June 2009 - Posts
So it has been almost 2 months since this concert, but I have been too busy/not adequately motivated to sit and blog this until now. With the kids gone, I finally found the time to do this, so that I can blog the other two things that I need to as well. So here goes, (what I remember, anyway)...
The Venue, Francis Field, St. Augustine:
We show up and get some drinks. They were expensive, but not outrageous. The only crazy part seemed to be the booth that gave you the option of coconut cups that you could keep for refills. This seemed dangerous with the propensity that people have to throw things at concerts, not to mention inconvenient to keep track of. I suppose if you brought a chair to sit then it would have been a good deal, but if you planned to get near the stage, it was no deal.
There were a lot of people sitting and the venue really needed to put a "No Blankets Past This Point" sign. There was also a "VIP" section that you paid extra for and received special raised seating and all you can eat crawfish. Since I don't like crawfish, it made no sense to get the "VIP" tickets and I like to be at the stage. The "VIP" seating was to the left of the stage on risers. There was no shade, no cushions, and the view was not great. I would have demanded a refund if I had paid for that. At the very least, shade should have been provided. The stage set-up was strange, since they cordoned off an area so that the performers could run down through the crowd. It made for a lousy set-up.
Francis Field was a good venue to hold a festival like this. It provided adequate room for both those desiring proximity to the stage and those wanting to hang back and hang out with their family. It was scorching, but they were spraying the crowd with water which really helped a lot; until it got cooler and they did not seem to know that the water no longer felt good, but chilled everyone. It was possible to listen to the concert outside the venue, since the field was enclosed with chain link fence.
Grade: B (A, for location; C for execution)
Crowd:
This was a "4th of July" type crowd. It crossed a lot of demographics and was very odd in nature. This is the second mainstream concert that I have attended in a month. I have made a couple of conclusions based on the crowd. First, most of these attendees are not regular concert attendees. They do not know that crowd surges are a normal occurence and either profusely apologize or get angry when you bump into them. Second, many of them believe that they are entitled to be at the front, because of when they got there or because they are special. Third, these crowds are more dangerous than the ones with all the "freaks". I have devised a solution to these problems and decided to dress as I do when I attend the harder concerts that I go to with all the "freaks". Basically, a "Don't F with Me" outfit, complete with attitude. Give them a reason to think that messing with you is a bad idea and more than likely, they won't.
This was the rudest concert that I have ever attended, even including the Nickelback concert, where I was punched in the mouth. The beach bunny wife that believed she was entitled to return to the front when she left for some reason. I actively try to block, while Chris just stands his ground. She made it back, but she sat there and argued with us about it. The drunk mom that obviously supplied her underage son and friends with alcohol at the concert that proceeded to try to pee in a bottle in the middle of the crowd. Then she caps it and sends it flying back into the crowd with the little bit that she got in there. I KID YOU NOT! She was unable to fully alleviate her bladder and ended up leaving after all. Later, the crowd was surging a little and beach bunny's husband threatened that he would take all the mofo's out to protect his 13-year-old son and niece. Chris bumped into beach bunny wife accidentally at one point and she started to go off on him. He yelled right back at her and expected her hubby to jump in. Instead, he ignored it. Chris had several inches on him, so I guess he decided to pipe down and not take Chris out.
The crowd did show a lot of enthusiasm, especially once Candlebox was about to come on. The crowd was singing along to the stereo music, so they were all ready to rock.
Grade: D
Opening Act One, Shawn Fisher and the Jukebox Gypsies
We were unable to show up in time to see this band.
Grade: I (Incomplete)
Opening Act Two, Presidents of the United States (PotUS):
Chris and I like PotUS as much as the next person, but they are not a band that we would every have paid to see. There was, of course, the required overzealous fan couple that knew all the words to every song, not just the hit ones. They take the stage and the lead singer goes, 'it is so hot, don't exert yourself. Don't worry about shouting all out for us, how about halfway...' They were self-deprecating and hilarious. They played all the hits that I could think of and ended with "We're Not Gonna Make it After All". They were great in concert. laid back and had great stage presence. I don't think that I would pay to see them on their own, but they were good and fun to watch. It would definitely make a good innocuous date night.
Grade: A
Opening Act Three, Saving Abel:
Saving Abel played the same set as The Dark Horse tour. They had good crowd response and did a good job getting the audience energized. The lead singer delivered on all the vocals. Both guitarists were solid in their performances, as well. This band has a lot of potential and needs a little polishing is all. They are definitely worth seeing and may become a much better band with more practice. They did another good job, although they did not show any improvement from a couple of weeks before.
