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First — for those of you who don’t plan on reading the entire review — MGMT and Yeasayer played last night at the Echoplex in Echo Park and it was glorious.
Second — for those of you planning on reading the review — LA’s been funny lately.
Yesterday was the clearest day I’ve seen in years. You could see the snow capped San Bernardino Mountains from Manhattan Beach and the city of Los Angeles was on plain view for anyone who cared to look.
Naturally I was excited for a night out on the town, perhaps a little Yeasayer, maybe, oh I don’t know — MGMT! The only problem — I didn’t have tickets and the show was completely sold out.
But that’s fine, right? We’ve all waited in line outside the door for our favorite new bands, and lord knows we all expected the Echo Park hipsters to come out in full effect, suit vests and cardigans a blazin’, so we (me and my friends, not my friends and I) arrived at 6:30, about an hour before the doors opened.
There were no tickets. And at 6:45 it started raining, “Fuck.”
No big deal though, we were at the front of the line, the show was within our grasp and the line had already grown to around 50 people in 15 minutes. We were going to get in —it was just a matter of time.
But who wants to wait in line sober? Two of us walked down to the corner store, bought some whiskey and some coke and made some whiskey and cokes for the group.
A beat.
By 8:45, the crowd was growing restless, most of the ticket holders had already entered the show, the line of people waiting to purchase tickets stretched all the way around the block and numbered in the hundreds. Not to mention it had been raining for two hours at this point. Those of us without umbrellas (and probably those with, as well) were soaked to the bone. The whiskey we had bought at the corner store was completely gone and our spirits were near broken. I mean, I love rock and roll, but this was getting ridiculous.
Finally, at 9:30pm PST the first 25 people in the line were given the green light to switch into the will call line, ready our IDs and prepare for entrance into the venue.
YES!
Although at this point, there’s a good chance I was more excited to go inside than to actually see a show.
When we got in the door, Yeasayer was right in the middle of their set, psychedelic video playing in the background, you know the kind where an image is mirrored on the left and right portions of the screen and then changes like a kaleidoscope to the music.
Unfortunately, my energy level was so high by the time I got in the door, Yeasayer’s laid back, frolicking stage presence was somewhat unsatisfying. I was looking for something more driving, something with more presence, something I could dance to so my clothes would dry out.
With that said, Yeasayer’s performance was good. I have a propensity to be really hard on opening acts since I saw Man Man open for Modest Mouse over the summer. I will still make the argument that Man Man was better than Modest Mouse that night.
Back to the concert.
By the time Yeasayer finished their set I had completely lost track of time. My focus was on one thing — MGMT.
As soon as they stepped on stage, I knew it had been worth it. They launched right into “Weekend Wars” an apt song for the moment, “It’s difficult to win unless you’re bored, and you might have to plan for the weekend wars.”
I worked my way closer to the stage as Andrew exchanged some light banter with the crowd. I squeezed my way into the mix, and just as I got settled, the band launched into “The Youth,” their ballad for time past, “we could flood the streets with love or light or head, whatever, lock the parents out, cut a run, twist and shout, wave your hands, make it rain.”
I said in a review of Los Campesinos! last week that their sound was “nostalgic” I want to recycle that here for MGMT’s “The Youth.” And although I love their slow ballads, “Time to Pretend” was what I had come to see, so I moved closer to the stage so I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to cut some rug.
Then out of the blue, they jumped right into “Time to Pretend,” I’m not sure why I was caught so off guard, I guess I thought they would save it for last because it’s my favorite song, “I’m feeling rough, I’m feeling raw, I’m in the prime of my life.”
Thank you MGMT. Thank you. It just makes me feel better when someone else says it too.
I got my opportunity to dance the rain off, everyone around me seemed in a legitimately good mood and I felt among friends. The atmosphere was pretty amazing, although I would have loved to see more people dancing. After “Time to Pretend” the band played “Electric Feel” which was definitely a crowd favorite.
I pulled back out of the crowd and found my friends dancing near the bar. I felt rough. I felt raw, and it felt like — this — was the prime of my life.
After a few more songs, MGMT closed with “Kids,” which now looking back was probably the safe bet for their closer. All in all, their performance was better than expected and satisfying.
