Not So Silent Night 2010.
Dec. 11th, 2010 13:09![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
starladySo I went on an adventure down in the South Bay with damned_colonial and epershand to see a bunch of bands last night, and in the way of adventures, it was fun and only slightly hairy (I would just like to note, I can still find my way through places I have never been with no map. It's actually easier out here because everything's more or less built to a grid). This involved driving through the suburban wasteland on both sides of the Bay; oh, I'm so happy to be out of there, you have no idea.
# Broken Bells were up first - I saw The Shins on the last date of their last world tour, in Osaka, and even though they were basically going crazy on stage, it was still only a notch or two up from staring at their picture while listening to their music. Broken Bells has the same lead singer and the same essential problem, which is that he is a block of wood on stage. Also their music, which I actually like, is deeply unsuited to the arena setting.
# The Black Keys - I'd never seen them before, and only vaguely heard their music, but they put on a pretty good set, way more dynamic than Broken Bells, though their music is a little too close to roots-ish for me to really get into wholeheartedly. I want the lead singer's leather jacket.
# Phoenix! - OMG, I love Phoenix, and I was quite glad that they are just as awesome live as they are on their albums, though their shows are definitely not for the seizure-prone. Apparently Daft Punk have been showing up at their shows randomly of late, to promote their new album (i.e. the Tron: Legacy soundtrack), but there was no Daft Punk tonight. I don't care, Phoenix are awesome all by themselves.
# My Chemical Romance! - The real reason we trekked down to the South Bay, and even though I am a fairly casual fan, they did not disappoint. I teared up a bit when Gerard sang "Cancer," which I expected, but they put on a great, dynamic show, and the crowd thankfully, finally got into it, and it was great. It occurred to me in the car on the way back that their music shares a certain something with Holly Black's books--I'm not sure it ever rises above the level of atmospherics, but they both definitely have a kind of North Jersey Gothic sensibility.
We were hungry, so we skipped The Smashing Pumpkins and headed back up north. Along the way we stopped at an In 'n' Out Burger, which is a California Experience, and now I have had it. My verdict: Five Guys is better at the "burgers and fries made from actual meat and actual potatoes" thing, but quite tasty, and damn cheap.
P.S. Dear California: Your highways suck. No love, Me. (Let me just say, if I ever talk about getting a car out here, somebody please slap me back into my senses.) I'm not even talking about the traffic, which was horrific, as I entirely expected. But having expected it, it was never an actual annoyance.
damned_colonial and epershand to see a bunch of bands last night, and in the way of adventures, it was fun and only slightly hairy (I would just like to note, I can still find my way through places I have never been with no map. It's actually easier out here because everything's more or less built to a grid). This involved driving through the suburban wasteland on both sides of the Bay; oh, I'm so happy to be out of there, you have no idea. # Broken Bells were up first - I saw The Shins on the last date of their last world tour, in Osaka, and even though they were basically going crazy on stage, it was still only a notch or two up from staring at their picture while listening to their music. Broken Bells has the same lead singer and the same essential problem, which is that he is a block of wood on stage. Also their music, which I actually like, is deeply unsuited to the arena setting.
# The Black Keys - I'd never seen them before, and only vaguely heard their music, but they put on a pretty good set, way more dynamic than Broken Bells, though their music is a little too close to roots-ish for me to really get into wholeheartedly. I want the lead singer's leather jacket.
# Phoenix! - OMG, I love Phoenix, and I was quite glad that they are just as awesome live as they are on their albums, though their shows are definitely not for the seizure-prone. Apparently Daft Punk have been showing up at their shows randomly of late, to promote their new album (i.e. the Tron: Legacy soundtrack), but there was no Daft Punk tonight. I don't care, Phoenix are awesome all by themselves.
# My Chemical Romance! - The real reason we trekked down to the South Bay, and even though I am a fairly casual fan, they did not disappoint. I teared up a bit when Gerard sang "Cancer," which I expected, but they put on a great, dynamic show, and the crowd thankfully, finally got into it, and it was great. It occurred to me in the car on the way back that their music shares a certain something with Holly Black's books--I'm not sure it ever rises above the level of atmospherics, but they both definitely have a kind of North Jersey Gothic sensibility.
We were hungry, so we skipped The Smashing Pumpkins and headed back up north. Along the way we stopped at an In 'n' Out Burger, which is a California Experience, and now I have had it. My verdict: Five Guys is better at the "burgers and fries made from actual meat and actual potatoes" thing, but quite tasty, and damn cheap.
P.S. Dear California: Your highways suck. No love, Me. (Let me just say, if I ever talk about getting a car out here, somebody please slap me back into my senses.) I'm not even talking about the traffic, which was horrific, as I entirely expected. But having expected it, it was never an actual annoyance.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-12 01:12 (UTC)Well, I'm sorry the venue was such a disappointment for you guys, and I'm glad to hear the crowd finally got into it for MCR. <3