together again. Cars will not be quite the same without Ben * , but this show should still be full of awesome.

Been waiting a long time for this. Planning to catch the show in NYC on 5/25. Saw the "New Cars" version a few years ago and it was great - with Todd. This should be great too - with Ric on vocals this time.

The show by the cars was a dream come true, even without ben Orr. The new album is great.

The Cars did a great job at the House of Blues with a tasty setlist and a generous helping of new and old songs. The focus was on Ric's tunes though they did end with "you're all I've got tonight" which sent the crowd into seventh heaven. Most of the bass guitar duties were handled via computer-based samples, which meant that just about the entire set was performed to a click track. Drummer David Robinson and the band did their best but playing with a click is extremely difficult and they seemed to get out of sync at least a couple of times. Back in the day, Ben Orr's vocals added so much heart and emotional contrast to the Cars trademark electronic and mechanized arrangements, This was missed. Ric's vocals haven't changed and he was cool throughout. Would have liked to hear "All Mixed Up" which is such a great song and a coda to "Moving In Stereo". Greg Hawkes could have attempted the vocal. Greg's keyboards were the heart of the performance but Elliot Easton was flawless on guitar. Would definitely see them again and again and again!

This review is by no means a reflection of the band "The Cars" - they did a great job and the songs sounded as good as ever - even the new ones! This poor review is more about the venue. I have been to the House of Blues in Boston many times, and always had a great time. For this show however, they segregated GA Floor tickets and GA Mezzanine tickets. Even though I bought my tickets right when they went on sale, I got stuck with Mezzanine tickets. I wasn't happy about it, but the Cars were doing a very small tour after a 20+ year hiatus - how could I miss that? The tickets ended up being worse than I imagined. My wife and I could hardly get a glimpse of the band throughout the entire show! The mezzanine is above the stage and GA floor area, so the only way to see the stage is to look down over the edge. There were so many people at this concert that is was impossible to get within 10 feet of the edge, let alone actually get to the edge to see the show. We ended up listening to a great show and seeing it on the monitors hung at the bar. The lack of visability at this venue due to the GA segregation made this a horrible concert experience. While I will most likely visit the House of Blues again, I will NEVER get tickets above floor level.

So many hits! Great show! New songs are great as well!

Even though I absolutely love the Cars and enjoy hearing the music, the show was flat and uninspired. I would have been happier listening to their albums and enjoying a beer in a bar. The crowd was a bunch of obnoxious, entitled, rich baby boomers who don't know how to behave at a concert (not a hockey match, fellas) and the sound quality was horrendous. No bass on stage, and the drum set was a digital kit. Bleah. What a letdown.

I was so looking forward to this nostalgic band's concert, they were one of my favorites in high school! They came out 20 minutes late, played alternating old and new songs for 1 hour and 15 minutes, never acknowledging or engaging the audience, then said "good night"...really? Why bother...

Why in the world do they tell you 7PM and then start the show at 820Pm. Over an hour standing until show started was a bummer. THe show was pretty good once they got going. I thought they were better than they were in the seventies. Ric Occaskic can still sing and the band was good also. House of Blues is not a good venue to see a show though. There are always weasals trying to move up and it gets crowded and hot.

This may have been the best concert I have ever seen, certainly in the top 3

Ric and the band sounded, looked and attitudes were exactly like they were 30 years ago! Their new songs, which I was weary about, were freaking AWESOME!!!! They didn't try to change their iconic sound or auto-tune. Ric Ocasek is still the epitome of cool. Granted the crowd was mostly people who could be my parents if they were fat and had mullets, but the Cars were worth the decade gap. I bought their new album right after the show and bought the Tawny t-shirt. You must see this show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I would use more exclamation marks, but it already started to annoy me how many I used.)

The Cars show at the House of Blues in Boston was, simply okay. They played almost the whole new cd with classics placed inbetween. Extremely low energy. Now I know the guys are in their 60's but I've seen like artists with a lot more spunk in the same age group. I thought the sound could have been louder too, or more punchy. Even the classics relied more on the crowds excitement for them vs. the band.

It was so cool to see these guys live. Being 20, I never got to see them in their prime, but it was still so cool to see them all these years later, and being from Boston it was great to see a hometown favorite. I would totally see The Cars again if given the chance.

Perhaps it was the hype of the closing night of this reunion mini-tour taking place in Boston, the home town of The Cars, but the show was oddly underwhelming. In a brief set clocking it at just 90 minutes- the band skipped many of the iconic songs that made them famous ( Shake It Up, Drive, Magic- to name a few) and instead focused on their new release. While I'm all for new music, the balance between old and new leaned too heavily towards the new, particularly considering such an overall short set. The band infamously has very little stage presence so it's strength is the songs and the memories they evoke to connect with the crowd. When the band played the hits- the audience was with them but the lulls of new music never connected. Nestled better amongst the hits, new songs like "Keep on Knocking" and "Sad Song" could've been new favorites for the audience but they never stood out in the stretches of new material.

