No Use For a Journal Name (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} forsberg) wrote,@ 2004-12-13 22:40:00 |
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Dec. 11, 2004 KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas, Night #1 - PART 2
Modest Mouse. I really tried to get into them, but couldn't. In fact I kept checking the time and anxiously awaiting for Franz Ferdinand, the next band. Even radio hits like "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty" couldn't get the crowd going. Many of the people who were standing began sitting down, me included. Somehow they can't re-create the sense of fun/whimsy/whatever from their CD into their live performance. *shrug*
I noticed that Modest Mouse ended their set 10 minutes ahead of schedule so I was thinking there'd be some sort of intermission. NOPE!
Surprise performance. Unfortunately, the surprise was sorta ruined when the rotating stage got stuck! It was rotated 1/4 of the way and refused to move. I didn't mind since the stage was facing our section. The word "GWEN" which was suppose to coincide with the start of the performance was flashing on the big screens so everyone knew the surprise. Eventually, with some pushing the stage got fully rotated to its proper position. I was actually pretty excited about the surprise. Not sure why since I'm not a No Doubt fan. The performance itself felt more like a freak show with the dancing Japanese girls and marching band and Gwen in her extremely high platform shoes. The first song she performed was rather forgettable. I think it was some sort of funky rap song? Then came Whatcha Waiting For. And that was it.
Franz Ferdinand. Their set felt WAY too short. Apparently due to the surprise performance their set got cut down to just over 30 minutes. DAMNIT. They were very fun. Many people dancing. Nick the guitarist was wearing a rather festive red shirt with large white sparkly/starry objects. They performed one new song called "I'm Your Villain" which sounded pretty good but wasn't very memorable until I downloaded it off franzferdinand.org today. I noticed the big screens were projecting black and white video of the band. Maybe to give it that retro feel? Apparently their KROQ.com webcast was also broadcasted in black and white.
The Killers. Sadly, don't recall too much about them. My energy was pretty much spent from all the dancing and moving during Franz Ferdinand. I noticed a lot people starting to sit down for them which isn't a good sign. I had to sit down as well, but then they started to play Mr. Brightside or Smile Like You Mean It or something like that so I had to stand back up.
Interpol. Unfortunately my ears were really shot by now. Our section was near the big speakers and I wasn't wearing any earplugs. So by the time Paul Banks sang the opening lines of "Next Exit," he sounded like he was on helium!!! I told my friend about this, and said it was happening to her as well and that it was from all the continual loudness. I downloaded the webcast yesterday, and Paul Banks INDEED does not sound like a chipmunk. Anyway, Interpol seemed plagued with lotsa technical problems but instead of going with the flow they had the technies do lotsa tinkering in between songs. Paul kept sticking his thumb up indicating more vocals. But then on the next song he'd put the thumb down. Regardless, I had fun despite Interpol sounding like the Chipmunks. I didn't even care about the lighting! I think if you are a fan of theirs you enjoyed their set. If you weren't, you were probably bored.
Jimmy Eat World. Unfortunately lotsa people were leaving before they came on. Can't say I was surprised. A lot of the indie crowd probably thinks JEW is some emo teenybopper band. Our section was particularly sparse. At least with all the people leaving, we were able to move down closer to the stage and I had plenty of room to move and dance like a dork. JEW's stage was decorated with lotsa and lotsa Christmas lights. Christmas lights outlining snowmen, Christmas lights outlining Christmas trees, Christmas lights outlining the stage. I'm curious as to who actually strug the lights. The roadies?! JEW played the standard stuff I've heard a billion times (i.e. The Middle, Sweetness, Pain, Bleed American). It was cool to hear their WHAM! cover of "Last Christmas" though my friend thought it was a bit too long. Probably the highlight of their set was when Jim said:
I'd like to say it's pretty lame playing after Muse....simply for the fact they're so goood.The next song we're gonna play right now...I do a solo and like and pretty much I feel like a dipshit playing it ....ever seeing Muse play it..so... c'mon really..
From that fine eloquent speech, you can probably deduce Jim was pretty drunk/stoned, and you'd probably be right. Jim also sounded like he was on helium as well! That sucked. The two main bands I wanted to see sounded like The Chipmunks :(
Sadly it didn't appear many people were into JEW. I felt like their only fan there. There were a couple of guys hooting and hollering but I think that was more the alcohol. I tried screaming "Seventeen" (a rather old song of theirs) since they've been playing it on their recent tour ALBEIT after the LA shows. arrgghhh. But I doubt anyone on stage heard it. Thanks to a JEW message board member named pinkchimney, I have their whole webcast! If anyone cares, you can download it here.
After the show, got a cherry chocolate coke from some place at CityWalk. Now I must try to make my own cherry chocolate cokes! Unfortunately my friend's car stalled in the middle of the freeway onramp and had to be towed. But that didn't put a damper on an amazing night of music!
