Cryptic Animation: Expectations Go Out The Window

4/24/07 @ Neumo's

Remember the experience of going to your first concerts? The ones where everybody smashed together up front to get close to the band, slam danced like a crazy sweating mess, and pumped your fist at every opportunity? Well this is the vibe Electric Six evoked with their show tonight.

There were two opening bands tonight, and I thought if I left later than usual, I might be so lucky as to dodge that bullet. However, things were running late I guess, and when I got there the first opening band, Nights Kills The Day was still playing. It has been a long time since I've disliked and scoffed at a band so much. Pumping out middle of the road Breaking Benjamin, Nickelback type stuff with a vocalist with the mid-range warbling of Axl Rose in the intonation of Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, but completely lacking in any range (and looking like a lame Dave Mustaine), they ripped through a set only they enjoyed, with such stereotypical song titles as "Blindfolded." Oh, and the guitarist who was pulling wanker solo after another looked like Hunter Thompson. Yikes.

One word: LAME

The next band was anywhere near as bad. They are called Test Your Reflex, and apparently they even had a few people in attendance that were actually there for them. They made bouncy indie-alterna-rock with butt rock anthem-like choruses. Which is band as far as opening bands go. It's not painful for the ears, and is a good way to pass the time before the band you paid for arrives on stage.

Kind of blurry, but there's Test Your Reflex

After what felt like forever, Electric Six entered the stage with "Mr. Woman," and didn't let the party let up until his extremely tongue-in-cheek diatribe about how great Bush is and how we should all be so lucky as to somehow get pregnant and birth the next Bush for the presidency. It was similar to the speech I saw him give only a few months ago last time they came through, but different enough that I didn't feel like it was the exact same show.

Dick showing Bush some love. Ha.

When I arrived the crowd was incredibly small, smaller than I've seen it at any show of recent memory, which made me sad/nervous for E6: where they losing their crowd? But by the time they went on the crowd had beefed up quite a bit, about 2/3 full.

Speaking of beef, if I had a quarter for every sweaty fat shirtless or so soaked in sweat that it didn't matter guy that slammed into me, I'd be able to do laundry for a couple of weeks, I'll tell you that. Yuck. Pretty much every show I've been to here in Seattle, people have remained relatively calm, trying to look cool while admiring the show, which was absurd at Man Man. But here, every guy with the heart of a frat guy was out in full force, jumping around, shouting, spraying beer on people and sweating profusely. It's not that I'm not used to it, it's just that it's been so long since I've been to a show where that was the population of the crowd that it was strange.

So here are my two complaints about the show, because few shows are perfect: first was how i kept getting grossly sweaty people slamming into me when I wasn't paying attention, disrupting me from the show, and the second complaint is that while the rest of the band looks wacky enough, they never speak or have moments to shine, so they just seem like Dick Valentine's puppets. I know it's his baby, but I like when the band at least attempts to show themselves off too.

You play a mean guitar, but who are you?

Dick Valentine did seem to be in a great mood, and even seemed like he was trying much harder than last time to hit all the notes and falsetto moments, putting on a spirited performance. Highlights included "Dance Epidemic," "The Future Is In The Future," "I Buy The Drugs," and "Germans In Mexico." And of course it's always great to see "Danger! High Voltage," the song that introduced the world and myself to the wonderfully energetic band with a tongue planted so firmly in cheek they risk biting it off.

In reviewing my almost 3-day stint of concert going, it seemed like there was a logical digression, in terms of mission and "high brow" art and entertainment. Blonde Redhead was moody and very much a personal experience for each audience member, plus they are Indie Rock media darlings. Peeping Tom still had an element of "cool" because it was Mike Patton, but it was all about the fun and stage show that night. Everybody's just having a good time, but with very creative, diverse styles of music. Tonight was a good ole rock-n-roll show, plain and simple. No frills, no back up singers, guest spots, DJs, or anything. Just men, their instruments, and pseudo sex/love anthems with a penchant for dancing and jumping around.

Just like my first few concerts.