The Cars were great. But do not make the mistake of sitting in balcony 2, Row A, Seat 235. You CANNOT see the stage and there are railings in your direct line of vision. Why they even put seats there is beyond me. I will never go to the House of Blues in Boston ever again.

The Cars were a little rusty after 20+ yrs and missing a major part (Ben Orr passed away) but with a new coat of paint and a tune-up (new LP) they sounded great. Excellent setlist, with just the right mix of new & old tunes, Hits & and Album tracks. Let's hope they are back for good and will continue to record and tour.

sounded great but very lackluster show they didnt talk to the audience and try to mingle with the crowd just played and left but in the end they do sound good rick just stood there and played like a statue

Great to see them up on the stage! Didn't think it would ever happen and I thank them all for hitting the road. One of the more important bands of my youth, if not the most important. Knew every single riff like it was ingrained in me. Songs chosen were well done. Only thing I would have done differently would have been to have played more hits -- know this is a common complaint with concerts, but can you really have a show without playing Candy-o? G

Fantastic show. Ric Ocasek and the Cars put on a Dynamite show full of old favorites and new soon to be hits. Eliott Easton was Dead on it. The place was packed and everyone was SCREAMING their heads off including me. I had such a Great time. The Cars are alot of Fun and have never changed their sound. Highly Recommended.

As we all know all Cars hits are 3-4 minutes long. That is why the show was only 1 hour 25 minutes long. I really enjoyed the show except i believe during two songs the speakers were too loud and because of that instead of musical instruments i heard just one dull noise. Luckily that was the case only during those two songs. The rest of the show was pretty amazing considering that all members of the Cars are almost 60.

or you will be kicking yourself in the ass for the next 25 years. No opening band - perfect! 18 songs - beautiful. The new songs sound like keepers. Missed Ben but the new guy was pretty good. Ric and the guys were amazing and it was the best I have been too. Better than the old U2 and the recent Police concert.

Great show. Simplistic backdrop. Sound fantastic after all these years. The new material sounded so bright!

The music was very tight, lots of good classics mixed with some new ones. However, almost no interaction with the audience, even names of the new songs most people were probably unfamilar with. A little short too, just under 90 minutes total, the audience definitely left wanting more!

the best they were really great.great show fantastic

26 years since they last played, so I never saw them before. They looked and sounded like they stepped out of a time capsule... Sharp as ever. Their performance was stoic, as The Cars are known to be... they don't move around much, or go crazy on stage, they just get up and play. They played an incredibly tight set, with all the greatest hits interspersed with tracks from the new album. If you have a chance to see it... Let's GO!

The Cars are BACK! Let's hope it's for more than just this 10 show tour. The new CD is CLASSIC Cars. Most people forget how many great songs The Cars have. Not just the songs on the Greatest Hits CD, radio played many more than those.

Killer Show... Could have been a bit longer.... Like a 1/2 hour more time to get a few more hits, but overall was a Killer Show...

There were so many things that made this special. The Cars -- have not changed. Their spirit, their musicianship, their creativity -- all perfect. They played the right tracks, the things everyone loves. The many tributes to Ben were touching and heartfelt. The staging was simple, yet imaginative and effective. The thing that made this most special to me was the opportunity to see them play with my daughter, now 27, who introduced me to The Cars some years ago. She was thrilled because she said she thought she'd never get the chance to see them live. And yet, here we were. There seemed to be some problems with the sound balance in the beginning of the show, that went on a bit. Never mind, it was soon forgotten as everyone grooved with the inimitable Cars sound.

The cars were my all time favorite band back in the 80's an I went to many of their concerts. Performance wise I didn't expect too much from this concert because they were never entertainers on stage. Pros: After 23 years they can still sing and sounded great. Cons: Concert was too short (90min). In my opinion if you are going to give only 90min you better make it a great 90min not just an ok 90min. They are selling out shows all over which is pretty good after being gone for so long so give the loyal fans something special. I have no problem with them singing some of their new stuff but sing all the hits too. There were so many hit songs left out it was almost unbelievable. There was no encore and Rick Ocasek didn't utter a word to the crowd.

The show got off to a late start, @ 820pm, but the show delivered spectacularly. For anybody wanting a trip back to the time where the 70's and 80's were the thing, this show is it. Unfortunately, Benn Orr passed away in 2000 (RIP), guitarist and singer Ric Ocasek handled the songs Ben sang with ease.Greg Hawkes, keyboard player even took the bass duties on keyboards and even played bass on one of the band's hits.

