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?

Against Me! w/Billy the Kid @Electric Ballroom, London - Nov 19/14

Obviously, the band has changed a LOT since I saw them in 2008. That was a good show, full of high punk-energy. This. This was a brilliant show. Same, crazy energy, but full of warmth and real connection with the crowd. Laura Jane Grace looked comfortable in herself and open and appreciative of the vibe in the venue.  I don't think I've ever been to a show that just felt this good and was this much fun. I think this may be a rare thing in London, or any big city, where fans are perhaps too cool to really enjoy themselves.

After such an experience, I am now a firm fan. Plus, I can't seem to get the songs out of my head!

Setlist:
FuckMyLife666
Pints of Guinness Make You Strong
Cliché Guevara
New Wave
Walking is Still Honest
Drinking With the Jocks
I Was a Teenage Anarchist
Black Me Out
Osama Bin Laden as the Crucified Christ
Don't Lose Touch
Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Dead Friend
True Trans Soul Rebel
How Low
Borne of the FM Waves of the Heart (w/opener Billy the Kid)
Unconditional Love
Thrash Unreal
Encore:
Miami
Rapid Decompression
Sink, Florida, Sink
We Laugh at Danger (And Break All the Rules)


Note: Billy the Kid was an excellent opener: energetic, charismatic and a great singer-songwriter. On one of her songs, This Sure As Hell Ain't My Life, Frank Turner joined her in a duet. Plus she's from Vancouver (although I'd not heard of her), so gotta love her.

Another Music Hiatus

I stopped going to live shows from 2011 to 2013. Two reasons, really.

@Radiohead

1st is that sometimes I'm just not impressed by new music coming out, even by bands I love. Nothing grabs me enough to get out and see a live show. Usually at this time, I see reunion shows advertised and contemplate one or two then don't bother 'cuz I'm out of the habit, and forget how much I love live music. Why do I keep forgetting?

2nd is that my fiance, has zero musical taste. Not bad taste, just no taste really. Example: "Take Me To the River" by Al Green came on the radio the other day in the car. I have a very annoying habit of trying to name a song in the fewest notes possible, and called out Talking Heads (you know, they covered it). I was wrong and was explaining why (I'm so tiresome!), forgetting he couldn't care less who does what song, when he said, "yeah, the big-mouth billy bass song". He had to explain what the hell he was talking about, as I shook my head in disgust. Remember the late night commercials for that fake fishing trophy plaque of a fish, which turns it's head to you and sings? Yep. *Smack Forehead*.

@Pemberton Festival

My old habit in @2008 was to buy 2 tickets to any show I wanted to see, and then figure out who to go with later. When we started dating, it was natural to take my new boyfriend to all these shows I had lined up. After about 7 or 8 shows, I started to notice that he wasn't into the music in the slightest. He usually spent the show looking at the crowd. I took the hint and started to go to shows with others. But, of course, in a new relationship it's often the easier option to do something you both like, more often than not. Fortunately, we both enjoy live comedy. I must say though that he's a real trooper, and a good boyfriend, because he will always be my back-up if no one else can make it. I just counted, he's been to 15 shows with me. Awww.

@REM

Last year (summer 2014), we moved to England, spitting distance of London, and all those shows! I met a great concert buddy pretty quickly, and this has reinvigorated my interest again. That and the new Against Me! album. She knew I'd seen them live before and her boyfriend (who introduced us) was trying to squirm out of going. I'm SO glad I did. They are now a firm favourite. Faith No More releasing a new album helps too, instead of just reunion touring. Whether this keeps up or not, we'll see, but I felt I could somewhat resurrect this old blog, for my own amusement and memory.