Grade: B+
Opening Act Four, Candlebox:
I saw Candlebox in 1996, when their first album was released. Chris and I have listened to them since high school and have them on our daily playlist. We downloaded the new album and I was disappointed to some extent that there was no growth. All the songs sounded like they could have belonged on the first album. They were not bad, but they were forgettable and I had not had 15+ years to listen to them and learn them. The crowd went wild when they took the stage. The crowd sang to all the old songs and some of the new ones. He sang a couple of covers, that I hated, but the crowd really liked. Then he started ranting about the big music industry and for people to support independent music. They made two albums in almost 20 years and were not doing a great job of promoting the new album. Maybe there is a reason for the big industry. Maybe the big guys would have pushed them to make some more music and expand their abilities some. I really think that they did not do as well as they did in concert in '96. They really haven't improved. Who knows if it was an age or talent issue, but I could not recommend seeing them now as a headlining band.
Grade: C
Opening Act Five, Hinder:
Chris does not like Hinder because of the lead singer's "Frankenstein" (read: jerky) moves in his videos; plus he thinks they lack talent. I will agree that they are not a highly talented band. They are like this generation's Def Leppard: songs about sex and drugs that are fun to sing with no deep lyrics or phenomenal music. I don't think that they will be around long-term, but they could be the next Nickelback, if they branch out and do a few more serious songs. They came out and he did not do jerky movements, he had a decent stage presence, did a great job of working up the crowd, and delivered on their known songs. They also played one or two of the songs off their new album, including their new single. It will be a hit, because they have hit on the right formula for them. I thought that they did a good job overall and would go see them again, if there was another band with them that I wanted to see. If they were the only band there, maybe not. Even Chris admitted that they were better than he expected them to be.
Grade: B+
Main Act, 3 Doors Down:
They come onto stage and the crowd is hyped. The lead singer says that he knew it was going to be a good show when he could hear the crowd singing along to the warm-up music. They play lots of their hits along with a few songs that I am not familiar with. They deliver on every song. They had great energy. At one point, he runs down through the middle of the crowd (within the awkward barrier). It gets the crowd really excited. They go off the stage and then come back with a few more songs. Then the lead singer takes the drummer's place and plays "Kryptonite". It was awesome! Especially when he handed the drum stick to the 13-year-old kid in front and threw the other one and Chris caught it. I can definitely recommend seeing this band and would go see them again.
Grade: A+
Overall, a great day even with the heat. The venue and performers were good. The crowd and heat were the only parts that sucked.
Grade: A-
So this has been an awesome week. This will have made the thrid concert that I have been to in one week and I won tickets to the next big concert to boot. Thirteen is a lucky year. I have listened to Cold since 2003 and love some of their songs. I was extremely excited when I heard thay were coming home to Jax. Chris and I ended up hiring a babysitter, which we never do, and seeing them on the Sunday night that they played. I was determined to make it work. On to the review:
The Venue, Freebird Live:
As many years as we have lived in Jax and this is the first time that we have been to Freebird. Crazy, I know. This venue is almost as intimate as Twisted Martini. You have to choose to have a bad viewing area, as you really can't be more than 10 (at absolute most) people from the front. There is an upper balcony for 21+ and an area off to the right where you might not be able to see, but you must choose to go over there. The major complaint that I have about this venue is that the music starts on time and they are extremely slow about getting people inside the venue. We missed the first act because the line was slow to move, there was no ability to drift in and they were late to get started. I did love the venue though. The drinks were actually reasonably priced for a concert. (Chris got a beer and a mixed drink for me, all under $7.) It was easy to move about. The bathrooms were clean when I went and it was not impossible to get back to my spot. I would definitely recommend seeing any band you like here. It is a very personal experience, as I have more room in my downstairs than the main area of their club occupies. Awesome for concerts.
Grade: A+
The crowd:
This was an extremely strange crowd. It ranged from teens to 50+ plus fans. They not only knew the Cold songs, but also those of the opening acts. They were rather rude for an eclectic crowd. The tall guy in front of me kept leaning back and taking up 2-3 body spaces. I almost had his elbows in my face numerous times. A couple of chics came through thinking that they were going to get in front of me. Since I was 1 person behind the rails, I did not move and just stared them down. I also dressed inappropriately for the concert. Jax Beach has a snooty rep, so I dressed nicer than I normally would for a concert. Turns out that I should have come in my regular rock concert attire. Sandals are a no-no. There were several crowd surges. One guy got so excited that he was pounding Chris on the back with both hands to call Cold out for an encore. Chris turned around and said something along the lines of 'What's your problem? Stop touching me.' The guy was obviously drunk and smarted off to him. I then said, hey back off. Luckily Chris missed his response about having a girl defend him. Chris would have floored him easily. The energy of the crowd was incredible though. One of the highest energy level crowds, especially for its small size.