Excellent Concert!! It was as they never went out musically as group. I really enjoyed the whole nonstop set list and Encore songs. The Stage was incredible. Top of the best visually. Sound was outstanding even at Front Row! I can't wait to see them again. You might think that its was good? It was AMAZING!!! Thank you guys for the New Album and this Tour "Move like This"

The CARS played many of their greatest hits, It always great to be familiar and singing many of the songs with band. They were tight, the interplay between Ocasek and the band was fantastic. The band was not the issue, the venue was SRO, and oversold, I arrived 45 minutes before show time, and had to take a spot in the back by the bar. This show should have been at the Beacon Theater which holds around 3500 people. Otherwise, its great to see CARS sound like they did in the 80's.

The Cars were incredible (but they always were!). I never realized when I was younger what an amazing guitarist Elliott Easton is. I tried not to think about the fact that Ben Orr was missing but some songs were just meant to be sung by him! It was nice to be so close to the stage and see them up close (especially when they smiled at the audience) but being in the general admission area at Roseland was madness!! We should have spent more money for VIP tickets and sat down. Also, they should have played a little longer and more of their old songs.

The show was amazing and they souded the same. There new songs souned like old Cars. Rock Ocasek stills stands there like a statue bust souned the same.

I was so excited to hear The Cars were putting out a new record and were going to tour behind it. When the dates were released, I saw every major city EXCEPT Philadelphia. DC or NYC was the nearest show. Snagged 2 tix for my sister and me to celebrate my 47th Birthday, when I saw they added the Philly date. The show was amazing! I have seen them in Philly on the '79 (my first ever concert),'80,'82 and '84 tours all at the legendary Spectrum, so seeing them in a smaller venue like The Electric Factory was a real treat! Sure they had a couple sound problems and a few cues were missed, but hell, it's been a LONG time since Ric has performed these tunes. I didn't care I was seeing one of my favorite bands. The added guitar solo to Sad Song was a nice touch and the solo for the last encore song "You're All I've Got Tonight" was worth the price of admission alone. "I'm In Touch With Your World" was a nice deep cut to play. Was a little heavy on the new tunes, but I like the new record so it fit right into the mix of songs for me. Could have played maybe 4 or 5 from the new one and ANYTHING else from Candy-O. I can't complain about the setlist, I thought I'd never see them LIVE again! Thanks for making my 47th Birthday one to remember!! CUB

The Cars did not disappoint, they are in GREAT form! From their new songs through their mega hits, The Cars played to a packed Electric Factory and the fans loved it!

Never thought I would get to see this band ever. They sounded great and kept the hits mixed within the new material (which is excellent). I would love a chance to go see them again. I think Ric had fun playing , I caught him smiling a couple times. The only thing missing was Benjamin Orr.

Sounded great. Liked the new CD, of which they performed about half. But you could tell they weren't as smooth with the new songs as the old.

Had the extreme pleasure of being at The Cars show in Philly last night; lucky enough to be right in front of the stage facing Elliot and David. This is my 4th Cars show and aside from Ben not being there, my favorite one yet. Could be all the years of missing them or that I m 23 years older, but whatever the reason, what a show! They sounded great, played a nice variety of songs and seemed to enjoy themselves. The crowd was great too and was really into it. I loved every minute of it. And then, we met Ric and Greg coming out of the side door. They were both so gracious and nice. It was beyond surreal to meet some of my music idols. I can only hope that they ve been enjoying themselves enough to keep this going with more music. I think they saw just how much they were missed by the crowd s reaction. God bless The Cars!!

I know the band just got back together last year and they have a new album out, but the fans really want to hear all the classic cars songs, they did 5 out of the 10 new songs that no ones know nad they started the show 15 minutes late and ended really early. I thought they should have played more old the older songs, there were a bunch they did not play and they could have. They could have cut down on the new songs or simply just play 20 minutes longer. I was disappointed overall. A great concert usually consists of all the greatest hits and they did not do that and ended way too early. THe other thing is that should have stayed out on the stage longer after the concert and thrown out a bunch of "Guitar-Picks" with "THE-CARS" printed on them and drum sticks too. They did not do any of that and the stage crews would not toss out any of it. That is what would have made a better concert too. They didn't even toss out any set-lists. Overall I would just say it was OK, but not great!

Just what I needed!! Thrilled to see one of my all-time favorite bands live after their 20+ year hiatus. The new album is great and the concert was even better. Hopefully they will extend their tour so that most of the counrty will have a chance to witness these guys live.

It was an awesome concert but kind of bummed that they didn't play magic and candy-o. I would still go again though. Love Then Cars!