It was well worth all the waiting and the bad weather and the bullshit.
I know this was a long way to go for a drop of water (all the pun intended), but the point is that MGMT, in the rain, at the Echoplex, with your friends, is the perfect mix. I highly recommend that you go and pick up Oracular Spectacular and check them out when they come to your corner of the country.
Music belongs to places for me.
My memories of the past, moments with friends, books I've read, family, girl friends, it's all highlighted by the music I was listening to at the time. And I'm sure it's that way for many of you too, because we've all got those albums that take us back when.
Los Campesinos! does that for me.
But it's strange the way it happens. Every time I listen to them I have this vivid memory of riding in a burgundy 1992 Volvo 270 in the summer of 2000. The Getup Kids cover of "Close to Me" was on repeat and we were riding down Castle Shannon Boulevard between 7/11 (which we had probably just left, I can't remember) and The CD Exchange.
That's random, I know and I apologize, but it's so vivid sometimes and the Los Campesinos! sound rings nostalgic to me. I picked up their Maida Vale Session a few months ago and I've been in love since.
They're so damn witty and I can't help but dance every time I hear the opener of the session, "Death To Los Campesinos!" The whole song has an air of careless intensity, like those moments of our youth that somehow get stuck in your memory gland, "if you catch me with my hands in the till, I promise, sugar, I wasn't trying to steal, I'm just swimming in copper to smell and pretend like a robot."
I don't know what that means, but I like it. I want to smell and pretend like a robot
"We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives," which was also on the vinyl by the same name, rushes by at a fevered tempo leaving you smiling with the band at the end, "Team Campesinos on the driveway trick or treating in the middle of august, one of us dressed as a zombie, one of us dressed as a pirate, one of us dressed as a ninja, four of dressed as school girls and I'm staring you straight in the eyes, I'm shaking my head and I'm staring you straight in your eyes."
And then, the thing I appreciate most about this band. They cover Pavement and they do it well. Pavement is one of those bands that lives in places for people. I've got a hundred and one Pavement moments and under normal circumstances I would be hypercritical of any band that attempted a cover, but Los Campesinos! somehow pulls it off. I can't help but love this version of "Frontwards," its got the ironic Malkumus sound, but it doesn't try too hard. It's careless just like Pavement and it sounds natural in their voices.
The session ends with "You! Me! Dancing!" complete with the trademark Los Campesinos! exclamation point ! times three!
Sorry.
Now that I think about it, I'm going to have to find a bar in LA that has this one in the jukebox. You can dance alone to this song. You can dance with your girl (or guy) to this song or you can dance all in a big group in the back of the bar, Tarantino style, "It's You! It's Me! It's Dancing!"
Anyway, I just wanted to get that all out there so I could come back around to the point. Music belongs to places for me and Los Campesinos! reminded me of that.
I can't wait for the new album.
Comments
exclamation points are very trendy at the moment, it seems. or i guess they have been for a while, i had no idea los campesinos! have been around since 2000 or before. when is their new album coming out?
the get up kids cover of "close to me" also has a way of reminding me of driving around in friends cars. ahh, high school.
the last i heard "hold on now youngster..." was slated to come out this spring. some of it got leaked onto the internet a few months ago, but that's to be expected these days.
The lighting around the bar is warm and both bartenders are wearing aprons over collared white shirts. In the corner, a band is playing for tips while a wash of noise ebbs and flows on the shores of the night.
Drinks are served, food is rushed from the kitchen, tips are left and the band in the corner continues to play.
Before long another beat begins. It's smart and alive, and the music feeds the moment.
Comments
wait, i think i was some place like that earlier...dig the description!
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Comments
Great all-action review!
That is some dedication - waiting 2 hours to maybe get in. I'm impressed. I am def. gonna check these dudes out next time they come to NYC. Too much fun... And "Time To Pretend" is their best song, next to "Kids". Nice review.
Great review, thanks. :) Amazing that those two albums (Los Campesinos! and MGMT) will be released in the first two months of 2008 already.
I was thinking about going and see those guys live, they are playing in the small hall at the Paradiso in early March, and now I'm even more inclined to do so. ;)
btw, geez, waiting so long in the rain, glad you got in. ;)