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.

If you never let me go, I will never let you down.

(September 8th, 2009 Millvale, PA - Mr. Small's)

After seeing The Gaslight Anthem in March, I added them to the list of bands I'll never miss when they're in town, so as soon as a fall headliner was announced, I made arrangements to find my way there. The thing I've found about going to weeknight shows is that the crowd is always much cooler than on weekends, there's less high school kids trying to impress each other, and it's more like a bunch of friends. I met a couple really cool people from all over the tri-state area just waiting outside the venue. My friend and I even got a spot right on the barrier because we were pretty early. It was his first good show too, so the night was looking rather promising.

Then Ninja Gun took the stage. Oh what a horrible segue. They were actually really good, in context. I don't know if I'd go see them headline, but if my dad wanted something to do on a Saturday night and they were playing a bar, I'd be all over it. To reiterate that statement, they reminded me of something that would fit really well in a bar in a working man's town, just good times music, staying optimistic. That was the general atmosphere for everyone's sets.

The second band to play, The Loved Ones, came out and absolutely burned the stage up. I've seen a lot of bands live, and I've (over)used a lot of adjectives to try to give you some kind of sense of what they're like, but The Loved Ones are the first band that reminded me of real, good old rock stars. I've never seen a band have so much fun and sound so good, while simultaneously giving a great first impression. They also kept the optimism alive with smiles and similar subject matter. Dave Hause, the band's rhythm guitarist and vocalist, was all over the stage. I only wish I would've picked up one of their records on vinyl, or at the very least a t-shirt, to support such a good band and such great guys. I went home the next night and I've been listening to Build & Burn ever since. They're another band to add to that very same list I talked about two paragraphs ago.

Sometimes it takes seeing a band live for me to really appreciate their recorded output. Such is the case with Murder by Death. While I've had all of their full length albums in my library for quite a while, I never really got into it, but when they took the stage, they really changed my mind. It wasn't a particularly awe-inspiring performance, it didn't even seem like they were having that great of a night, they just came out and played, and left a majority of the crowd (including myself) quite satisfied. "Those Who Stayed," the set's instrumental closer, was particularly impressive, and left me wanting more. When I go to see bands that I adore headline, such is the case with Gaslight, I tend to get a bit anxious during the openers, especially the direct support, but Murder by Death kept me interested throughout their whole set. That's very commendable, and depending on the opening acts, I would even go see them headline.

set list:

Sometimes the Line Walks You

'52 Ford

Ball and Chain

A Masters In Reverse Psychology

Ash

Steal Away

Steam Rising

Comin' Home

Organ Grinder

Brother

Until Morale Improves, The Beatings Will Continue

Those Who Stayed

The first time I saw Gaslight, I didn't even know the songs all that well, but it was still one of my favorite sets I'd seen. Knowing the songs definitely made it even better. Anything that I had to complain about last time was put in the past. The sound was unbelievable, and the whole band was having a great time (as usual). While the song choices were excellent, it was very similar to the spring tour's set lists. I wouldn't have minded a little bit of variation, but I left happy nonetheless.

set list:

High Lonesome

Casanova, Baby!

Old White Lincoln

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

The '59 Sound

We Came to Dance

Film Noir

Miles Davis & The Cool

Meet Me By the River's Edge

Stand By Me/I'da Called You Woody, Joe

Angry Johnny & the Radio

Great Expectations

Here's Looking at You, Kid

The Backseat

encore:

Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts

Wherefore Art Thou, Elvis?

Drive

Just turn up our soundtrack and we'll keep singing out loud.

(July 29, 2009 Millvale, PA - Mr. Small's)

Every once in a while, a tour comes along that's too good to pass up (see my last post, about the New Deal tour). Gig Life didn't seem like one of those to me initially. A friend and I planned on attending, I for Fireworks and Set Your Goals, who co-headlined the tour with Four Year Strong, the band he wanted to see. Some problems arose just a few days before the show, and I thought I wasn't going to be able to attend. But had that happened, you wouldn't be reading this, would you? Everything worked out, and I found myself at Small's door in the rain on a Wednesday night.

