Most of the other subsequent posts are just going to consist of a bunch of photos (i finally managed to upload all my photos to my mac) and maybe even video, if I manage to figure out how to do that ;o)
But I did manage to take proper notes for the Silversun Pickups/Ok Go/Snow Patrol show, so in order that they don't go to complete waste...
I'd been looking forward to this show, but not as much as usual, simply b/c of the location, at the theater at Madison Square Garden, which I think has just been rechristened the WAMU Theater - blech!
The sight lines are decent, but this place seems to attract the dilettante amongst music fans - the folk that come out b/c they know 'that one song', or heard that it was 'the hot show in town'. I hate these people. I know that sounds harsh, but they just piss me off. These are the people that will yell at me to sit down even if everyone else in front of me happens to be up. Or the people who'll insist on having a full concert-length conversation with whomever they came with. Pretty loudly too. So that instead of remembering the great live music I just experienced, instead I'll have their annoying talk about that 'hot chick they know from work' in my head. Grr. But enough about annoying people - they take up too much space as it is...
Silversun Pickups started out the show. They've been doing pretty well since their cute androgynous pubescent girl video - Lazy Eye - has been on heavy rotation on Mtv and Fuse and IMF and who knows where else. It's a really catchy song, and even catchier video, so i'd already gone ahead and dropped a few bucks on their cd.
They had tons of energy, but unfortunately were dwarfed by the location's usual lack of any sort of proper lighting and sound. Opening bands might as well not exist, that's how much attention their setup was given here.
The lead singer had a good rapport with the audience, mentioned that we really should stay and give Snow Patrol a chance - to not just leave as soon as their set was over, since it was becoming a bit embarrassing.
They only played for about 25 minutes, which actually i guess is typical for an opener. They were lively throughout and did try and engage the crowd which although dead as far as any sort of movement (would it kill them to bop their head a bit?), did react audibly to their calls.
Ok Go was next and were excellent as always - pretty much a guaranteed good time. I was a bit disappointed they didn't do their treadmill choreography like they had at an earlier headlining show at Irving Plaza, but they did end the show once again with their inflatable, blowing, pink, phallic, rubber thingies (I'll post a photo later - they're hard to describe), which is always fun. The crowd had filled out a bit more by then and was definitely more energetic.
And then Snow Patrol started. Btw, I think this is one of the few shows I can remember, when I both knew of and liked all of the openers and headliners alike.
Snow Patrol is definitely trying to usurp the the stadium gods' seat away from u2 and the like. Gary Lightbody (the lead singer) is becoming more and more comfortable with the role of ringmaster - who even notices the other band members? - does the lighting crew even bother to set up spotlights for them? It did seem like all the lights and attention were wholly focused on Gary's shenanigans.
I'm never very good at keeping precise track of which songs are played and/or missed, but I do know they missed 'Chocolate' and thankfully spared us any songs from their first two albums, which bless them, suck.
They did play the yuppie crowd's favorites as was evidenced by the noticeable walkout after they finished playing the 'grey's anatomy' song.
Best moment of the evening: Gary pointed out that there was a girl in the audience with a sign saying something like "I spent all my money on a ticket from Glasgow and now I'm skint'. He asked her what she wanted to be picked for and later on asked her to come on stage and help out on the duet that was performed in the album my Martha Wainwright. Anna from Belfast (I think) then came on and did a bang on job of belting it out. She knew all the lyrics, didn't just stand there gushing at Gary, took it all serious like and did an excellent job of it.
Afterwards Gary mentioned how she'd been the best one so far - how each girl along the tour had put her individual stamp on it, sometimes doing a little dance or enhancing the song with some Christina Aguillera touches. How some of them had been a bit scary like, but all fun.
I'm not sure how many more of their shows I'll be able to go to though. Their rising star means they'll be playing ever larger venues and if the crowd at the Garden was any indication of what's to come, I might just stay home. But no matter what's going on with the audience, it was really refreshing to see that Gary remains as emotional and devoted to the music as ever. He always seems to truly enjoy himself and is never contemptuous of the audience. Always grateful and joyous.
Good post.
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