Wherewolves, The Academy Is... and Anberlin

Who - Wherewolves, The Academy Is... and Anberlin
When - August 25th, 2009
Where - Billboard The Venue, Melbourne, Australia

A very informal account of the night's magic.

The start of the night wasnt nearly as awesome as the end of it was. Got there a couple of hours early... turns out it was just in time for it to start a torrential downpour, hail included. There was no shelter for us because the part of shelter there was already was crowded with people. so we stood in the rain and cold for about an hour. Then it was just cold with huge winds. I literally went numb. The Santi's went in for their meet and greet, and subsequently got kicked out about 30 minutes later because the security team decided it was unfair to let them stay in when they only got to the venue 15 minutes before the meet and a few of us had been standing in line for hours in the rain and cold. Yay security team! We got in, I was on barrier in front of Carden (Beckett accidentally knocked his mic stand over during Neighbours and it hit me in the face, awesome! >.< it hurt. A lot) And when everyone was concentrated on Beckett in the crowd at the end, I waved to Carden and he blew me a kiss. Didn't think it was really a Mike reaction, but hey, I'll take it!

I don't even know how to write about Anberlins performance. It was so energetic, Stephen jumped and danced and ran all over the stage which made the crowd even more energetic. Stephen, Christian and Deon were very practised at headbanging and dancing and it showed. I was in front of Christian and the amount of times we made eye contact when we were singing was totally amazing. I have this thing where I dont look at the singers a whole lot, I tend to focus on whoever is in front of me at the time because I'm too busy dancing or moshing so Christian was totally into the fact that someone in the audience was actually singing at him (he told me so after the show) and Stephen sang at me during one of their songs because I was the only one who knew the words to True Faith, their Joy Division cover. The whole performance was visceral and intense and I highly recommend them as one of the best live bands I have ever seen. And that's something coming from me.

After the show there was such a line to pay to get out of the parking garage that I figured that we may aswell go out the back and see if we got to meet any of the guys. About an hour later, a couple of roadies came out so we figured the guys must be coming soon (we already knew that TAI had left the building. They left before Anberlin even started playing. Rude!) but Tony and Josh came out to start loading the stuff into the truck so I said hi to them. They're really nice guys, I'm sure you already know that. Then the tour manager for Anberlin came out followed by Christian who was taking with him a box of the free water they supply for the people on barrier haha. There was only maybe five of us there so we stood around having a chat, taking pictures and autographs in turn like nice little fans. I went up to Christian and got and immediate hug which kind of caught me off guard (but it was a big huge bearhug and it was so nice that I didnt care, I was also the only one to get a hug from any of them. After he let me go he was like "Hey, I remember you from last time we were here, at Soundwave. You had red hair back then didnt you?" He was right, I did have red hair at the time) and I got him to sign my setlist and got a photo and as I said thank you very much he grabbed my arm and said (not verbatim) "Thank you for singing along and dancing and screaming. Its fans like you that make my nights. And let me say, not one person who has ever been in front of me for the entire show has paid so much attention to what I was doing that didn't take a single photo the entire show, even though she had a camera in her pocket. You are the reason I didn't keep going to the middle of the stage." and he gave me another huge hug. Deon came out about five minutes after and Christian retired to the bus. Deon was not expecting anyone to be there after how long they took and he was so happy that people waited to meet them. We did the whole taking it in turns and chatting thing. He's really quiet but really sweet. He gave me a big hug too. And he's smiling soooo big in the photo that I have with him. Then Nate came out and wow he's tall and so super gorgeous in real life. They are all pretty damn attractive really. He came out, saw us and was like "No way! Oh my gosh I so didn't know you guys were here, I would have come out so much sooner if I knew you were here. And I'm so sorry I sound horrible I'm just really sick. Stephen and Joey are already gone because they're super sick too. I'm feeling a bit better today though" and he was really talkative. We all had signatures and photos and hung around chatting to the guys for a while and it was really a unique experience to have with a band. To just be able to stand there and talk to them like normal people without security guards or any rush to get through with it. We left only once their tour manager said they had to go because they had to be on an early flight. They were all so personable and sweet and so sincere. They're just beautiful guys. I'm definitely going to remember that.