I was looking forward to seeing the original lineup of The Cars back together again (minus Ben Orr who died in 2000) but came away a little disappointed. My primary complaint, the set was only 1 hour 20 minutes and that included a 2 song encore! The band has chosen not to replace Ben Orr on bass or vocals. To me his presence was definitely missed especially on vocals since he sang quite a few of their biggest hits. Ric Ocasek handled all of the vocal duties but they definitely have different voices. Bass parts were handled by Greg Hawkes' keyboards and he did play bass on two songs where the keyboards were sequenced. Ben was also the interface with the audience and that was missing. The band did do a little speaking with the audience, mostly Greg. Ric has never been the chatty type.The band sounded good but it was a little obvious they haven't played together in a while and the sound mix was poor. David Robinson was playing a Roland TD-20 electronic drum kit and sounded good. Elliot Easton, always an underestimated guitarist, sounded great and each of his solos got roaring ovations, especially on "My Best Friends Girl" and "Just What I Needed" but my favorite solo of his was always the solo on "Touch & Go". Ric's rhythm guitar and somewhat muddy in the sound mix. The overall song selection was good but since the set was so short, there were plenty of great songs from the first few albums that could have been played instead of some of the tracks they played fromthe later albums. I would have loved to have heard "Dangerous Type" but they did play "I'm In Touch With Your World" which was quite a surprise. Overall, I enjoyed the show but I just wanted more.

The Cars have always been I band I've wanted to see but missed when I was a kid. Finally, here I had the chance, and they did not disappoint! The band sounded great, the sound systems were a good fit for the venue (Fox Theater in Oakland, CA), and they did indeed cover most of their hits I wanted to hear... except for my very favorites! They did not play Candy-O (truly a disappointment), nor was Bye Bye Love or Dangerous Type in the set (which, to me, are two other CRUCIAL songs I had really anticipated hearing live). True, the first two tracks mentioned were orginally sung by the late Benjamin Orr, but we would have been just fine with Ric singing those tracks. When it was all done and said with, the show--encore included--lasted just one hour and twenty minutes. Nevertheless, I'm glad I went, and hearing "Moving in Stereo" alone was worth the ticket price!

I am a huge fan of the Cars and have had one of their CD's in my cars since the CD was invented. I was super-excited about the tour and when we arrived at the Fox Theater in Oakland, I was blown away by the venue. It had been beautifully restored and the layout seemed perfect for the concert. So far, so good. The rest of this review is simple: they walked on stage, played some music, then left, They sounded good, but were lifeless, emotionless and did not connect with the audience in any way, I might has well been listening to one of my CD's in the car. Why bother doing a live show if you are a stiff board?

this was a great night, a great show, it was great to see rick back, new songs from the new lp are great also. this was a really fun night!!!!

The Show was awesome. Me & my son ( 22 years old ) Had a great time at the show & was an experience we are glad we did not miss. Although when they played Moving in Stereo the second time, I was hopeing for them to lead into the song All mixed up! Those two songs go together, but hey you can't have everything. The Showbox was a great way to give us all a way to have personal experience.

After waiting 24 years for a Cars concert, I finally got to see one. The guys did a great job! They played some old favorites and some selections from their new album. They played very proficiently, and considering that David has to play to a click track (Ben's bass parts are pre-recorded) they made surprisingly few errors. They did goof up on "Moving in Stereo," but Ric asked if we'd mind if they tried again, and we enthusiastically agreed, so they did. They looked like they were having fun up there, with lots of spontaneous smiles, even from the Stoic One (Ric) himself. Mind you, this isn't a Rolling Stones or Queen concert; the Cars don't do much strutting or showing off. If you know them, this won't be a surprise. They just play the music the way you know it, and it's a good time.

great show, i only wish ben orr was still alive. they didn't play some of the songs that he sang, but his spirit was there...you could tell.

Having not seen The Cars since 1981, I was so excited to see them, even though Benajmin Orr is gone I thought they would still have some sizzle and charm. So no the case. Ric Ocasek was pretty non existent and the only person welcoming their arrival to San Francisco (although we were in Oakland) was Greg Hawkes being the most personable. They did not sing several of their hits and only played for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Sadly Ric Ocasek forgot the words to "Touch and Go" you can hear the audience sing along to the words, but Ric stood there like he was in some sort of alien state. Don't think I will spend $80 again to see what I can vividly remember in my mind as a great band of the 70's/80's. Maybe Benjamin Orr was the glue of the band, but something was definitely slipping on their performance.

Other than an emphatically unenthusiastic outing for Ray Ocasek, which I gather is his own personal way of savoring another date on one too many road-tours, the performance was great. I can't get those songs out of my head. (And that's a good thing!)

Amazing to see the cars back together again.... although they do not have the best stage presence. (they still dont' speak to the crowd) the bands music is undeniable and shows that after all these years they still have what it takes.... the big question is what took so long!

One of the best shows ever and I am now a huge Cars fan thanks to this great show!

Great to see this iconic late 70's/80's band back together. They really "let the good times roll". Also played several songs off the new album that were excellent! RIP Ben Orr.

