T’s Take: What is there to say about The Black Lips that we haven’t already said on the FSS before (here, here)? These Atlanta Garage Rockers simply never disappoint. They are one of the few bands around today that get me excited about music, specifically the rock and roll. But as usual I’m getting ahead of myself.
Prior to entering the club the FSS argued some about cupcakes, corned beef, and whether or not Bushwick Bill is dead or not (turns out I was wrong… and you can look the answer up your damn self). We showed up just in time for The Box Elders, a three-piece garage act from Nebraska or some such. I gotta tell ya, I really dug this band. Three guys, six instruments, great garagey sound and they closed with Teenage Kicks so who am I to argue?
Opening act aside the reason we trudged our asses out to Hoboken on a Sunday night knowing full well we’d have to go to work Monday on three hours sleep was The Black Lips. And like I said before they did not disappoint. I’m not one of these guys that can remember a setlist, but ummm… here’s a try… in no particular order…
Dirty Hands (I set my alarm clock to this song last week)
Bad Kids (some chick got on stage during this and had no idea what the words to the song were)
Hippie, Hippie, Hoorah (video below)
New Song (Don’t know the name)
O Katrina! (awesome)
Not A Problem (awesomer)
Drugs (video here)
Short Fuse (at least I think they played this)
Sea of Blasphemy (wow, holy jeez, another video… thanks FSS)
And like ten or so more that I can’t remember now cause (again) I’m running on three hours sleep and making matters worse my wife just fed me the better part of a bottle of wine. Only song they didn’t play that I really wanted to hear live was The Drop I Hold. Other than that perfect setlist.
What else can be said about The Black Lips… hmmm… their drummer is fucking insane on the kit… one of them has grills, another likes spitting on ceilings and catching it back in his mouth, and the bassist seemed like a nice enough guy when he lost his monitor to the crowd and brushed it off his shoulders and kept playing. They’re all also members of another band we love called The Almighty Defenders (another homemade FSS video… you guys are the tops…). Pick up any of their albums and please go see them when they hit your town. Or don’t. The fuck I care what you do?
Oh yeah, one more thing… you’re a dude and you rub your ass feverishly against me at a show you’re getting tossed. Tossed hard. Simple pit etiquette. Live it, learn it, love it.
P’s Take: I hate Sunday shows. Those of you who are loyal FSS readers, Ronald Arden Tant, I am looking only at you, know this. But shows at Maxwell’s are an exception. Maxwell’s is local and easy. You go in, walk into the back, flash your ticket and get your stamp, grab a beer and you are done. No waiting. I, like many mentally diminished folk, can’t handle waiting. I need immediate gratification or else I pitch a fit, soil myself, weep or what have you.
We went out to see The Black Lips this past Sunday, Uncle T, his lovely wife Sister Michele and myself. We went late to miss the opening band cuz we are assholes, but wound up catching them anyway. And you know what? They were fucking good. The Box Elders played upbeat 60’s rock well, and the drummer played drums and organ at the same time. So fuck you Don Henley. You Fuck. Also they were all lit from the front, which was kinda cool. They were like hand puppets with double guitars. Oh yeah, the guitarists had double guitars. So fuck you, Steve Vai. You Fuck.
Then the Black Lips came on and straight rocked. They just did. They didn’t need to warm up much, just took the stage and did the business. When they played Bad Kids all the kids jumped about like the song was written specially for them. Which I know it wasn’t. So Fuck you, ego-centric audience. You fucks.
So that was it, 2 bands served up a good time, with no waiting, no weeping, and no pant soiling. So fuck you, The Vatican. You fucks.
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