Flipping my Whig, once again
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Have you ever suggested to some friends, friends that you have the utmost respect for their opinions, to join you for a show from band you love and are pretty sure they'd like too? Did you feel some trepidation that the band may not measure up, that your friends may wonder what in the blasted Hell were you thinking? Or maybe even worse, your friends would be just meh…and you know that they are disappointed in the whole experience.
For Lollapalooza, Mike, Andi and I were very interested in going to an after party this year and we deliberated the options: Flogging Molly at a so-so venue? Gogol Bordello? Brand New? My vote was The Whigs, a band I'd only seen once but thoroughly enjoyed. They were playing on the best day for us, within walking distance from the festival, and the tickets were only $12. The Whigs were the one.
I was pretty sure we'd all enjoy ourselves. I knew I liked their 2 albums and the live show I'd seen was fun and energetic. The fact that the bass player was rather attractive was just icing on the cake…at least for Andi and I. But I was really stressed that I was wrong, that the band would suck, that we'd waste our time, effort and money and it would be ALL MY FAULT.
Well, I didn't need to worry my pretty little head over it. The Whigs killed the small venue. My husband (who hadn't seen or heard their music either) said from the first guitar licks, he knew we were in for a great show. Andi and Tim seemed to be having a good time and when Andi leaned over and asked me "could he be any cuter?" I knew she appreciated the finer details of the experience. Heh.
After the show 2 of 3 band members came out and mingled a little. Just like the southern gentlemen they are, they were sweet and courteous and funny, and signed a poster for me. I waited for the lead singer as long as I could but left, knowing they had a set on Sunday at Lolla and an autograph session after. I'd catch him there.
Sunday's show was, again, fantastic although I do prefer a dark, small venue for my rock and roll if given the choice. Andi didn't make it for this set (although my good friend Jaye joined us via Lolla simulcast) but they played a different set list and blew away the crowd. Man, I love these boys.
We dashed off to the autograph signing, poster in hand, only to find it canceled. Drat. A look at their website tells me they had to cancel the next show they had scheduled due to a death in the family…so it's more than understandable why they didn't stick around to sell a couple CD's and make nice with the fans. Fortunately, they are playing Bumbershoot in a couple of weeks and Monolith in September so I not only have 2 more chances get a scribble on my poster, I get to enjoy the music and the show…and the bassist…again.
The best part of the story? Mike and Andi, as well as my husband, really liked my choice. Whew. Pressure's off.
Now you all have to check them out and see if we are right. I bet we are. I now feel more confident.
Comments (20)
Sorry, I was still looking at The Blakes bass player....
Sooo, what did I miss?
Well, you may have missed that these boys are The Whigs...maybe not, because The Blakes bassist is a sad eyed little cutie too.
never heard of these guys until now, loving the track you posted. Also loving the blue shoes, might have to find me a pair
Kevin...to aid you in your shoe shopping
glad you're liking my new loves...check in at the other website; you can hear both the albums. Listen to Right Hand on My Heart, Production City, Mission Control...and everything else. :)
I will have to do so, and yes those shoes are quite rad
Am I the only one that is being completely turned off by his sideburns?
I like me some Whigs :)
Cool shots, as always, A :)
PS hospitals are full of musicians that swallowed mics...
Sorry Anna, those sideburns are in right now...especially in my book.
Who do those sideburns remind me of????
Any excuse to get him in a post, Amber...any excuse.
Annie..you won't see any complaints from me, except couldn't you find a picture of him with other bandmates? I'm just saying...
Anna...sideburns can be trimmed/cut/shaved/ignored...didn't you see his ARMS? Or that thing between the sideburns--his face? He's a cutie, muttonchops or no muttonchops.
Excuse me, now I must go to my volunteer job...at the hospital. The injured need my administrations...and maybe a sponge bath or two.
...good post - thanks amber... I wasn't sure which way this one was going to go, because the performance on Letterman was IMHO - just meh... but I have enjoyed their studio output as well... always great to hear when a band delivers live.
They were on Letterman? Missed that one... Sometimes the 2D, late night talk show performances are flat and lackluster. These guys are 3 for 3 right now (in my book) for live performances. Really great--even if you are a heterosexual man. :)
WOW, Vannatta...what do you NEED to see for it not to be meh?
am I totally besotted or is this NOT an extremely energetic performance for the Letterman show?
Don't care if they're in or not!
Shave them and I'm on board.
Yup, I saw the arms....they were the things hanging right and left of that big, throbbing..............bass.
ahahahhahahah ;P
A lot of bands get up for "The Late Show," amber. Dave, despite what one otherwise praiseworthy MOGger suggested, is a major multi-genre music fan. As for the Whigs, I dhig 'em. But I'm really much more into the Blakes since reading another MOG post somewhere. ;-)
Mike, what I meant is their performance on Letterman..or any television show..was energetic, musical, and great. I don't know what they'd have to do to not be "meh"...however, I am besotted, so bias is my middle name. :)
The Blakes, hunh? I've heard about them somewhere... ;)
(they are good, aren't they?)
Much energy yeah... but the lead singer was either really nervous, or decided that singing in the wrong key was "cool" or something - or maybe couldn't hear himself in the monitors, which - when it comes to how much rehearsal the tech crew gets for a TV show, is probably out of the question so, I guess, decent pitch in the song that the key is in would make it a little less meh for me. ;)
BTW, studies have shown that being besotted can completely
effect your ability to hear pitch, or forgive just about any part of a performance, (like coming in early here as well) - and this, of course, is only compared to the fact that I think their studio albums are much more polished - then again, you have the time (and the tricks in many cases) to really polish things in the studio.
Just my humble opinion...
I guess I just have very low expectations for late night talk show musical performances. SNL has had some of my favorite artists perform and if I didn't already like their music, I would never have looked into them based on their television sets. In that vein, I actually agree with you. He was off pitch, and his facial expressions were...strange. And I agree that their studio albums are much more polished. So we are really seeing and hearing things similarly. I just don't get "meh" because of my besotted state.
I bet if you saw them live you'd agree with me there too.
so, we're ok, right?
LOL!!! Amber - we've always been ok ... I mostly liked typing "meh" - it was something that we used to say in school back in the day, and I still find it totally hilarious - so a lot of my comments (on the meh front) were totally tongue in cheek. :) Just grooving on meh with you more than anything else...
Most bands, especially ones that aren't really _seasoned yet, are so nervous on TV usually that you can hear the "gator mouth" they have, from a lack of moisture in there - due to of course, the anxiety of playing in front of (usually) millions of people. Can happen to anyone, and usually does.
I'm sure that if I saw them live I would agree with you as well, and will definitely check them out the next time they come through town.
Cheers!
Van
whew...now I can sleep at night. :)
I prefer "heh" to "meh" and I'm afraid I might use it way too much. heh.
Have I told you lately that I love you ?!? I dig the Whigs no doubt bout that - but I ADORE MY SIS !!! You make ME flip my WHIG !!!
Thrilled you had such a great show - I probably would have gone with Gogol thanks to the performance I saw at VMFest, but you know me - I'd follow you to the ends of the earth sweet SisterMINE !!!
Ahhhhhwwwwhhhhh, Lizziebelle! You always say the sweetest things.
No need to follow me to the ends of the earth; we will stand arm in arm for The Whigs at Monolith ;)