Reading Festival - August 30/15

After pouring over the line-up, Janey and I decided to just go to the Reading Fest on Sunday. I live close by which was great for a real bed and shower at the end of a long and tiring day.

We arrived pretty early in the day and managed to just catch the last song by The Skints, enough to peak my interest. We saw all of the Single Mothers set, which was a high point for me. I love discovering a new band. It's what festivals are made for, if you ask me. These guys are from Ontario and the singer is manic. Great performance. We caught bits of Frank Iero, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Jamie T, The Gaslight Anthem, and COASTS all of which failed to interest me much.

On the main stage, I did enjoy seeing The Cribs finally. One show was cancelled and then I bailed on another club gig years ago, and still regret it. I will hopefully remedy that one day. The Maccabees were pretty damn good. I really like some of their stuff, and they managed to sound good in the sonically unforgiving festival environment. Frank Turner gave a good acoustic set in one of the tents, albeit with a crowd I would not expect him to draw. The girls we were squished in next to were busier taking selfies and chatting than appreciating the music. I did not deliver any throat-punches, nor could I enjoy imagining it as both the girls and the fantasy were a distraction from really enjoying Frank's set.

The highlight of the day was Against Me! by far. Not a big surprise. Laura Jane Grace was still rocking her Gender is Over shirt and Inge Johansson was as bouncy as ever. Laura introduced some of the songs with some banter and they did their best to bring a pretty passive audience to life. It's a bit disheartening to see such a great club band have to perform to a mildly responding crowd, but the scope of a huge festival can do that to many but the biggest names in music. I enjoyed myself anyways, but it's the least favourite show I've seen of theirs. They just shine so damn hard in a small venue.

Finally, the closer of the day was The Libertines. They were a little more low key than I expected, but the crowd still loved them. I did see enough to want to see them in a much smaller venue if the opportunity comes up. It was fun hearing some favourites done live, like Can't Stand Me Now, and Boys in the Band. We didn't make the encore as we were just too exhaused by that point and headed out listening to the final songs get fainter and fainter.

Festivals are a mixed bag and not my favourite way to see live music. I've only been to a handful over the years and it takes a lot to get me to one. I'm glad I made the effort to see a Reading date but that might be it for me. We'll see.

Against Me! Setlist:
True Trans Soul Rebel
Pints of Guinness Make You Strong
Unconditional Love
Walking Is Still Honest
Cliche Guevara
White People for Peace
FuckMyLife666
Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Dead Friend
White Crosses
Spanish Moss
Thrash Unreal
Black Me Out
I Was a Teenage Anarchist

Against Me! & The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - August 29/15

Against Me! and The Gaslight Anthem were booked to play the Leeds Festival on Friday, August 28th and the Reading Festival on Sunday, August 30th. Being the lazy sods they are, they slotted in another gig in London on their night "off".

The venue was a great size with 3 tiered levels above the ground. We were on the floor and found it easy to get near the front. The show had amazing energy as is usual for Against Me! in a small-ish venue (2000 capacity, but only 1150 on the floor). I did notice that this time Laura Jane Grace had her hair over her face more often than not (she did this at Reading too). They did about an hour with no encore as The Gaslight Anthem were following.

We stayed for most of The Gaslight Anthem, leaving just before Frank Turner joined them onstage.  Because we had an early start for the Reading Festival in the morning, and there was some train strike action, we were playing it safe. Our priority was AM! anyway.

I've added some videos I found on youtube, but they are pretty blurry.


AM! Setlist:
True Trans Soul Rebel (video)
Pints of Guinness Make You Strong
Unconditional Love
Walking is Still Honest
Cliché Guevara
White People for Peace
FuckMyLife666 (video)
Transgender Dysphoria Blues (video)
Dead Friend
White Crosses / Spanish Moss (short version)
Thrash Unreal
Black Me Out
I Was a Teenage Anarchist

Faith No More @ Roundhouse, London - June 17/15

My friend couldn't make this gig in the end, and found someone who wanted the ticket. Turned out good for me, 'cuz Seaghan (who came over from Dublin for the show) was a massive FNM fan and a good concert pal.

The openers were The Pop Group, post-punk pioneers active from '77-'81 and then reformed in the past few years. I'd never even heard of them, so when I read up on them before the gig, I knew I had to check out this band that paved the way for Gang of Four and PiL. Roddy introduced them, and it was definitely that echo-y, sparse post-punk sound, I dig. "We Are All Prostitutes" was a highlight.

This was Night One of two Faith No More were playing in London, and unlike at the NY show, the gimp made an appearance to much cheering.

The show had the same great energy as the NY one, but they mixed up the setlist with 6 different songs which was awesome. Got to hear more of the new album live and some older faves. We Care A Lot was a more straightforward rendition, as there was no Rahzel, but Patton did pull out his trademark megaphone to good effect for the night's closing song.

I noticed more snarky banter with the crowd. Is this a big city thing, or a FNM thing? But Patton had no problem letting us sing the Midlife Crisis chorus. Patton's voice was amazing, showing much of his range. The whole band seemed to be enjoying themselves and invigorated by having new music to play for us. It was a great show, and I'd definitely see them again if I get the chance.