Modest Mouse. I really tried to get into them, but couldn't. In fact I kept checking the time and anxiously awaiting for Franz Ferdinand, the next band. Even radio hits like "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty" couldn't get the crowd going. Many of the people who were standing began sitting down, me included. Somehow they can't re-create the sense of fun/whimsy/whatever from their CD into their live performance. *shrug*
I noticed that Modest Mouse ended their set 10 minutes ahead of schedule so I was thinking there'd be some sort of intermission. NOPE!
Surprise performance. Unfortunately, the surprise was sorta ruined when the rotating stage got stuck! It was rotated 1/4 of the way and refused to move. I didn't mind since the stage was facing our section. The word "GWEN" which was suppose to coincide with the start of the performance was flashing on the big screens so everyone knew the surprise. Eventually, with some pushing the stage got fully rotated to its proper position. I was actually pretty excited about the surprise. Not sure why since I'm not a No Doubt fan. The performance itself felt more like a freak show with the dancing Japanese girls and marching band and Gwen in her extremely high platform shoes. The first song she performed was rather forgettable. I think it was some sort of funky rap song? Then came Whatcha Waiting For. And that was it.
Franz Ferdinand. Their set felt WAY too short. Apparently due to the surprise performance their set got cut down to just over 30 minutes. DAMNIT. They were very fun. Many people dancing. Nick the guitarist was wearing a rather festive red shirt with large white sparkly/starry objects. They performed one new song called "I'm Your Villain" which sounded pretty good but wasn't very memorable until I downloaded it off franzferdinand.org today. I noticed the big screens were projecting black and white video of the band. Maybe to give it that retro feel? Apparently their KROQ.com webcast was also broadcasted in black and white.
The Killers. Sadly, don't recall too much about them. My energy was pretty much spent from all the dancing and moving during Franz Ferdinand. I noticed a lot people starting to sit down for them which isn't a good sign. I had to sit down as well, but then they started to play Mr. Brightside or Smile Like You Mean It or something like that so I had to stand back up.
Interpol. Unfortunately my ears were really shot by now. Our section was near the big speakers and I wasn't wearing any earplugs. So by the time Paul Banks sang the opening lines of "Next Exit," he sounded like he was on helium!!! I told my friend about this, and said it was happening to her as well and that it was from all the continual loudness. I downloaded the webcast yesterday, and Paul Banks INDEED does not sound like a chipmunk. Anyway, Interpol seemed plagued with lotsa technical problems but instead of going with the flow they had the technies do lotsa tinkering in between songs. Paul kept sticking his thumb up indicating more vocals. But then on the next song he'd put the thumb down. Regardless, I had fun despite Interpol sounding like the Chipmunks. I didn't even care about the lighting! I think if you are a fan of theirs you enjoyed their set. If you weren't, you were probably bored.
Jimmy Eat World. Unfortunately lotsa people were leaving before they came on. Can't say I was surprised. A lot of the indie crowd probably thinks JEW is some emo teenybopper band. Our section was particularly sparse. At least with all the people leaving, we were able to move down closer to the stage and I had plenty of room to move and dance like a dork. JEW's stage was decorated with lotsa and lotsa Christmas lights. Christmas lights outlining snowmen, Christmas lights outlining Christmas trees, Christmas lights outlining the stage. I'm curious as to who actually strug the lights. The roadies?! JEW played the standard stuff I've heard a billion times (i.e. The Middle, Sweetness, Pain, Bleed American). It was cool to hear their WHAM! cover of "Last Christmas" though my friend thought it was a bit too long. Probably the highlight of their set was when Jim said:
I'd like to say it's pretty lame playing after Muse....simply for the fact they're so goood.The next song we're gonna play right now...I do a solo and like and pretty much I feel like a dipshit playing it ....ever seeing Muse play it..so... c'mon really..
From that fine eloquent speech, you can probably deduce Jim was pretty drunk/stoned, and you'd probably be right. Jim also sounded like he was on helium as well! That sucked. The two main bands I wanted to see sounded like The Chipmunks :(
Sadly it didn't appear many people were into JEW. I felt like their only fan there. There were a couple of guys hooting and hollering but I think that was more the alcohol. I tried screaming "Seventeen" (a rather old song of theirs) since they've been playing it on their recent tour ALBEIT after the LA shows. arrgghhh. But I doubt anyone on stage heard it. Thanks to a JEW message board member named pinkchimney, I have their whole webcast! If anyone cares, you can download it here.
After the show, got a cherry chocolate coke from some place at CityWalk. Now I must try to make my own cherry chocolate cokes! Unfortunately my friend's car stalled in the middle of the freeway onramp and had to be towed. But that didn't put a damper on an amazing night of music!
