October 27, 2009

If you think I'm being harsh, baby keep on counting stars.

(October 27th, 2009 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom)

Almost every show I've been to this year has been good. The really good ones were that way because of more than just the bands that played, but also the interaction, where it's more than just a bunch of people gathered to see a band play, then promptly go home. A concert's really good when it's more of a congregation of people with common interests who can all get along. I can't say that this was the case with every show I've been to recently, but for the most part it has been. Thus, I had high hopes for Say Anything's headlining tour, especially with the diverse openers they brought along. I was even more excited to finally be seeing a concert in a city other than Pittsburgh, and while Cleveland wasn't my first choice, I was anticipating the adventure that was waiting for me.

Moving Mountains has found their way onto some strange bills this year. Once the Say Anything tour wraps up, they'll be heading out with Straylight Run and the Dangerous Summer. Armed with nothing but that information, you'd think they'd have a sense for pop music. This is not the case at all. In fact, MovMou would probably be much better suited on tour with Envy (Japanese post-screamo) or Explosions in the Sky (instrumental post-rock) than Say Anything. The one thing every band labeled pop-anything has in common is song length. MovMou don't fall into that category. They only fit four songs into a thirty-minute opening slot, and, appropriately enough, most of the crowd seemed relatively bored. Fortunately for me, I couldn't hear them, because MovMou was incredibly loud, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Even if you sample their music online and don't enjoy it, don't rule them out. They're a live band, first and foremost. You don't really get a sense for their music until you've seen it performed live.

set list:
Armslength
Lights & Shapes
Cover The Roots/Lower The Stems
With One's Heart In One's Mouth

Before the show had even started, the order of anticipation for me, personally, went most-anticipated to least-anticipated in order from opener to headliner. What I mean by that is, the highlight of the show for me was already past when .moneen. took the stage. I've been a fan of .moneen. for a good while, but have yet to see them live, and I still don't quite feel like I have, because Cleveland, and several dates preceding and following, only got one-half of .moneen., because of van problems. For a short string of dates they performed acoustic, but I was no less excited, and my excitement was matched just the same. They sounded fantastic, even with the relatively impromptu acoustic set. The two songs that did feature bass and drums were still semi-acoustic, but no-less enjoyable. In fact, I have no complaints, except that I would have liked to hear more from them, but based on the crowd's extremely sub-par response to the hushed set, which was even met with the occasional heckling (EXTREMELY distasteful and disappointing, as far as I'm concerned), it wasn't to be.

set list:
Hold That Sound
Dark & Ugly
This Is All Bigger than Me (Coby & Alex from Say Anything on bass & drums)
There Are a Million Reasons....
Believe (Mitch & Nick from MovMou on bass & drums)
Waterfalls (Kenny solo)

Much to my dismay, my expectations for the night were met, and if they weren't, it was only for the worst, when Eisley's set got underway. I'm not even sure how to explain it, but they just did not sound good. I enjoy their recorded output, but the set list was mediocre, the vocals were disappointing, and their discomfort on stage was very easy to sense. The crowd's hostility probably didn't help anything, but at this point it was past everyone's bed times and all that they collectively wanted was a lullaby from Mr. Bemis. Eisley's set wasn't completely terrible though, the new songs that were played were definitely the highlights, which bodes well for their future live performances anyway.

set list:
Marvelous Things
Many Funerals
The Valley
Golly Sandra
Mr. Pine
Smarter
Ambulance
Memories
Many Funerals

I was mildly disappointed when Eisley left the stage, but was downright fed up when I got hit with the wall of fan-boys and -girls immediately after. It felt like I was standing in a room filled with oversized preschoolers who were just made aware of the presence of an enormous bowl of candy, but just couldn't see it. If anyone reads this blog frequently at all, you know that I go to a lot of concerts, but I've never been in a crowd this bad. Maybe it was the city, or maybe it was the band and their fan base, but regardless, it was completely unnecessary, and it only got worse. I made a b-line for the back of the room, because I'm not a big enough fan of Say Anything to put up with being smashed for the duration of their set. As soon as the set kicked off with their two biggest singles, I knew I was in for a long night. What's worse is they didn't even sound good. It was immediately clear to me that Max Bemis, the band's frontman, still doesn't know how to use a microphone even after years of touring. As annoying as it may have been, maybe it really was best for him to just let the crowd do all of the singing, because it sure seemed like that's what he intended. And I couldn't have been more disappointed with the set list. Save for two choice cuts from ...Is a Real Boy ("Yellow Cat (Slash) Red Cat," which was fantastic, and "Slowly, Through a Vector," which was disappointing, at best), the song choices were awful. The only positive that came of the entire set was how good "Hate Everyone" sounded live (and upon listening to Say Anything, the band's new album, much better than the version on the album). I've only once ever left a show while a band was playing, and that was because I had promotions to do, but I didn't even bother staying for the encore, instead choosing to talk to Kenny from .moneen. and the guys from MovMou at their merch table. Best decision I made all night.

set list:
Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too
Alive With the Glory Of Love
It's a Metaphor, Fool
Shiksa (Girlfriend)
Hate Everyone
Yellow Cat (Slash) Red Cat
Have At Thee!
This Is Fucking Ecstasy
Eloise
Woe
Baby Girl, I'm a Blur
Mara & Me
Slowly, Through a Vector
The Futile

encore:
Crush'd (Max solo)
Spores
Admit It!!!

As disheartening as the latter half of the show was, I did manage to have a great time traveling to a new city with some great friends for music. We visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum during our brief stay, and made some new friends along the way. Still, don't expect to ever find me in a large group of Say Anything fans, or people from Cleveland, again for a little while.

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