The Psychedelic Furs & She Wants Revenge @ White Rabbit, San Antonio, TX 6/29/2010
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I am the proud owner of a Toshiba Gigabeat 40GB MP3 player. It is my constant companion, and it holds all of the music that I have here in San Antonio. The screen doesn't work, and it's held together with tape, but it still works well whether I need music for the commute or the treadmill or the laptop (as I'm using it now).
Sometimes, it tells me to do things. No, not the creepy "kill your family" kinds of things. Usually, it says things like "You haven't had goosebumps, so I'll play you some Azure Ray" or "You look kinda tired. Maybe some Rammstein to help you through the workout." You know, good things.
So, last month, when I was heading home from work and mulling over whether or not to pay $30 for a concert, the Gigabeat gave me a nudge in the right direction by playing She Wants Revenge songs "True Romance" and "Red Flags and Long Nights" in succession. I promptly laid down my card, got the ticket, and prepared for my first concert in Texas, and the first time in ages that I didn't have to brave a three-hour drive to see live music.
The venue for the evening is The White Rabbit, a decent-sized place tucked into a residential neighborhood not far from downtown San Antonio. It's a modest place, nothing fancy. In fact, the lighting was bad, so bad that I couldn't get a decent shot of either band. I perused the outdoor merch table, which featured all of She Wants Revenge's albums and EP's, and a lovely blood-red 12-inch of Written In Blood. Oh, to have found an ATM close by. Alas, there's live music a-happening soon, so I head into the venue proper, almost wipe out on the single stair (smooth move), and get a spot, fifth row center. Showing up early, and not needing to run to the bar, has its advantages. Now, to wait (im)patiently for She Wants Revenge to take the stage.
An aside: As I was ramping up for the show, I had this recurring fantasy where the band asked for a request, so I yelled for "Red Flags and Long Nights". In my fantasy, Justin Warfield couldn't remember the lyrics, so he drug me onto the stage and we sang together. Does anyone else do that, or is it just me?
Right on time, about 9:00, Adam 12 came onstage to play the piano solo "Disconnect". It was slow, quiet and lovely, and definitely the last moment of its type we'd heard this evening. It was a nice way to start the evening. As the song ends, the full band comes on and they kick into ... "Red Flags and Long Nights." From the first notes of that motorik pulse, my head is bobbing, I'm grinning like an idiot, and I'm not remotely disappointed that Justin remembers the lyrics. Then they immediately kick into "These Things" and "True Romance" and I get super-excited that they read my mind as they put together the playlist. Justin is in fine form, writhing about and gesturing along, whipping the women into a frenzy.
At this point, they stop to ask how many people were seeing them for the first time. Quite a few people whopped and hollered, myself included. Adam then says that they'd get back to the older material, but they had four new songs that they wanted to play. They then jump into new songs "Suck It Up" and "Starting Over". They sounded on a par with the songs from their first album, so this bodes very well. Alas, they didn't indicate when the new album would be released, but the fact that they're working on a full album is very exciting news.
After more old and new songs, they had done a great job of converting the older Psychedelic Furs fans, and pretty well had the audience in the palms of their hands. Adam took the task of announcing that they had only two songs left (to a chorus of boos and "awww"'s) before launching into their closing songs: "Out of Control" with Justin leading a sing-along to "She likes disco and tastes like a tear", and "Tear You Apart". I would have ecstatic to have heard "Checking Out" or "Sister", but all in all it was a very satisfying set.
She Wants Revenge setlist:
Disconnect
Red Flags and Long Nights
These Things
True Romance
Suck It Up
Starting Over
This Is The End
Some Boys Some Girls
Kiss Me
Out of Control
Tear You Apart
As they cleared the stage, I wondered how The Psychedelic Furs would be able to live up to the set She Wants Revenge had just done. To be honest, I did not have high expectations for them; I had definitely come for She Wants Revenge., despite my love for The Psychedelic Furs' 80's output.
The Furs frankly blew She Wants Revenge off the stage. How confident a live band do you need to be to start your set with a song as huge as "Love My Way"? At first, it was just the band, sounding tight as heck as they ran through the extended instrumental intro. Then Richard Butler came out to cheers, looking darn fine in dress pants, long-sleeved black short and vest. His voice sounded every bit as fine as it did on record, and his joy at performing was contagious, a grin spread across his face and jumping about between songs, serenading the ladies on songs like "The Ghost In You" and "She Is Mine".
Did I mention how tight the band were? Drums and keys were on point, and the guitar player did well with the few moments where he could shine, but the other stars of the show were Tim Butler on bass and Mars Williams on saxophone. Tim prowled about the stage, playing his bass lines and singing along without microphone, looking the rockstar in leather jacket and sunglasses. Mars Williams Blew on his saxophone until his whole face turned red, filling the front of the stage where the others weren't standing. During "Sister Europe", he was standing on the monitor playing his lungs out of the song and letting out a yell when his part was done. He earned a break during "Heaven".
They played a good mix of well-known songs and lesser-known album tracks, threw in a Love Spit Love song, and even broke out a Roxy Music cover for fun.