Grade: C (Rudeness:D, Energy: A)
Opening Act, Validity's Fault:
Since we walked in on their last or next-to-last song, I do not feel right about evaluating them. I do know that they were a local band, because the girl standing behind us kept saying that she went to school with them. From what I did see, the band was fine; the vocalist was lacking. He had too much screaming and not enough melody. They might be ok as a studio band, but I can't see them making it.
Grade: I (Incomplete)
Opening Act 2, The Drama Club:
This band has obviously taken some cues from Cold, as they start with a projection. They have also been obviously influenced by Pink Floyd, as they have recorded openings/pieces to several of their songs. The band needs some work. I did not find them horrible. Their sound system was a little off. Their show would definitely send an epileptic into a fit of seizures. Chris hated the "Frankenstein" moves of the lead singer. They actually reminded me of Adema, but not as good. I could not recommend seeing this band now, but with some experience they might work up to a decent opening act for a good band. It would take a lot of experience to get them to good though. That being said, a good portion of the audience seemed to be familiar with their songs and the teenager in front of me apparently knew all their songs and her parents liked them too. Freaky.
Grade: C
Opening Act 3, Killer and the Star:
After The Drama Club leaves, they move the piano out onto the stage and plaster it with posters of the band. Scooter, the lead singer of Cold, and Michael Harris constitute the band. The main problem with the music is that it does not remotely fit into the music genre here. Yes, Scooter fronts the band and he has an amazing voice. However, the music produced here is solid AC. It was not bad. Chris actually enjoyed it, but it was such a non sequitur, that I was confused. The main problem with the band was the guitarist. The guy cannot play without his tongue lolling around his mouth and making funny and pained faces. It would be best to close your eyes while watching this band, as his stage presence seriously detracts from enjoyment of the music. I understand why they toured with Cold and a good portion of the crowd seemed familiar with the songs. Under different circumstances they might receive a better grade, but as for them being in concert with Cold, they did not fit the bill. Also, find a new guitarist. He is not talented enough to make up for his stage performance.
Grade: B (Scooter: A, Michael: F, Music: B)
Main Act, Cold:
Killer and the Star leave the stage and they project some stars onto the screen on the back of the stage. The crowd gets very excited. Then they proceed to show a 15-minute slideshow with canned music of Cold through the years (an entire decade with every album release noted) and fans from the shows highlighting their Cold-themed tats. The first few minutes fine, but 15 is way too freakin' long. It was ridiculous. They had a ton of apparently die hard fans in the audience and even they were getting restless. When they finally took the stage, the audio was messed up. Anytime they rocked heavier, the vocals were drowned out and I was literally 1 person from the stage rails in the center. The background music is awesome, but Cold is made with Scooter's vocals. I was also not aware with how unfamiliar I was with Cold songs. Being that they have spanned a decade, they have a ton of songs. They played "Stupid Girl" to a completely hyped audience. "Suffocate" was crazy and the lead singer from The Drama Club provided the feature vocals. Michael Harris from The Killer and the Star also provided feature vocals on one of their songs. He appeared to be killing it, but I could barely hear him and I was right up front. I swear that they must have had his mic turned off. He made funny faces singing too. They did an awesome job on "Wasted Years". I was disappointed that they did not play "Feel it in Your Heart". They played "Gone Away" and "A Different Kind of Pain" and a tone of songs that I could not readily identify, but the crowd knew. I was definitely in the minority here. I think that they put on a decent performance, but their sound system was off and the intro slideshow was way too long. I don't know if I could recommend going to see them as the headlining act. Scooter has an amazing voice and the band is definitely amazing, but if after 10 years they can not get their sound dynamics right, then something is wrong. They definitely make a great opening act, but they still don't seem main stage material.
Grade: B (Sound system: D, Music: A, Letting Michael Harris come on stage: D, Slideshow Length: D, Ability to hype the Crowd: A+)
Overall: Definitely worth the money to experience the venue and see the major songs from Cold. They just need better roadies, I guess.
