Once again, concert bookers in Milwaukee insisted on putting a good band in a crappy venue. I was close to skipping this show because I both hate the Rave and having a 50% chance of getting mugged outside a concert venue so much. But I'm glad I went. I attended the show with a good friend who, as a former drummer in a jazz band, loves to tell me how 80% of the music I listen to is crap and just a derivative of Joy Division. While I don't agree with that sentiment, he does provide the view of an outsider to this genre of music. Anyway, my friend had one listen to It's Blitz! at a pre-show BBQ and was sold on going (plus, he wanted to escape hanging with his fiance).
The show was what any Yeah Yeah Yeahs show is -- great sound, great music, high energy, good crowd, etc etc. The band seemed really into the show, too; they kept commenting on how great the crowd was. And really, how couldn't they love the crowd? It was full of drunken fools. I snagged a spot on the balcony and had a good view of Karen O and most of the crowd, so I saw all the antics -- Karen O spitting water on people, Karen O throwing a sweaty towel to adoring (and subsequent to the throw of the towel, fighting) masses, and attempted moshing by the token shirtless guy that seems to appear at almost every Rave show. (Let me take a moment to register my confusion with the crowd's love of getting spit on. I don't get it -- you just got spit on. How is that fun? Why are you cheering? I can like it because I wasn't the one spit on, but I don't think I'd feel the same if I were the spitee.)
Anyway, one interesting tidbit I learned from the security guards was that the band does not like anyone above their heads in the balconies of shows. So, security prevented anyone from standing in the parts of the balcony directly overlooking the stage. My friend -- who loved the show -- thought the band used backing vocal tracks during some of the songs, which I thought was an interesting observation. He also liked the drumming, for what it's worth. Overall, a great show and a great way to end the weekend. 8.5/10. I would definitely see them again. (One final gripe about the Rave -- the price of beer. $7 for a Lite? Really? The Riverside, Turner Hall and the Pabst Theater all serve PBR tall boys for $3. That's more like it.)
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