Finally, who doesn't love a good super-fan? I had managed to squirm up to second row, but there was a woman behind me who had brought her vinyl album cover of Forever Now, and was desperate to have the Butler brothers sign it. I'm a sucker for a good super-fan (and she was short enugh for me to see over), so I let her get in front of me. As the Furs came out for the encore, she managed to get Richard's attention, and he graciously signed her album, then had Tim sign it at the end of the set. He spent the entire encore either singing or signing anything handed to him, ten at the end of the set shook hands with everyone close up, author included. What a gentleman!
I can only hope that the rest of the shows I experience in Texas go over as well.
Psychedelic Furs setlist:
Love My Way
Believe
The Ghost In You
Heartbeat
Like A Stranger
In My Head
President Gas
She Is Mine
All of This and Nothing
Sister Europe
Heaven
Pretty In Pink
encore:
No Easy Street
Pyjamarama
Forever Now
Locating MOG account...
Comments (18)
sounds like a perfectly excellent evening! that piece of red vinyl was swoon-worthy and I really wish you'd been able to take it home...but grand live music is a good consilation prize
First of all, kudos for driving 3 hours! I seem to remember SWR needing to tighgten up on their stage presence. I know Justin is/was a too-cool-to-move-type-of-guy, but have they done anything different from years past? I can't imagine Adam has done anything differently. What's keeping them in the spotlight these days? I remember when they first came out, they performed on this short lived CBS TV show called Love Monkey about a NYC A&R guy.
One of my memorable concerts from years back was Love Spit Love. Oddly, I went w/ a girl I had a crush on but had a marvelous time and I really liked that mid-90's album Butler put together. Played it all the time on college radio. Great hooks
As for The Furs, it's good to know that years after their hey, day, they still have it and to put a band w/ a sound like SWR to shame while in their 50's to boot!
Amber, it was a great time. Once I move to night shift, I won't get many of these opportunities, so I have to take advantage when I can.
Eric, I had heard that about SWR, but I thought Justin worked the stage very well. And all I could rememberof Love Spit Love was their cover of "How Soon Is Now?"
I checked my cell phone to see how the pictures were, and the best shot I had looked like a bad Van Gogh impression. Blah.
Another fav track is the very dancey cut "I don't wanna fall in love" & "Written in Blood." Can't believe they didn't play those.
I wonder whether Adam12 does any remixing stuff.
I also can't believe it's been 5 years since this band's debut - time flies!
I found this shot of Richard Butler, looking well fit.
And another, this of Mars Williams on the sax.
wait, San Antonio? you are now in Texas? i am sure you posted the answers to those questions some day i wasn't around.
i'll be back for the rest of the post. just felt like gushing out loud. :D
Yes Ilay, I've been in San Antonio for a month. Here's the deets. Thanks for keeping up. :P
yes, i have kicked myself after finding the two pertinent posts this late. {:
No worries, I'm glad you're up to date now. Expect more concert reviews as the weeks progress. :)
Very cool that TPF were so amazing after all these years. But really, after so much time they'd better be great entertainers! Makes me wish I'd gone to see them from your great review.
I missed seeing SWR at Download fest a few years back. I arrived too late & another band couldn't make it so SWR went on earlier than scheduled. I wasn't too interested in seeing the previous bands so had planned to get there just before SWR came on. BRMC was playing by then which was a great consolation since they put on a fantastic show. But I still regretted missing SWR. I did see them perform at Lolla though on an online telecast so I know they put on a great show(that was my intro. to them since I didn't even know who they were back then & they hadn't even released their debut). Oh well, I'm sure I'll see them eventually!
Red Flags and Long Nights is such a great song, kudos for the good tip! Excellent write-up, a most engaging concert recap, though I'm not a huge fan of the Furs, I'm going to get more involved with She Wants Revenge after this introduction
August, I expect that both bands will be touring again next year, and hopefully SWR will have a new album to support. So you'll get your chance, I'm sure.
Rob, I'm pleased that I had the pleasure of introducing you to She Wants Revenge.
dale, I also really like Monologue after my first pass thru the album
and since this is you we're talking about, i have great expectations. ;p
i didn't realize The Furs have new stuff out. (i know, there's too much passing me by these days.) it seems like they did excellently up there. good on them.
I don't think they've released anything new, just touring on the older material. I can live with that.
I'll get my claws on some Furs when I get back to the UK and see if your EMCD powers work from your new location :)
If SWR have a new album coming out, that means they're touring. Yay! I'd love to hear Red Flags live, hopefully they'll come to Leeds.
I'm especially happy with you not having to drive for ages to see a show. Everything OK with your move then? House, job, familia?
xxx
I'm not so sure you'll go wild over the Furs. They do still have that 80's thing going for them, so beware.
Back to the UK? Summer in the homeland?
I think SWR just finished their touring for now, and are heading back into the studio to finish the new album. Shortly thereafter, they should be touring, and I know I'd like to see a longer set from them.
So far the move's been nice, the job is good, we might be selling our house in Kansas soon, and the family might be reunited within a month or so. That would be especially nice.
I hope it happens soon! I'm chuffed that things are going smoothly for you :)
I'm in Greece, had my vacation, going to Finland next week. Then back in the UK to look for a job (long story). The times they are a-changing, indeed ;)