(Here’s an old one I wrote for FRA a couple months ago)

So two hours before showtime, I received a call from Danny saying a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend had two extra tickets for the Fall Out Boy show that night at the Honda Center. I said sure I’ll go, not knowing what I had gotten myself into. I thought it would be so easy to find someone to accompany me but no one was available on a Monday night (that should say a lot about my social life). Just as I was going to pull the plug, I realized that it was my summer break after all and I should at least visit the stadium since I’ve never gone before. As I was getting ready to go alone to meet a girl who I never met, my good friend Alex called me back asking if I had given away my extra ticket yet…

We missed Cobra Starship (come on bring it!), Paul Wall, and The Academy Is… but arrived just in time to see +44 begin their set. I never gave +44 a listen before but it seemed like it was just four punk rock veterans playing straight-forward pop punk. However, it was awesome finally witnessing Travis Barker perform. I’ve never heard such drum fills before. By the way, they “covered” Dammit.

Before I get into the Fall Out Boy performance, let me get some things off my chest. First of all, I am a FOB fan. Take This To Your Grave is one of the greatest pop punk albums ever recorded. Second, I think they’re good live performers. I’ve seen them play both good and bad shows—the best when they opened for Acceptance, the worst when they took Midtown on tour. Third, I’m pretty forgiving about what they turned into. I’m afraid to admit that if I was that famous, I’ll probably take advantage of it as well.

The entire show was a spectacle. For their grand entrance, they were launched from under the stage in the fashion of Rey Mysterio Jr., or any boy band. For the rest of the show, bright lights, fireworks, and pyrotechnics were choreographed to each song. Three big screens provided the backdrop, bombarding the audience with colors, lyrics, and propaganda. There was even a costume change. As shown by the set list below, they played a good mix of their albums and a couple surprising covers:

1) Thriller
2) Grand Theft Autumn
3) Akon’s Don’t Matter
4) Sugar We’re Going Down
5) Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued
6) Of All The Gin Joints In All The World
7) Hum Hallelujah
I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me
9) Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today
10) I’m Like A Lawyer With The Way I’m Always Trying To Get You Off [Me+You]
11) A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me”
12) Michael Jackson’s Beat It
13) The Carpal Tunnel Of Love
14) Golden
15) This Ain’t A Scene It’s An Arm’s Race
16) Thnks Fr th Mmrs
17) The Take Over, The Breaks Over
18) Dance, Dance
19) Saturday

In all, I had a memorable experience. I’m still a FOB fan. The Honda Center was beautiful—I can’t wait to return to see the World Champion Anaheim Ducks play next season. And Vicky, if you’re reading this, thank you for allowing this stranger to share this memory with you.

What can I say?

Eugene is a great friend of mine and wanted to post this Fall Out Boy video in honor of him. (Future Lawyer of America?)

Fall Out Boy - I’m Like A Lawyer With The Way I’m Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You)

courtesy of daisy3862

Good luck in law school.

You know when your friend makes you a mix cd for your car and there is that one track you keep going back to, putting it on heavy rotation?

Purple Popcorn’s remix “This is Why I Rock” to Mims “This is why I’m Hot” was just that track. As for the rest of their music here’s a snippet from the Miami New Times.

By Eric W. Saeger

Published: August 23, 2007

“The band has some breathtaking material. Combining the nu-metal sounds of Sevendust, the subterranean indie-prog of Minus the Bear, and Tupac-influenced rap, the songs treat each genre with great respect.”

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=147165776

This Is Why I Rock

Add to My Profile | More Videos

This Violent Femmes self titled album was released in 1982 and contains classics such as Blister in the Sun, Kiss Off, and Add it Up. It gained a cult following and didn’t go platinum till ten years after the initial release… and this is from an album that still gets played today on stations like kroq!

The thing about Violent Femmes is that they sound so fresh and spontaneous. It’s acoustic garage, folk punk, whatever. For anyone who’s made music - this is what you sounded like when you first hooked up a mic to your stereo and pushed “record” … IF you sounded good. The thing is by the time you get to a studio you’re usually much better at your instruments and by then your songs are too well thought out.

Here’s a lyrical sample from Add it Up:

“Why can’t I get just one screw
Believe me I know what to do
But something won’t let me make love to you
Why can’t I get just one fuck
Why can’t I get just one fuck
I guess it’s something to do with luck”

They’re a step away from being a “joke band” but they just manage to stay above it… like most great bands.
Last I leave you with a live clip. Enjoy and then go find some Violent Femmes!

Since I doubt I’m the only one itching for new Wolf Parade, with them just having played new songs from the upcoming album, I thought I’d get the word out about Handsome Furs, Dan (WP’s lead singer) and his wife’s project.

It’s minimal, sparse, repetitive, dismal (words from the website), and honest to God beautiful. Plague Park is released on Sub Pop Records and every track is worth it.

They have shows coming up, check out the dates on Myspace. And look out for Wolf Parade’s new album, beginning of 2008!

Handsome Furs - Can’t Get Started

courtesy of: subpoprecords

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/handsomefurs

To continue my evergrowing posts about the Chicago scene, I now bring to you The Cool Kids.

Check em out here: http://www.myspace.com/gocoolkids.
They are some cool kids.yo.

The Cool Kids - ‘88 (Unofficial MV)

England’s given America some great female talent in the past year with Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. Now, it’s Kate Nash’s turn. She started gigging around local bars in London, and decided to upload her music onto MySpace. That’s where she was discovered by her manager. Lily Allen calls her the next big thing, and rightfully so.

Her matter of fact story-telling, combined with a dry and almost cynical humor gives her the edginess that we’ve all seen in her British female counterparts.

She’s just hit the US, and I predict a Kate Nash takeover.

Here’s Foundations.