I heard that TAI's performances have really gone downhill, but William was incredibly active and Carden came out of his sickness to play for us last night. It was really good. Not quite as good as the first time I saw them in 2007, but still impressive. William almost kicked Sisky in the face though.

TAI Setlist (In order... I think)
Almost Here
Slow Down
Summer Hair = Forever Young
Rumoured Nights
Neighbours
Checkmarks
Seed
His Girl Friday
Big Mess

Anberlin Setlist (definitely in order because I got the setlist)
The Resistance
A Whisper And A Clamor
Disappear
Breaking
Adelaide
A Day Late
Paperthin Hymn
Inevitable (GORGEOUS)
The Unwinding Cable Car (Also gorgeous)
Hello Alone
True Faith (Joy Division cover)
Dismantle. Repair.
Godspeed
Feel Good Drag
And for the encore they played (*Fin)

With encouragement and inspiration in mind

I have had this blog for a while now, sitting here occupying internet space without so much as a whisper in the breeze. Not nearly enough posts to actually be considered a blog. I wish I could trust the internet with my writings, but alas, I doubt I could bring myself to do so even if it weren't for the fact that it could so easily be taken. So instead I shall endeavour to write about my contemplations in a (perhaps) fumbling attempt to gain insight from other people and an introduction into the way they think. 

As a writer nothing is more true than the evolution of the mind that a person experiences through different times in their life. The way people think, feel, the way people are... it never ceases to amaze me. If there is anything you ever want to say, I implore you to say it, either on here in a comment or email me. I would love to hear your thoughts.

The Grace

Jerry Finn

1970 - 2008

Today is a sad day. Producer Jerry Finn died after suffering a severe brain hemorrhage in July. He never regained consciousness and it has been said if her were to do so, he would have been in a vegetative state. I'm sure most people that knew him would say they knew he wouldn't want to live that way. His family knew he didn't. He was taken off life support on the 9th.

It's so surreal to know that someone who played a major part in so many albums that helped form me into the person I am today, will not be a part of anything else. These albums to be will now be a reminder of a life that was ended too soon. Far too soon. He was an amazing producer and will be missed by many.

Rest In Peace Jerry Finn. Your work here is done.

Green Day - Dookie (1994) (mixed)
The Muffs - Blonder and Blonder (1995) (engineered and mixed)
Pennywise - About Time (1995)
Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves (1995)
Jawbreaker - Dear You (1995) (mixed)
Green Day - Insomniac (1995) (mixed)
Fastball - Make Your Mama Proud (1996)
The Daredevils - Hate You (1996)
Smoking Popes - Destination Failure (1997)
Coward - Self-Titled (1997)
Superdrag - Head Trip in Every Key (1998)
Rancid - Life Won't Wait (1998) (mixed)
The Vandals - Hitler Bad, Vandals Good (1998) (mixed)
The Living End - The Living End (1998) (mixed)
blink-182 - Enema of the State (1999)
Madness - Universal Madness (1999) (mixed)
Fenix*TX - Fenix*TX (1999)
blink-182 - The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back (2000)
MxPx - The Ever Passing Moment (2000)
The Marvelous 3 - ReadySexGo! (2000)
Fenix*TX - Lechuza (2001)
Sum 41 - All Killer No Filler (2001)
Alkaline Trio - From Here to Infirmary (2001) (mixed)
blink-182 - Take Off Your Pants And Jacket (2001)
Green Day - International Superhits! (2001) (co-produced)
Bad Religion - The Process of Belief (2002) (mixed)
Box Car Racer - Box Car Racer (2002)
MxPx - Ten Years and Running (2002)
Sparta - Wiretap Scars (2002)
Vendetta Red - Between the Never and the Now (2003)
AFI - Sing the Sorrow (2003) (co-produced and mixed)
Alkaline Trio - Good Mourning (2003) (co-produced and mixed)
blink-182 - untitled (2003)
Morrissey - You Are the Quarry (2004)
Marjorie Fair - Self Help Serenade (2004)
The Vandals - Hollywood Potato Chip (2004) (mixed)
Eisley - Room Noises (2005) (mixed)
The Offspring - Greatest Hits (2005)
Alkaline Trio - Crimson (2005)
blink-182 - Greatest Hits (2005)
AFI - Decemberunderground (2006)
+44 - When Your Heart Stops Beating (2006) (co-produced and mixed)
Tiger Army - Music from Regions Beyond (2007)
Morrissey - Greatest Hits (2008)
Morrissey - Years of Refusal (set for September 2008)

Panic At The Disco - Pretty. Odd.