Grave Maker, a hardcore band (no, not the kind of 'hardcore' you listen to) from the UK, came out first and absolutely killed it. I've seen so many generic bands that claim the term 'hardcore,' but this was the first real hardcore band I've ever seen, and they won't be the last. The crowd/band interaction, the band's energy, the aggression in their sound, it all created this really crazy mood that can't be duplicated. I don't really have any other experiences to compare it to, but if I ever - scratch that - when I see another hardcore band, I'll let you guys know how Grave Maker compares.

The second band to play was a band from Michigan (they congratulated us as Pittsburghers about the Stanley Cup) who go by the name The Swellers. They play an infectious brand of a workingman's pop punk, if you will [your girlfriend wouldn't really care for it, but they couldn't play with three other Grave Maker's either (that term will never stick)], and with their recent signing to Fueled By Ramen, have a hard-earned slot opening for Paramore. This was one of those sets that made me really regret not being more familiar with the band's material, they put on a great show, had a ton of fun, and made it fun for us. They set the bar for the rest of the night, in retrospect.

One of the two bands I was looking forward to most, Fireworks, was up next. They came out swinging with "Detroit," the first single off of their fantastic new album, All I Have to Offer is My Own Confusion. Dave, the band's vocalist, does not sound very good live though, as evidenced throughout the whole set. Sometimes though, it's more about having a good time than sounding good while you do it, and I had a pretty darn good time throughout. The set was filled with songs I, along with several others in the crowd, knew every word to, and the band was really energetic. The atmosphere was just really upbeat. Given the chance I'd definitely go see them again, just to have a great time.

set list:
Detroit
I Support Same Sex Marriage
Michigan Boys Need To Get A Clue
Closet Weather
Show Me Your Vanishing Act One More Time
Geography, Vonnegut And Me
2923 Monroe St.
From Mountain Movers, To Lazy Losers
When We Stand On Each Other We Block Out The Sun

Before the show started, I found out (to my disappointment) that Four Year Strong was headlining, and Set Your Goals would be direct support. More than anything I was worried about set times, but clearly that was nothing to be concerned about. I gave my phone and my glasses to my friend and headed for the pit by the end of "The Fallen..." and spent the next 45+ minutes having the time of my life. This mosh pit ran the gamut, complete with several circle pits, standard moshing, pushing, and several crowd surfers. Did I mention singing along at the tops of our lungs? If I could do it every night of my life, I'd be the happiest guy alive. SYG wasn't the best band I've seen live or anything (don't take that the wrong way, they sounded really great), but they were the funnest band I've ever seen live, without a doubt.

set list:
This Will Be The Death Of Us
The Fallen...
Work In Progress
We Do It For The Money, OBVIOUSLY
Look Closer
Summer Jam
Echoes
Goonies Never Say Die!
To Be Continued...
Gaia Bleeds (Make Way For Man)
This Very Moment
Our Ethos: A Legacy To Pass On
Dead Men Tell No Tales
Mutiny!

My night was already complete, but Four Year Strong had yet to play, and my logic was that I paid to see five bands, I might as well stay for all five. I've never been a big fan of FYS though. For a while I never listened to any of these other bands because they drew comparisons to FYS, the first hardcore-pop-punk/easycore/positive hardcore/whatever-you-want-to-call-it band that I'd heard. I'm just not a fan, don't ask why, but their live show didn't sell them to me at all. The crowd was really boring, and the band felt like robots. The set was exactly what I expected, and while they sounded really good, it didn't even feel like they were in the room. It was as if a couple hundred kids gathered together to listen to a Four Year Strong CD together.

set list (courtesy of setlist.fm):
The Takeover
Bada Bing! Wit' A Pipe!
Catastrophe
Abandon Ship Or Abandon All Hope
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Hell
Semi-Charmed Life (Third Eye Blind cover)
Prepare To Be Digitally Manipulated
Beatdown In The Key Of Happy
She Really Loved You (Reach The Sky cover)
Maniac (R.O.D.)

encore:
Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die

Nonetheless, I did enjoy myself. This tour was so worth it, it was one of the best times I think I've ever had at a show. I feel almost privileged to have been there, these bands are at the top of this scene, and to get them all on the same bill was quite a treat.