LCD Soundsystem @ Malkin Bowl - May 31/10

Setlist:
Us vs Them
Drunk Girls
Get Innocuous
Yr City's a Sucker
Pow Pow
Daft Punk is Playing at My House
All I Want
All My Friends
I Can Change
Tribulations
Movement
Yeah
Encore:
Someone Great
Losing My Edge
New York I Love You/Empire State of Mind

Muse @ Pacific Colliseum - April 1/10

Muse have been on my list to see live for about three years. Just about all the other bands I discovered around the same time along with the British Post-Punk Revival explosion I've now seen: Interpol, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Editors, The Fratellis, The Kooks and Maximo Park. I knew Muse were massive in Europe and reputed to be an amazing live act, but where were they?





The only time I remember seeing a Muse date near here was Sept/07 in Seattle. I didn't go to Seattle to see them then and I still have yet to travel that far for a gig. I figure everyone eventually ends up in Vancouver. Well, according to their site, the last time Muse were in Vancouver was at the Commodore on September 24, 2004! That's a five and a half year absence. They've played a handful of shows in Toronto, Montreal and Seattle on their tours since then, but we've been waiting a long time. Welcome back, boys.

So, was the wait worth it? Oh, yes. Even with the high expectations I had from their rumoured greatness live, I was not disappointed. The sound quality in the Pacific Colliseum was excellent, and Bellamy is a damn good front man, but the undisputed star of the night was the set design. I'm including some pics that may capture how impressive it was. Three skyscrapers on the stage that are both movable platforms and video displays, and a light show second to none was an admirable backdrop to a great night of music.

I'm not a fan of the increasingly overt influence of Queen on the band, so those moments during the night were lowlights for me (United States of Eurasia, piano solos). The highlights, beyond the phenomenal stage set, were my old faves Starlight, Supermassive Blackhole, Time is Running Out, and the new tracks Uprising and Resistance. I confess to avoid the crowds, we skipped out before Knights of Cydonia, but I bet that rocked too.

I also have to mention one fan who enthusiastically and single-handed got the entire place doing the wave while we were waiting for Muse to take the stage. Thanks man.


Setlist:
Uprising
Resistance
New Born
Map of the Problematique
Supermassive Blackhole
Hysteria (with Back in Black riff)
Nishe
United States of Eurasia
Feeling Good
(Drum Jam)
Undisclosed Desires
Starlight
Unnatural Selection
Time is Running Out
Plug In Baby
Encore:
Exogenesis Pt.1
Stockholm Syndrom
Knights of Cydonia

Arctic Monkeys @ Malkin Bowl - September 20/09

A very subdued show, and very different in feel to their PNE Forum appearance in September/07.

Perhaps it was the smaller outdoor venue, or that they are touring to support Humbug, a very different sounding album to Favourite Worst Nightmare. All that southwest US/Tarantino/Western themed music. I'll confess I'm not a big fan of their direction this album, but don't mind it in small quantities. Crying Lightning is awesome and I LOVE the Nick Cave cover Red Right Hand. That's been a fave song of mine for 15 years and is a perfect example of the sound the Monkeys are aiming for on Humbug. Hearing those live was a treat, but I was there to hear the stuff of their first two albums.

I wasn't disappointed by the setlist. Quite clever actually. Woven together, the Arctic Monkeys played all ten tracks off Humbug and ten songs from the first two albums, seven off Nightmare and three from Whatever People Say I Am. I would have loved to hear Teddy Picker, A Certain Romance, and Fake Tales of San Francisco but I heard them last time. I was happy they included This House is a Circus and, of course, Dancefloor, which was amusingly modified.

These boys are not what I would call showmen, standing rooted to one spot during the whole show, and very few words to or acknowledgment of the audience, but I have to concede the music is great to experience live. The Monkeys are musically acclaimed for a reason.

Setlist:
Dance Little Liar
Brianstorm
Crying Lightning
Potion Approaching
Pretty Visitors
This House Is A Circus
Still Take You Home
I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
If You Were There, Beware
Sketchead
My Propeller
Red Right Hand
Dangerous Animals
The View From The Afternoon
Cornerstone
Only Ones Who Know
Do Me A Favour
Secret Door
Fluorescent Adolescent
505