It’s that time of year again, where people take a look back at events/songs/movies/events that have happened in the past year and I will be no exception. Here is the first installment: The top three shows of 2009
One. Screeching Weasel :: October 11th :: Riot Fest :: Congress Theater :: Chicago :: Illinois
I already wrote about this one for the site…but here I go again. I waited over ten years to see Weasel and by the time the opportunity came I was scared that I was going to be disappointed. Even an above average show would have fallen short after all those years of build up. The sound, the energy, the music, and the crowd all coalesced that night to create the perfect atmosphere. The songs sounded better than the albums and the crowd sang as loud as they could, bro-hugs and instant connections between strangers in the pit took me back to those shows I went to when I was 14 and friendships were based on two people liking the same song.
Two. Bouncing Souls/ Loved Ones :: April 29th :: Toad’s Place :: New Haven :: Connecticut
I have seen the Bouncing Souls countless times, from fests, to tiny NYC venues, to Culture Shock at SUNY Purchase (thanks for not kicking me off the stage when my friends gave me too many drinks and talked me into climbing up and dancing) and had recently discovered The Loved Ones and had been listing to their albums on repeat because when I heard about the show at Toad’s Place. The venue Nestled (yeah I mean nestled) in the downtown streets of Yale’s campus in New Haven Connecticut, among coffee shops and stone cathedral style buildings this raw dirty rock n’ roll venue sticking out like a beautiful sore thumb.
The first thing that I noticed was an odd barricade in the middle of the floor separating the under and over 21 crowd (a completely unnecessary barrier for this show where only a few beers seemed to be served). During the first band (Black President) the crowd was thin but projected their energy and little instigation turned the under 21 half of the room into a circle pit by the end of their set.
The Loved Ones rocked the crowd. Fans screamed along and the rest of the crowd couldn't help but move to the beat. David Walsh was always cool and professional and Chris Gonzalez with a smile on his face as if he was playing his first show, Mike Sneeringer shy behind his drum set, Dave Hause red faced, with the emotion and passion of the songs coming through his every pore, yet breaking the intensity between each song to thank the audience for coming, to thank them for singing along. Live, the Loved Ones sound better, more real, more passionate than they can ever sound on any recording.
The Bouncing Souls had a tough act to follow, but as always they didn’t disappoint. Greg Attonito’s charisma stemming from his awkward dry humor charmed the audience as usual. His melodic shouted vocals over the intense energy of Pete Steinkopf, Bryan Kienlen, and Michael McDermott incited the crowd. True to the 20 year banner that hung behind the stage, the Souls played songs from all those 20 years, only reject the crowds chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole” by saying, “You don’t want to heard that song, do you? Because the band doesn’t want to play it. Just saying…” By the middle of the set the old fogey side of the barrier was one dancing, singing, thrashing mass while the kids tapped their foots to the beat. I hope that those kids learned something.
Three: Third Eye Blind :: August 20th :: Crash Mansion :: New York :: New York
Yes, Third Eye Blind. Everyone has their guilty pleasures and mine happens to be Third Eye Blind. For the first 500 people to order their new album, Ursa Major, and go to a website, and type in a code, and print out a confirmation (it was a pain…but worth it) received complimentary tickets to an NYC show at Crash Mansion. There were no details aside from print out the confirmation and make sure to bring photo id to the show, so I had no idea what to expect. I walked down the steps to the tiny two rooms that make up Crash Mansion and grabbed spot on a couch against a wall about half way to the stage. There was no opening band but there wasn’t any need to warm this crowd up, everyone sang along with the acoustic set of new tacks that were only released a few days before. The half of the crowd that made up the pit thrashed on the floor while the rest of us balanced on couches around the room. Stephan Jenkins mentions Arion’s departure from the band and then talked about there bands appreciation for their fan base.
I had thought that I was a Third Eye Blind fan, I have every album, some b-sides, have seen them every where from small town bars to stadiums but these kids screamed in excitement at the opening chords of songs I never heard. They played some old favorites from each of their albums and God of Wine can always make me feel like a teenager again. The banter, the heat, the lesser known favorite songs provided one of the most intimate atmospheres for a show/concert that I have ever been to. This show was an amazing opportunity for fans, very intense and raw, a show that we always wish of favorite bands would put on and we would be invited to.
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