@ The Pageant X2

Show#1:

Where the hell were you last night? I waited and waited for you at The Pageant last night...but you never showed up. I was all alone at the Motorhead show. It was awesome. ASG and Valient Thorr were there. It was awesome. I saved you a seat, but you were a no-show.

Oh well, there were pleanty of other people there. Bat-shit crazy metal-heads. I'd never been to a metal show before, and I have to say...it didn't dissapoint. Though it wasn't as "rough" as I thought it would be. For one thing, I learned that a modern metal show is one of the safest places on earth. Seriously. For ever one fan they had two security guards. But a good time was still had. Eastern rockers ASG were pretty good...but the crowd was pretty pissed.

Here's why

Line-up when I bought the tickets: Airbourne, The Misfits, Valient Thorr, and Motorhead.

Line-up that acutally played that night: ASG, Valient Thorr, and Motorhead.

Looks a little different, don't it? Looks a little shorter, don't it? Looks like it doesn't have The Misfits on it, don't it? I actually wasn't there to see The Misfits (I wanted to see Airbourne, they're a fucking great band). But judging by the t-shirts in the crowd, about 40% of the people there wanted to see The Misfits. I have no idea why they were a no-show, but people were pissed. The lead singer(screamer) in Valient Thorr got a little sick of it and said something like, "Yeah I know, The Misfits aren't here...but if they were I could kick their ass...see, I'm wearing my wresting boots" *points at blue wrestling boots*

Motorhead was amazing. Seriously. There's a scene in the movie AIRHEADS, with Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi, where Buscemi is testing this guy who might be a cop. He asks the guy, "Who would win in a fight, Lemmy or God?" The undercover hesitates, then says "Lemmy." Buscemi shakes his head, "Wrong! Trick question dick-head...Lemmy is God!" I can't say that I'd argue too much about Lemmy's divinity. Motorhead was really good. Blew my mind. Blew everyone's mind. Drummer Mikkey Dee was freakin' hilarious (he being a floppy-haired swedish meatball), banging the hell out of those drums (ten minute drum solo on "In the Name of Tragedy"). The solos were fast and wicked, with all of the hits represented from the band's career. Really though, I only wanted to hear three songs: "Ace of Spades" (naturally), "Overkill," and "Stay Clean." Heard it, heard it, heard it. Like most older bands they new better than to play very much new stuff (though the one thing they played off the new record MOTORIZER wasn't half bad, though it's main riff was very similar to "Ace of Spades").

I was a little surprised at how political the whole show was. Valient Thorr dedicated a song to the men and women fighting in Iraq (it was pretty anti-war). Motohead also brought up politics when Lemmy reminded all of us to vote before playing "Just 'Cos You Got the Power." It was interesting seeing people as goofy/strange as these metal freaks get so serious (about something other than rockin').

Anyway, I proclaim it to be the BEST show this WEEK, MONTH, and YEAR! And you missed it...what a shame.


Show# 2 was tonight (again at The Pageant). This time Leah went with me. We saw Vampire Weekend, and the worst band EVER called White Williams. Seriously, screw you White Williams you are a terrible, terrible band. When your lead singer "plays" a laptop/synthesizer you are a lame, lame band. When you drummer STANDS THE ENTIRE SET...you are a lame, lame, lame band. No one clapped when they finished their crappy "rave" style "grooves" or whatever. I booed them once (drunkenly). Leah stood with her back to them. They were awful.

Vampire Weekend was much better. They sounded exactly like they do on the album, which is always a nice surprise (especially in this day and age of ProTools and what-not). They're a great, tight little band, and I enjoyed watching them play. BUT, like The Strokes when I saw them, they only have one album's worth of material.

One album+concert=short @$$ show. They did come back out and play one last song...but if we'd held a gun to their heads and demanded a second they'd be dead. They had nothing. They played everything off of their debut record, which was cool because we got to hear all the songs we love...but it made for a short evening. We were done by 10:05. The show started at 8:00. White Williams killed (literally) an hour prior to them taking the stage, so they played their whole first-and-only record plus two or three new songs (all good) in about an hour.

Say it with me: short ass show.

And they didn't do what I thought they'd do and play "A-Punk," their most popular song, last (which is what Motorhead did with "Ace of Spades"). The last song they did was "Walcott" ("Get out of Cape Cod/Outta Cape Cod TONIGHT!!!"). I was surprised to see people react as strongly as they did to "Oxford Comma" (my personal favorite song on of theirs). And I was enlightened to learn that "M79" is about a bus.

It was a good, tame...tame...tame show (compared to the Metal Maddness of last night). Tame is good though, especially when I have Leah with me. I mention the tame-ness of this show only becuase the whole time I was there I was a little sad. You see, my Mom and little sister love Vampire Weekend. I burned the album for them, and they listen to it in the car. When the tickets went on sale, I told them to check and see if they were playing in KC. They were (tomorrow night). My Mom bought tickets, but they ended up giving them up, partly I believe bceause my Dad was worried about them going alone.

It was a good show, and it makes me sad they couldn't go.

Anyway, it's been a busy concert-going week for me. I have another show on Saturday, but I'm worried because it's outside (I have lawn tickets...yuk) and it's supposed to rain cats and dogs all weekend out here. It's a shame too, because I really want to see Heart and Cheap Trick (the fake Journey that's headlining I can take or leave, to be honest). We'll see if that show gets postponed or not. God knows I'll go, even if it's raining...I've done it before.