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Obligatory Post Show Commentary
Mar. 4th, 2004 01:21 amFirst off, the Vera Project is always a great venue. It's small, but not cramped, with a decent sound system, terrific staff, and great overall feel. The fact that it is also an art collective is an added bonus.
The first band was Roy, a local Seattle emo band with the typical soft whispery parts followed by the energetic crunchy parts which then are quickly subsumed by more quiet whispery parts. They weren't bad, but I just don't get into that style of music very much. Their last song, which was about being a gay teenager and coming out to your parents, was much better than anything else they played.
The Grabass Charlestons, from Gainesville, FL were next. It was fairly straight-forward, three-piece punk with a definite Southern touch to it. Among the few things that set them apart are the fact that the drummer is also the lead singer, and the bass player played almost an entire song in a mind-bogglingly low limbo position - feet flat on the floor, body bent back and parallel to the ground about four inches off the stage. You must see to believe.
The most pleasant surprise of the evening was Lucero, from Memphis, TN. Their sound is hard to describe, especially in the typical fashion of comparing them to other bands or listing them by genre. The closest I can approximate is indie-country-rock-punk. The music was excellent, but the thing that definitely brings them up a notch is the fact that the lead singer/guitarist has some of the most incredible stage presence and charisma that I have ever seen in a band. And it's that sort of unconscious, aw-shucks kind of charisma, not the David Bowie/Freddie Mercury strut your stuff kind that people like, say, Davey Havok have.
Last but never least was, of course, Against Me! The crowd had been utterly docile throughout the show up to this point, but as soon as Warren started playing the opening drum riff for the first song ("Pints of Guinness Make You Strong") the entire place erupted, and Jesse and I were crushed against the stage (which only came up to just above our knees, so it was rather uncomfortable). Still, I sang my voice raw, soaked my clothes with sweat, and generally had a great time. Against Me! cannot be beat.
I'm tired and my legs are bruised. Cheers.
The first band was Roy, a local Seattle emo band with the typical soft whispery parts followed by the energetic crunchy parts which then are quickly subsumed by more quiet whispery parts. They weren't bad, but I just don't get into that style of music very much. Their last song, which was about being a gay teenager and coming out to your parents, was much better than anything else they played.
The Grabass Charlestons, from Gainesville, FL were next. It was fairly straight-forward, three-piece punk with a definite Southern touch to it. Among the few things that set them apart are the fact that the drummer is also the lead singer, and the bass player played almost an entire song in a mind-bogglingly low limbo position - feet flat on the floor, body bent back and parallel to the ground about four inches off the stage. You must see to believe.
The most pleasant surprise of the evening was Lucero, from Memphis, TN. Their sound is hard to describe, especially in the typical fashion of comparing them to other bands or listing them by genre. The closest I can approximate is indie-country-rock-punk. The music was excellent, but the thing that definitely brings them up a notch is the fact that the lead singer/guitarist has some of the most incredible stage presence and charisma that I have ever seen in a band. And it's that sort of unconscious, aw-shucks kind of charisma, not the David Bowie/Freddie Mercury strut your stuff kind that people like, say, Davey Havok have.
Last but never least was, of course, Against Me! The crowd had been utterly docile throughout the show up to this point, but as soon as Warren started playing the opening drum riff for the first song ("Pints of Guinness Make You Strong") the entire place erupted, and Jesse and I were crushed against the stage (which only came up to just above our knees, so it was rather uncomfortable). Still, I sang my voice raw, soaked my clothes with sweat, and generally had a great time. Against Me! cannot be beat.
I'm tired and my legs are bruised. Cheers.