WE WERE LUCKY TO BE ON THE 2ND FLOOR OVERLOOKING THE STAGE SO THE VIEW WAS GREAT (EXCEPT FOR THE ROW OF SPEAKERS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME). FOR A 24 YEAR HIATUS, THE CARS PERFORMED WELL. ALWAYS BEEN MY FAV BAND SO HOW COULD I GO WRONG...

great mix of old and new and amazinjg how many hits they have

The Cars are back with the original lineup. Played Roseland Ballroom to a sellout crowd and didn't miss a beat. Played their classics and some new tunes. They were solid musically. They could have played a few more favorites (Candy-O, Dangerous Type) and I wished they played longer. Only thing that separated it from a five star show was the length of their concert.

I m not sure of the last time I saw The Cars, but I know I was in college. They had caught my interest in high school when music choices were disco, hard rock, and hard-core punk. Along with many other bands emerging as a pop alternative to punk in the late 70s, such as Blondie, The B 52s, and Cheap Trick, The Cars defined the new wave movement for me. Each of the times I had seen The Cars in concert, I was a little disappointed. Their shows lacked the same physical energy of other bands that I d seen several times, for example, Aerosmith. Heading into this show, after they re-united and played in their home town for the first time in over 23 years, I fully expected a similar visual performance and was willing to pay to see that. When they took the stage, the most noticeable person is the very tall and lanky Ric Ocasek. He looked very good for a man in his early 60 s, in fact; it looked like he may have been frozen for the past 24 years and thawed out for this tour. He stood nearly still and confident at the mic as he sung every song. The other members definitely appeared to have aged, but all moved with the same mannerisms as I remember. Both Elliot Easton (guitar) and Greg Hawkes(keyboards) have always gotten into the music and have entertained visually, but that is offset by Ocasek and also formerly by the late Ben Orr who used to plant himself at the mic with his legs apart. His presence was noticeably missing. Their light show/stage set up was visually entertaining. Absent a bass player for the evening, The Cars had most of the bass lines pre-programmed, or sequenced. (Hawkes played bass on a few of them.) Drummer Dave Robinson wore headphones and had the computer dictate the start and tempo of each song. Keyboardist, Hawkes seemed to be the one controlling the sequencer. I saw him count off to Robinson a few times. At one point Robinson missed his cue and they had to start over. Ocasek then made a joke about it and commented that it was a Mac so at least it starts, and that it wouldn t even turn on if it were Intel. Aside from the false start, Robinson got off track, mid-song on another song. His drumming which was so much a part of the distinct Cars sound still had the same electronic feel, but the familiar drum fills that even we guitarists have come to expect were simplified. I can t say the same thing for Elliot Easton s playing. He played all the old licks and solos flawlessly. Unlike Robinson, he did not appear to be struggling. His tastiest solo in my opinion, in the song Touch and Go, seemed to be even embellished from the original, and his solo to Best Friend s Girl, a challenge to most guitarists I know, sounded like I was listening to the album on vinyl in 1978 for the first time. Watching and listening to him play, to me, is worth the price of admission. Ocasek s vocals were the best I ve ever heard from him. Clean, powerful, on pitch, and with lots of personality. He did struggle with Moving in Stereo one of the three songs he sang last night that Ben Orr s voice had made famous. Just What I Needed was good, but certainly no Ben Orr, and Let s Go was great. Overall, the sound of the band was excellent. I ve never heard them sound better live. Aside from the It s nice to be home! line from Easton that I expected, Ocasek said You know we love you, right? He even smiled three times throughout the show. I guess they re finally warming up to the audience. :) Instead of the 45 minute set with planned encores that they used to do, The Cars played for 70 minutes, then did their pre-planned encore, totaling to an 85 minute show. Some of the songs from their new album are really good. Their set was a nice mix of new songs and some great old ones from 24-33 years ago. I m very glad to have seen them perform again.

I flown 8000 kms just to see them twice, they where incredible!!

A great evening indeed. The Cars Live has always been about the music, period. So, they do not jump around and yell at the crowd, SO WHAT! Their timeless songs were performed very accurately and efficiently on June 26 at HOB Boston. Considering it is just the 4 of them now (sadly Ben Orr passed in 2000) Ric Ocasek took on all vocal duties of all of the songs he originally penned and delivered them in his unmistakable style. The guitar play of Elliot Easton was remarkable (extremely underrated player), his solos were dead on perfect! Greg Hawkes performed his trademark synths and hooks with precision as well, even taking on bass duties on 2 classic tracks. The drumming of David Robinson was also good, especially considering he has been completely retired from playing since 1987. Sure, the set should be longer, however hearing those classic tunes live and 6 new songs live, this band still has a lot left in the tank. Hope they come back out in July/August for another run of shows leading up to Lollapalooza and include Cleveland next time! I will be there for sure.