Setlist:
Motherfucker
Be Aggressive
Caffeine
Evidence
Epic
Black Friday
Richochet
Midlife Crisis
The Gentle Art of Making Enemies
Easy
Separation Anxiety
Last Cup of Sorrow
Digging the Grave
Matador
Ashes to Ashes
Superhero
Encore:
Sol Invictus
Everything's Ruined
We Care a Lot

The Pop Group Setlist:
Thief of fire
Citizen Zombie
She Is Beyond Good and Evil
Hell is Empty
King Stupid
We Are All Prostitutes
Nowhere Girl
St. Outrageous
We Are Time

Faith No More @ Webster Hall, New York - May 14, 2015

The last time we were visiting Vancouver, I saw that Faith No More were playing there soon and 'isn't that just my luck?; as soon as I move away from a city, a band I've wanted to see forever shows up? Steve said to look up where else they are touring and when I mentioned New York (a place neither of has been yet) he said "why not?" It was a crazy whim, but led to an awesome week, starting off with this concert.

Webster Hall is a 1500-capacity venue and, no surprise, was sold-out. They did two nights here (we were at the 2nd night), and then came back to NY later to do Madison Square Gardens. Maybe they didn't realize the demand a tour supporting their new record, Sol Invictus, would generate.

Le Butcherettes opened and were energetic, fun and edgy. The lead singer, Teri Gender Bender is a born showman reminding me of Nina Hagen in a blood-red outfit with dramatically jerky physicality.

Steve was a trooper but after the opener, left me to the sweaty floor on the edge of the pit, and stationed himself at the bar.

Right off the bat, the stage and the band was a visual feast. Boys in white linen, flowers everywhere, the stage bathed in a series of solid-coloured lights...blue, red, white, yellow, purple.

My god. What a show. It totally lived up to what I imagined a FNM show would be like. I'd seen Mike Patton with Peeping Tom in 2008, so I knew how compelling a front man he is, but the whole band was so "on" and energetic. There was a little New York-baiting banter, but it always seems like everything Patton says could be dripping with disdain as he cocks an eyebrow and stares down the crowd. Roddy Bottum shared vocal singing and banter duties and was positioned at the front left of the stage. I particularly loved their back and forth on Superhero.

Getting to experience Midlife Crisis, Evidence, Everything's Ruined, We Care a Lot, From Out of Nowhere and Epic live was a mind-blowing treat.

Being a Peeping Tom fan, another bonus was Rahzel coming on stage and doing We Care A Lot with them. His vocal tricks and beatboxing perfectly matched the pounding tune, and he added a whole new rap to the mix. A fitting NY treat.

Setlist:
Motherfucker
Be Aggressive
Caffeine
Evidence
Epic
Sunny Side Up
Get Out
Midlife Crisis (video)
Everything's Ruined
The Gentle Art of Making Enemies
Easy
We Care A Lot (with Rahzel) (video)
King For a Day
Ashes to Ashes
Superhero
Encore:
Matador
From Out of Nowhere (video)

Le Butcherettes Setlist:
Burn the Scab
Demon Stuck in Your Eye
The Devil Lived
Boulders Love over Layers of Rock
I'm Getting Sick of You
Shave the Pride
Bang!
The Leibniz Language
Your Weakness Gives Me Life
Henry Don't Got Love

Against Me! @Bitterzoet, Amsterdam - April 30, 2015

My friend's photo

 The Against Me! show last November was so damn good, I couldn't resist seeing another show supporting Transgender Dysphoria Blues. Amsterdam's Bitterzoet is a 350-capacity venue so that sounded very cool and intimate, and a revisit (after 20 years) to the Dam was appealing.

Three of us went, including an AM! newbie, so it was fun hearing that she enjoyed it, particularly "Black Me Out" which is a big fave of mine. The vibe wasn't quite as special as the Electric Ballroom, but it was still sweaty and tons of fun. Laura Jane Grace made sure to thank those who'd traveled from as far away as the States to be there, but there was a bit less banter this time. She also launched herself into the crowd again at the end.

When piecing together the setlist, I discovered lots of video from the show, so I've added links to them. I'm certain of two of the encore songs; the other two are best guesses based on other setlists from this tour and remembering them doing a Replacements song at this or the London gig:

From Bitterzoet Facebook page

Setlist:
I Was a Teenage Anarchist (partial video)
True Trans Soul Rebel
12:03
Cliche Guevara
Pints of Guinness Make You Strong (video)
Walking is Still Honest
White People For Peace
Unconditional Love
FUCKMYLIFE666
Don't Lose Touch
White Crosses
Dead Friend
Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Angry Balled Fists (video)
T.S.R. (This Shit Rules) (video)
Transgender Dysphoria Blues (intro banter video) (video)
How Low
Thrash Unreal (video)
The Ocean (video)
Black Me Out
Encore:
Androgynous? (written by Paul Westerberg)
Americans Abroad (video)
Sink Florida Sink (video)
We Laugh At Danger?