Chicago, Illinois, USA - October 16, 2000

fictionfunhouse.com
at The Metro
by "PV"


In the case of this concert, I was more familiar with the opening band, Creeper Lagoon. I have their only full length CD, I Become Small and Go. I've heard some of the new EP, but haven't gotten around to buying it yet.

They opened with their best song, "Dear Deadly," and closed with their second best song, "Empty Ships." In between, it was mostly songs off their new EP, and a couple slated for the next full length release in Spring. So I only was familiar with like half the set. They sounded pretty good, the guitars sounded grungier and heavier in spots. But their style isn't entirely given to playing live. For as many songs that have energetic interludes, there are a bunch built on spiraling guitars and open space-- in true indie fashion--and I'm not sure a concert atmosphere does it justice.

But they're a solid band and they played a decent opening set.

I'm really only familiar with the latest Dandy Warhols album, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia. I've barely heard any of their older stuff, but the latest is very cool.

Their unique blend of psychedelic, sometimes poppy, always heavily layered and fuzzy guitar rock was in full force, vibrating the floors and airwaves with feedback. "Bohemian Like You," "Horse Pills," "Solid," "Godless," and "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth" were highlights of the set. Really, it was all pretty good, but I don't know the names of the other ones.

What made it such a good time was the attitude of the band, which permeated the audience and created a friendly party atmosphere.

At one point, Lead Singer relayed an anecdote about getting up ridiculously early to be on the Fox Morning Show. Now this could have been pretentious-- Woe is me, rock star has to get up early to be on TV-- but it was actually pretty funny. He asked the crowd a couple times during the show if they wanted a break to get a drink. He asked if he could get one, and someone from the crowd brought him one. And then one for the keyboard/tambourine girl, who shared with the drummer. They seemed to be having a good time, like they were really friends playing music.

I kept thinking that if I like, won the Lotto or something, and threw a big party, they would be a cool band to have play.

About midway through the show, keyboard/tambourine girl asked for requests from the crowd, and they deviated from the set list and played what the crowd wanted.

They ended with "Rave Up," a fifteen minute dirge of feedback and dissonance, that kept building to euphoric crescendos, each one louder and stronger than the last, until they just about lost it at the end. Just intense. A singular musical experience.

And then outside the Metro, as we were waiting for some of the people we were with to make their way outside, the guitarist from the band--who had the most laconic stage presence of the group, didn't engage in any of the crown interaction--came outside by the bus and signed autographs and took his time chatting amiably with some of the people still around.

It was impossible not to walk away from the evening with a positive vibe, about music and the whole concert-going experience.