So glad to be able to see the Cars again after all these years! The Cars were never a band that ran all over the stage and bantered with the crowd...so what! The music is what counts and you can tell they were enjoying themselves and the crowd was great. Moving in Stereo was incredible. These are (four) nerdy guys who just happen to be brilliant musicians and songwriters... Elliot Easton is an under-rated guitar player and creator of some very cool licks and hooks! Greg Hawkes is still one of the best synth players around. Yes, the band misses Ben Orr...but they did a fine job keeping his spirit alive. Enjoy!

The Cars were excellent!! It was so exciting to see them all on stage again for the first time all together (minus our Ben Orr) since 1986!!! They still have it together, and rock after all these years!! Everyone in the concert house was so happy to see them!! I watched the crowd and every person I looked at had a smile on their face or they were singing along to the songs!! The vibe of the crowd was great, and the commraderie of the audience and fans was awesome!! You could feel it in the air!! Everyone was taken back to their youth, and it made eveyone feel great!! I hope the band will do another tour one day!! And Guys, you still don't have to say much to the audience to get them reved up after all these years!!

I had seen the band back in '81 and knew not to expect a spectacular show; they pretty much just come out and play the tunes. So they walk out, Ric kicks off "Good times Roll" and they have to stop because the tech gave him a guitar with the wrong tuning. Pretty much a buzz kill right off the bat. They kick it off again and drummer David Robinson is not in the groove and keyboardist Greg Hawkes is stomping his foot and clapping the tempo to try to get him back in place. They recover just in time so they don't have to stop again. Ric 's vocals sounded great through out, but he did seem to have his head buried in his telepromter the whole night (he shouldn't have to read the lyrics "let them brush your rock and roll hair", but it sure looked as if he was). Greg Hawkes played great but seemed overly concerned (for good reason) with keeping David Robinson in time with the pre-recorded tracks. On a few tunes he stepped away from the keys and picked up the bass (standing in for deceased bassist Ben Orr) and really sounded great. Elliot Easton truly shined, with his signature solos getting the loudest applause of the night. He seemed quite loose and unburdened, definitely the highlight of the show for me. The low light, unfortunately, was drummer David Robinson. I had heard that he had quit drumming when the Cars hung it up in the '80's, and it was quite evident that he had not played in a while. He seemed exhausted after the first song, and trouble playing some of his great but simplistic parts he recorded back when the band was hitting it big. All in all, it was great seeing one of my favorite bands of all time, even with the aforementioned problems. An extra month of rehearsals would probably ironed out all the issues. Best songs: Let's Go, Touch and Go, and Just What I Needed. I would have loved to hear Candy-O. Glad they did not play Magic or Drive!

LOTS OF FUN!! totally upbeat! GREAT venue, good sound..Wished they would have opened with "Shake it Up" ..Also missed "Bye Bye Love"..liked their new stuff. Would definitely see them again.

Great show - great sound - great crowd - who could ask for more!! Hope they tour again soon.

Let me start off with it was really great to catch up with the band. When I was growing up I didn't attend many concerts and never got to see them, so this was a treat for me. The truth is they started out a little slow but about half-way through the concert really got into high gear and even my wife who was never a fan really got into it. We also both liked their new stuff and I will definitely go out and get the album now.

The Cars seemed flat, stiff, and the tempo was slow. It was disappointing.

THIS IS A MUST FOR ALL CARS FANS. THE ONLY DOWNSIDE IS THAT THEY ONLY PLAY 19 SONGS LASTING A MERE 1 HOUR AND 20 MINUTES. VOCALLY AND MUSICALLY THEY WERE AMAZING. FOR THE PRICE OF THE TICKET IT WAS FAIR VALUE. I'D DEFINITELY PAY MORE FOR A TICKET IF I KNEW THEY WOULD PLAY 2 + HOURS.

The show was classic Cars. They did what they do best: Faithful reproduction of their classic music. Though often criticized for their lack of emotion, they deliver the goods in their own super-cool fashion. The sound was great and the simple stage set was effective. The back-drop provided just enough interest without detracting from the talent on stage. The boys have clearly not lost a step and have aged gracefully. All in all it was a fantastic show.

It was great to see this band again-Always loved their music and creativity. It wasn't the same without Ben Orr however.....Ric needs to work on his stage presence a bit, he did a great job covering Ben's vocals the few songs of his they did...but it would have been great to have a little more communication with the audience and visuals need to be more nostalgic-flash a few old album covers and old pictures of the band....the audience was there for the memories obviously...most of their music is dated back to the 70s and 80s. But great job overall.....let the good times roll.

THE CARS were Great @ Roseland! Hopefully, they will continue touring and come back to NY to play the Beacon Theatre :)

Need more shows!!! !! New Jersey? More at Roseland?

