What it was, however, not.
I was so excited for this show, which lately hasn't really happened. I couldn't wait to get up there and hang out with my old friend and see two of my favorite bands, together, in one of my favorite places, which also happens to be basically TGA's "hometown." (I know they aren't from there, but if you listen to their stuff you understand where I am coming from.)
I met up with a friend from my WC days, her husband, and two of her friends, and we had dinner at a place in the Berkley Hotel. It was nice, and I really rather like this whole eating a nice meal before a show thing I seem to be doing lately. It definitely beats starving through a set.
While we were inside, the rain came down like crazy, but it was tapering off as we started down to the venue. At this point, though, the sun was down and it was getting really cold. We all ended up bundling up a little more and then headed down...as we were walking, Ben came back and said, "we are missing the hold steady." We thought their set started at eight, but they were finishing their last song at 8:17 so obviously that wasn't right. I did get to see a few songs, and we heard a few while waiting in the STILL RIDICULOUS line to get inside.
By this point we were all bundled up, a little bit wet from the rain that had just passed through, and anxious for Gaslight to take the stage. I find myself wondering if all of that anxiousness was for nought. I find that shows that I drag my feet about attending are generally kick-ass, and the shows that I build up as SUPERAWESOMEHAPPYFUNTIMES in my head tend to leave me wanting more.
First, the crowd sucked. A crowd makes or breaks a show for me, and this one definitely broke it. I guess ill just never understand why anyone would pay concert ticket money, not to mention ticketmaster fees, just to stand around and talk over the band. I maybe get it with an opener, because its less likely that anyone is there to see them specifically (though I realize that people do sometimes go for the opener) but the headlining act? It would be much cheaper to invite your friends over, buy a few bottles of wine and play the records in the comfort of your own home. At least then you aren't
wasting money or distracting anyone who actually wants to hear the band.
Not only could I not hear, but I could not see anything. When I held my camera up to snap pictures, I could see through the lcd screen, but mostly I was just looking at the backs of the heads of the Jolly Green Giant impersonators that were standing up ahead of us. So, at this point, I cant see the band or hear the band, and that was when the guy behind me decided he was going to start grabbing my butt. After elbowing him a few times, punching him once or twice, and moving away from him, I just couldn't take any of it anymore and told the people that I was with that I was going to the back of the venue.
I ended up buying a tee shirt and dancing around by myself in the back until the show was over.
I was also really disappointed that they didn't play "Blue Jeans and White Tee Shirts." It is literally a song about sleeping on the Asbury Park beach and buying a house in AP, and I havent heard it live yet because I got into Gaslight too late, I guess. I am almost betting that they will play it tonight, though, along with the other few songs that I was really hoping to hear.
The setlist wasn't bad, though.
Handwritten
Old White Lincoln
American Slang
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Casanova, Baby!
The Diamond Church Street Choir
Biloxi Parish
Angry Johnny and the Radio
45
The Patient Ferris Wheel
Blue Dahlia
Too Much Blood
Miles Davis and The Cool
Meet Me By The River's Edge
Mullholland Drive
Great Expectations
Keepsake
****************
She Loves You
The '59 Sound
Here's Looking at You, Kid
The Backseat
I guess the setlist is pretty kick-ass, I just wish I would have been able to enjoy it better.
(I just made the mistake of looking at the setlist from THS last night. I am really disappointed that I didn't get to see their set.)
I can feel it in my bones that Gaslight will play "blue jeans" tonight. I almost want to ride up there and sit on the beach to listen, but that kind of seems silly, I guess.
No comments:
Post a Comment