Overall Grade: B
So this was a really great week for me. I celebrated my 13th wedding anniversary and won tickets to an exclusive viewing of "The Living Things" and won tickets to The Crawfish boil, in addition to seeing "Cold" on this coming Sunday. So I was completely unfamiliar with this band, but was excited to check them out and especially to check out the venue, Twisted Martini. They have ads on the Planet all the time and there is not much better than a good martini.
The Radio Staff:
We were told that the show started at 11, so we arrived to The Landing about 10:30, since we were not really familiar with where Twisted Martini was. We get there right before 11 and the radio staff is disorganized to say the least. They find my name, although with the lousy turnout, anyone could have shown up for the show and been admitted. When Jagger got up to intro the band, his lack of enthusiasm was blatant. During the set, he did not even try to hide his boredom. It was truly appalling, even considering the band's performance, which I will get to later. Part of his job is to promo the bands that come in. If this band tours with someone bigger and says what jerks 102.9 DJs are, then we are directly affected when the bigger band chooses not to come here. Suck it up Jagger, and do your job. The rest of the radio staff was courteous, if a little harried.
Grade: Jagger: D, Remainder staff: B
The Venue, Twisted Martini:
Intimate does not even begin to describe this venue. It appeared to be divided into two sections, one along the Landing walkway and the other more interior space with the stage, couches, and semi-private sitting rooms consisting of decorative high-back plush bench seating, low coffee-style tables, and sheers. It was a rather interesting set-up and probably would be really cool at night with the band playing. We sat at a high-top table directly in front of the stage (less than 5 feet, literally). There was a couch set-up between our table and the stage, which was occupied by a Midwestern 50ish woman who enjoyed the band way too much. This was not head-banging music and she was throwing her head around like it was Metallica in their heyday. She also had LSP (Life Story Paranoia: a disorder originally diagnosed in my mother, by my sister and I, where the person talking believes that everyone from strangers to the grocery store cashier wants to know minute details from your life). Since she was stretched out on the couch, she kept talking to us until the band started the sound check. That is the only real drawback that I could see to this venue. It can be really hard to avoid someone when it is that small.
The wait staff was on the ball. The food provided (not sure by whom) was edible, but not great. It ranged from bruschetta to cheese quesadillas, all appetizer-style finger foods. Chris had a Czechvar (sp?) and enjoyed it. I had their signature Twisted Martini and LOVED it! I have to figure out how to make it. The drink tastes good, but the presentation is stupendous. It has three distinct layers and the engineer in me totally geeked out. I can definitely recommend going to this venue, especially if there is a band that you want to see.
Grade: A
The band, The Living Things:
Again, this is not a band I was familiar with and I do not recall ever hearing their music even on 102.9. I listened to some of their music on Pandora. It was softer than what I like, but did not sound horrible. It is not something that I would choose to listen to though. They take the stage and it is immediately obvious that 3 of the 4 members are brothers, which I knew from Wikipedia. The two guitarists and lead singer have a resemblance. All of them are wearing skinny black jeans, have bedhead, and a really scrawny look. The drummer is the odd man out having a stocky frame, shorter curly hair, and obviously shorter. Come to find out at the end of the set, the lead guitarist is the unrelated childhood friend. It was quite a shock.
They start singing. The background music is too loud. The vocals are not loud enough. I am sitting less than 5 feet from the stage and the vocals are drowned out. The sound guy messed with the volumes a little after each song, but even after they finish their 3 song "set", the acoustics are not right. This "exclusive preview" was nothing more than a sound check for the band. I would say a failed sound check at that, because they failed to even get the sound right before they decided to quit playing.
The songs were bad. The lyrics were awful. The worst one was to the song "Bom Bom Bom", even the title is stupid or they cannot spell "bomb" properly. "Oxygen" was one of the other songs that they played. The song consists of four lines other than the chorus. It was not even good. They have been dubbed as "unpatriotic" and I completely buy it. Some of their songs try to be political in nature, but ultimately just seem like whining. None of the three songs they played were good. The lyrics that we could make out were infantile and the lead singer had a strange stage performance. I really cannot see that this band is headed anywhere.
The one good thing that I can say about the band is they were very down-to-earth. They came off the stage and met nearly all those attending and told the radio station that everyone there could get in free to their show that night. Pretty cool of them, but I am not sure that they convinced us to come with that performance.
Grade: D, (Music: C, Sound System: F, Songs: F)