When I heard The Cars had released a new LP, I figured they would interject the old with the new. And I'd read 3 LP reviews in advance, and listened to a bit of it, so I knew the material sounded almost identical to earlier releases. So no surprises there -- I didn't care so much about hearing the new stuff. I'd missed The Cars "back in the day" and wanted to check out their amazing guitar player, Elliott Easton. Unfortunately, that dude refused to rock out. He's got a brilliant style, has written famously tasteful and zesty solo breaks, and has a great collection. But he just stood there. The only thrill he gave us was on "Touch and Go" where he played a note-perfect rendition of what's on the record, but still, it was fun to watch live. The rest of the band (Greg is the only lively performer) was their 80s mechanistic selves. No one expects antics from Ocasek. But their lack of emotion doesn't fly so well in today's atmosphere of emo, rap and rage and metal. They did their thing, and they left.

The Show was AMAZING but hey I am a HUGE "The Cars" fan. They could have come out, performed one song and left and I would have been impressed. LOL. NAW I would have been disappointed. Well they were great. They havent missed a beat. They sound just as good as they did 25 years ago. They were right on on everything and seemed to really be enjoying themselves. Ocaseks voice is still amazing, Elliot Eastons guitar playing is stunning. Greg Hawkes looks like he could manage the keyboards without even thinking about it and he picked up the bass like it was an old friend. David Robinson pretty much kept to himself on the Drums but its hard to ignore that sound! They all stood together when it was all done and took a big bow and thanked us all. Then they were gone. To bad I could have watched and listened to them all night.

It was well worth the trip up to Philly from Baltimore. Couldn't locate our seats, but probably wouldn't have sat anyway. The Cars ended the concert by leaving us with a satisfied smile on our faces. Good concert!

The show was good - mix of old and new. Being an old guy I would have preferred more off the first two albums. They did not play Candy-o!!! I don't like new stuff as much. Different sound than cassete tapes especially without bass player. Venue was ok, not too loud. Beers were really expensive! Get there early and grab a bar stool next time.

Overall, we enjoyed the show. It was general admission, standing room and we were very close to the stage. I had read the reviews of the first night of the tour so I knew The Cars would be playing about six new songs from their just released album and that there was very little interfaction with the fans. Although six new songs is a bit much considering they haven't released new material in 23 years, they still managed to throw in the typical array of top 40 hits that they are known for along with some real gems. (It's amazing the number of Cars tunes that received radio play in the '80s.) So when I heard Touch n Go and Since You've Gone I was more than satisifed. The one downer was not playing the back end of Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up, probably out of respect to Benjamin Orr. Still, a really good night.

I was really looking forward to seeing these guys, but wound up pretty disappointed. Although it was great seeing and hearing Ric Ocasek, it was VERY evident that Benjamin Orr's presence was missed imensely. They had decided not to replace him, and instead to run the Bass-Lines thru the keyboards. By doing that, we didn't really get all of those great keyboard sounds, and the band just ended up sounding kinda 'flat'. They didn't sound terrible, but you could just tell that they weren't giving it all they had. Hearing at least half of the new album was just ok, although they could have played more from the Candy-O album. All they played from that was Let's Go. No Shake It Up, no Drive. I really wished i'd seen them with Ben. Also, the fact that they came on about 20 minutes late, and then only played for a little more than an hour was pretty disappointing. Don't get me wrong, i really DO love these guys, and they all played and sang good, but without Benjamin, it didn't seem to have much life. The place was completely packed to the gills, and they could have given just a bit more for the money.

They played a decent mix of their catalog and sounded pretty good. The band was well-received by the crowd and they seemed to appreciate the good vibe. The only negatives were a little too much of the new stuff, and the show could have been a bit longer (there were several classic tunes that they skipped - I would have preferred to hear them over the new stuff).

Although its been over 25 years these guys sounded like they never left the 1980's. They are not the most theatric live band but their sound is still tight. They mixed a new song after every classic song for most of the setlist. The new songs fit in pretty well against the classic material. The set was a little short at around an hour and a half considering how long it's been since they have toured but overall, It was a very good show and I would see them again.

Seeing The Cars at The Electric Factory was a great show. The up close and personal venue was perfect for a band who just loves to play. My girlfriend Anne kept saying Amazing just Amazing. Rick Ocasek standing 50ft. from us was mind blowing. One down side the 90 minute show was a little too short.

Ticket said 8PM, we figured he might start around 815 or 830 and play until 1030, but alas, he started pretty close to 8 and by the time we got there at 845 (parking trouble), he was wrapping up. I think we saw two songs, then he said "goodnight" and came back for a 3-4 song encore. He was done and off stage by 915PM. Seriously. I must be spoiled by Phil Lesh and other acts that will play more than 60-80 mins. They have so much great material, I was disappointed, but they sounded absolutely fantastic so I have to rate it as a "3". Quality is superb, quantity is light.

pretty decent show, but mostly for novelty sake. only an hour and twenty minutes for $60? weak.