So, the new Panic At The Disco album "Pretty. Odd." was released on March 29th. I don't speak for anyone but myself when I say it lives up to its title. Basically, Panic At The Disco (also known as Panic or PATD) seem to be trying to re-create The Beatles. Obviously they missed the memo that told us all it's not 1967 and they are not Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, although they did record strings at Abbey Road. How very inventive. 

While they were ripping off their sound, I think they also took some hints from "The Idiots Guide To Writing Lyrics Like The Beatles" because the lyrics of this entire album are as shabby as those in The Beatles entire discography (let's face it, they weren't blow-your-mind-amazing lyricists) and the sound was new and inventive when The Beatles did it, now its pathetic and aggravatingly regurgitated.

The album opens up with a song called "We're So Starving". However, the potential directions for this album from the opening track greatly diminished in the first 4 bars. Call the police! It's Beatle-mania. 
"Oh, how it's been so long,
We're so sorry we've been gone,
We were busy writing songs for yooooooooouuuuuuuuuuu."
Oh Brendan Urie how you spoil us with your lyrical prowess.

"Nine In The Afternoon" is just as well written. 
"It's nine in the afternoon
Your eyes are the size of the moon
You could cos you can so you do..." 
Now if I had to find something remotely decent about this album, it would be this song. It's catchy, albeit in the way that makes you want to stab your ears out with a screwdriver every time you hear it because you just know that it's going to be stuck in your head for an ungodly amount of time. The video for it is definitely not a strong point. I think the video is possibly the major downfall of this song. It shows that they really have no original ideas for this album. Other than perhaps changing their image from teen heartthrobs to weird creepy-looking men running around in the street in butt-flap underwear and fake moustaches. Not their best idea thus far I must admit.

Skipping ahead to their last song, the aptly titled "Mad As Rabbits". Now this song, is completely and utterly schizophrenic in nature and inexplicable in lyrical content. The only song in their history sung by both Brendan Urie and guitarist Ryan Ross, but possibly their only song that can have no possible meaning buried anywhere in the complete mess that is called song. For example, the second line is
"Don't you remember when I was a bird
and you were a map?"
No, sorry, can't say that I do. Is it possible that you were, I don't know, high?

The truth about this album is unfortunate. It proves that the target audience for popular radio don't listen to lyrics and just care about a good beat and a catchy melody. It has huge commercial value because some people seem to have lost the ability to think for themselves and not give in to popular culture, if they even had that ability in the first place.

Now I could continue and go through every song on this album. But let's face it, the first two songs set you up for an album of mindless entertainment that is sure to appeal to the visible and generic psyche of scene kids all over the world, but if it weren't for the popularity of their previous album "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out", it is highly unlikely that any single from this album would get any radio airplay at all. Unfortunately, they have another hit on their hands, but they lost the fans who can formulate their own opinions when the year became 2006 and Panic became over-commercialised, over-played and didn't up their talent to match record sales. Despite their producer Rob Mathes describing the album as “the most significant music project I have done in a while in that it is young and intense, adventurous and endlessly creative" and working with them "made me look at music the way I did when I discovered early records by The Who and Brian Eno-period David Bowie when I was 16." this album has nothing new to offer anyone with any musical taste beyond the Fueled By Ramen and Decaydance record labels.

That said, if you want to pay $25.00 for 15 songs of crap with hopeless album artwork, go right ahead. Just don't make me say I told you so.

So...

As some of you may know, I am the bassist in Melbourne band Stray Bullet Effect. Named after the poem of the same name by one Eric Victorino, from his first book of poetry and proce named Coma Therapy (see post below and support independent art).

Aaaaanayway, were making progress and its exciting. I now understand why bands take so much time on the writing process though. Its hard to formulate the initial ideas. Charlie has completed one song which is called "The Boy Who Loved Morrissey"
and im waiting to hear the final of that so I can start working on a bassline and melody.

Who knows, we might even have a show or two to play by the end of the year.



Or that could just be wishful thinking...