Julian Plenti @ Metro 11/21/9

This is Interpol II, for good and bad.

When I reviewed Julian Plenti...is Skyscraper, I gave the album a solid A, though I cautioned that the album, the debut solo release by Paul Banks of Interpol, sounded simply like an expected new Interpol album. And because I really like Interpol, the good grade was easy.

Unfortunately, the same can be said of the live show. Interpol is an incredibly polished, synced live band with absolutely zero personality. The band members wear full suits on stage, and perform as automotons. I never could figure out if it was an aesthetic they were shooting for or if whatever soulfulness the band had was fully spent on making the records, leaving only hollow shells to be propped up before live audiences. I guess it's the latter. Paul Banks, here as Julian Plenti, at least contributed a few short sentences to the crowd, though it hardly went beyond the ubiquitous "thanks for coming out" and "it's so great to be back at the Metro" bullshit. Nevertheless, the band deliberately worked its way through the limited source material; limited in quanitity given they are supporting only the one record. A couple of throw-away covers (Pixies, America) were inserted to round up to an hour set, which wouldn't have been necessary had the band simply interacted somewhat, or even acknowledged the crowd. Or perhaps perform a couple Interpol covers to really liven it up. Sadly, this excellent foursome, like Interpol, fails to match its live performance to its recorded craftsmanship. C

Chairlift @ Metro 4/23/9

Chairlift opened for Peter Bjorn and John.  I have to admit I like their hit single, but it's become a guilty pleasure at this point.  I was in line getting my beer wrist band when they played it, and I found that I wasn't too disappointed not to see it.  Unfortunately, I had to sit through the rest of the set.  I have their album, and now I've seen 1/3 of their set.  Both are totally worth skipping. It's a 1 hit wonder.

Peter Bjorn & John @ Metro 4/23/9

My good friend saw PBJ the night before I did, up in Milwaukee.  I asked him what he thought of the show, since I was seeing them that night for the first time.  He said "for the first 10 minutes, I thought they were the most pretentious band in the world. Then I realized they were just foreign dorks, and I suddenly liked them."  So, I had that thought in my head as they took the stage.  It's an accurate description.  I didn't like that they droned on and on about how they've been together for 10 years and put out something like 18 albums (which they droned on and on about in a subsequent radio interview I heard). But, I did like that they had a lot of banter.  It was weird that they stopped playing "Young Folks" 2/3 of the way through, then walked off the stage. But I thought if they came back on stage and picked up where they left off - and finished the song - it would be one of the most amazing set endings I've ever seen.  Instead, they came back on stage and played noise jam out shit for 15 minutes, then talked for about 10 more minutes, then played 4 more songs.  It was a very weird show, befitting the band, and I have to say I rather enjoyed it.

Mates of State @ Metro 4/11/9

I used to love Mates of State, and still really have strong like for them. But, their live shows are so hit-and-miss.  Don't get me wrong, there's not much better in life than a great live rendition of Fraud in the 80s, but this band is a lot like another keyboard-playing female-vocal band, Headlights in that they rarely sound good live. Of the half-dozen or so times I've seen MoS, I think they were best at Lollapalooza in 2008.  I know, shocking, right?! There was something about the sun, the receptive crowd, and the aw-shucks but having fun nature that is MoS that was really working that day.  This show at the Metro, they just seemed tired.  I think their kid was at the show, so maybe it was the culmination of a long tour with offspring-in-tow, but the new addition of strings, guitar, and backup vocalists really added to the impression of the dynamic married duo not being able to carry the show this night, which was a shame.

Black Kids @ Metro 4/11/9

I would have been happy never to see Black Kids live. That "not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance" song is the most annoying song I've heard in the last 18 months. I can't see how anybody is buying the hype. "Ever since I was a little girl"??? Give me a fucking break.  This band is garbage.

Titus Andronicus @ Metro 4/10/9

Now here's a show I was really looking forward to. A last-minute change in plans afforded me an opportunity to go check this band out - something I hungered for since I so adore The Airing of Grievances.  Live, however, this band is shit. Nothing was mic'd properly, and I don't think it was the engineer's fault since the opener and headliner sounded perfect.  No, this is a band that needs a lot more practice honing their live act. Non-stop screaming into the mic might be fine if you're going for the hard-core aesthetic, but you sound like Trail of Dead on album, kids.

Rattattat @ Metro 3/23/9

The last, and only previous time, I saw Rattatat, was at The Hideout Block Party last summer. Right up against the stage-right speaker array. It was deafening, but hugely entertaining. For an instrumental live-guitar duo, they sure know how to put on a show. Despite looking like Pearl Jam cast-offs, the boys know how to string together some dance loops and frenzy up a willing crowd. This show at the Metro was no exception. Meaning, ball of sweat and not wanting it to be over.

Ladytron @ Metro 4/4/9

Taking their turn headlining the Ladytron/The Faint double bill on the night I attended, Ladytron put on a good, if uninspired, show. I've never seen them live before, so wasn't sure what to expect. It certainly wasn't as dancy as expected, and the energy of the band was very low. Again, I don't know if this is per usual.  There was virtually zero banter with the crowd, which is a big pet peave, so that was disappointing. The sound was excellent, however, and the crowd was ready and willing to break out into joyous rocking, but the mood of the band seemed to keep everyone in check.

The Faint @ Metro 4/4/9

Last time I saw The Faint it was at Canopy Club in Urbana, IL. It was terrible. Nothing against Canopy Club, which is a pretty decent venue, especially for central Illinois, but The Faint just didn't draw enough to fill the room. And when the Canopy Club isn't full, it feels like an airplane hanger, especially for a band like The Faint which feeds on the energy of the dancing crowd. 

So, there was a low bar to meet this time.  First time I saw them, was also at the Metro, but that was in support in the far superior Wet from Birth, which made for a superior show.  This time around, it was decent - but because the new album (and the few new songs played) pales in comparison to that masterpiece, it was merely mediocre.