The Cars were great and the EF is a great place to see a show. The Cars played a lot of their hits and worked their new album in too. Sometimes when band want to play their new material, it can be a little bit of a buzz kill, but not with The Cars. They have so many great songs and their new CD, Move Like This is great....I got a copy off itunes as soon as I got home from the show. I hope they come back soon and I hope the come back to the EF.

After a 25 year hiatus The Cars tour again! While the Electric Factory is not know for sound quality (for good reason), Ric Ocasek and the rest of the band (minus the late Benjamin Orr) put on a highly entertaining show. Playing songs from their new album Move Like This and a ton of hits from all of their old ones, the band kept the audience cheering and singing along the whole night. Even the reserved Ocasek was caught up in the moment. He started the show simply singing each song and playing along on his guitar, looking nearly emotionless. By the end of the night he had cracked a full grin and was even moving to the music. The band even played one more song during their encore than they had at most other venues. A fun time was had by all, even the band.

Great band and great group of guys. Wish they played more old songs. Great that there was no crappy opening band. Came out at a great time. Love The Cars.

This is one of those bands that I always wanted to see in the 80s but never got a chance. Now 20+ years later, I was able to relive my childhood music. What made this better was that I was able to take my two teenage kids and they seemed to enjoy The Cars more than I did. The concert started at about 8:15pm and the setlist was the same as in Toronto with three songs in the encore. We were planted right in front of Elliot and Ric and they were both quite animated. Elliot was very appreciative of our cheering and acknowledged us several times. Ric was also smiling a lot and at one point said - "I hope I'm not talking too much". He also said "best crowd" and "fake encore" and was pointing at people and moving around the stage. During one of Elliot's solos, Ric came over to his right and was really acknowledging the fans which from previous reviews, I never expected. Good Times Roll was the first song and it got the place rocking. Several selections from their current album were interspersed with their classic songs and it worked. The new songs sounded as if the band never missed a beat after so long. Will any of the new songs catch on and become a hit? Probably not but if they receive a lot of AirPlay, maybe they could. Of the new songs, Sad Song and Hits Me were highlights. Needless to say, all the old songs were fantastic sing-alongs. Ric even sang some of Ben's songs such as Let's Go, Moving in Stereo, and Just What I Needed. The highlight for me was the closer - You're All I've Got Tonight with extended solos and all around brilliant musicianship from everyone in the band. Though the concert was a brief 85 minutes, I felt fortunate enough to be able to see them on this mini tour in a small venue from just 5 to 10 feet away. I wish they could have played another 20 more minutes and include songs like Shake It Up, Magic, Hello Again and maybe even Drive but I am more than happy with what we were able to get from The Cars.

Overall the show was very well done...well rehersed and produced...a few minor goofs on some of the computer programming on a couple tunes, but most would likely not notice. They should have made a the show slightly longer, to fit in more hits and old stuff. They should have performed "DRIVE" as a Ben Orr tribute or something. Those minor issues aside, it was one of the best concerts I've seen and will remember it for the rest of my life!

I would recommend to anybody who has the chance to go and see The Cars on this 2011 small venue tour. We saw them Sunday evening at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia. Ric Ocasek does not like to tour often and so this may be the last chance to see and hear the band that broke in and cleared the air of disco in 1978. Thanks to The Cars for doing that in 1978 and thanks for a great show 33 years later! They sounded great and everybody was singing along.

The Show was great The Cars sounded Great and I hope to see them again!

The show was good, but odd. I had never seen The Cars before so perhaps it was not odd to others. Ric barely said a word the entire show. Didn't say, it's great to be back in Philly, it's been over 20 years since we toured, we have a new CD out, didn't introduce the members of the band, etc. He just stood there and sung, never moved. Just odd. Played almost all the big hits, interspersed with some B sides and I guess some new ones from the new CD, though you wouldn't know it because he never told you that. Overall, they sounded good and played what I liked, but it was sort of cold and lacked energy.

Born in 1971, I was too young to see them live other than being glued to the TV for 14 hours as Live Aid was broadcast. I'm very happy I got to see one of the bands that formed my love of rock during my formative years. That said, the show was great except the mix was too distant at times especially with Elliot's guitar. His solos and runs should have been more prominent. I enjoy the new album but wished the show was longer as they have so many great songs to pull from. It could have been at least 20 to 30 minutes longer. Also, David's electronic drums sound nice but the effect and presence of live drums cant be duplicated. Ric and Greg have unique stage presence all their own. Ric sounds like its still 1985 and Greg is fun to watch and is a scientist on the ivories. Ben is sorely missed. Hopefully they come back to Philly and play and tweaked set list. Rock on fellas!