AFI Show, updates

So, Rachel and I planned to hit the AFI CD signing but when we saw all the kidlets there, we said, "PUH-EACE" to them all and skedaddled on to The Flying M, which is a nearby coffee shop. Who did we see ahead of us in line but DAVEY HAVOK himself. Being the supremely uncool people we are, we approached and blabbed words at him and got our pictures taken with him until he reminded us that he was due at the CD signing. So we giggled as he departed.

I have now decided that my phone is a good luck charm because it has pictures of me and Rach with Boz Boorer and now it has pictures with me and Rach with Davey Havok. Sweet! Oh, Davey showed us his Moz tattoo and was generally a sweetheart even though Rachel told him that we stole our copy of Crash Love. So I tried to PR spin the situation by promising to buy one. I haven't yet, but I feel that I should keep my promises made to musicians. I don't give my word to them lightly.

And the show? The opener, a band called Ceremony, played retarded, out-dated punk, but I think they were being ironic, which increased my enjoyment. My clues? The bassist had a tattoo of a kitten on his elbow, and the guitarist manned the merch table wearing a pretty Prince shirt. I don't know how much punk cred you can have with those two things going on. If they were being serious, then they totally sucked. Funny how intent changes my evaluation of a band and their work.

AFI totally rocked me and I found my inner AFI fangirl. Rach and I were hanging in the back because teenies totally push people around and act like entitled cuntholes at shows and I don't have to put up with it so I tend to avoid them while fantasizing about making them bleed. But this guy said he was going to push up front when AFI started and he did exactly that and Rach and I followed him. I managed to end the show pretty close to the barrier. I don't usually fight my way towards the front at shows. Weird. I didn't know most of the words to any songs but the singles from Sing the Sorrow and Decemberunderground, but that doesn't always matter. In my mind I think I made eye contact with Davey during "Miss Murder" and I hoped that he recognized me from the day before. He played songs requested by people at the signing which made me kick myself for not asking for "This Celluloid Dream". I love that song even though I don't fully know what it's about. I just like the singalong chorus "CINEMATIC!" and so on. So yes, I had a lot of fun and it actually ranks pretty high on my ever-growing list of concerts, especially for a smaller-venue show like at the KF/Big Easy.

Sooooo AFI's hitting Boise

And I might just go and see them. I'm a casual fan AT BEST, but I do enjoy Davey Havoc as a person. They are going to hold a CD signing at The Record Exchange Sunday, January 17 at 5pm. Space is limited, so you are encouraged to show up early. More details at the band's official webspace.

They next day, they're playing at show at the Knitting Factory. You can buy tickets at the Knitting Factory box office or online on the event page.

Lol, AFI

The English Beat Dec.8 The Knitting Factory, Boise

My sister and I arrived at the venue at the perfect moment. The headliners were on stage and just starting their set. Unfortunately that means I can't comment on the opening bands, sorry. But I was quite surprised at how many people were in the building, considering that the streets of downtown Boise were eerily empty. Rachel asked me if there was a zombie outbreak. I told her that I didn't think so.

On to the show! We were not the youngest people in the crowd, I don't think. Understandably there were quite a few olda peeps. That's my sort of crowd. They know how to act and alcohol can help the good vibes spread to everyone. I found myself grinning widely as I was bopping my head to the bouncy beat.

I found Dave Wakeling to be a puzzling chap. He rambled through strange setups that segued clumsily into the songs. Rach and I heard several people ask their friends, "What is he saying?" "I have no idea." Here is, as far as I could make out, what he said during one of them:
"It's so nice to drive out of California to where there are seasons. The only way you know it's winter in California is if it smells like burning. I was so excited when we got our first chain advisory."
and then he said something about being in Birmingham and it was so dreary that suicide was a tempting option, if only he had the courage for it. I found it highly amusing, but no one in the audience seemed to understand either A) him or B) why what he was saying was relevant.

But the music. The music was beautiful to me. This is partially because it's been two months (!!!) since my last show and longer than that since I've been to a good show. Dave Wakeling noted the crowd's response to the ska songs and said, "It's going to be a 2 Tone night." That was exactly what I was hoping for. I love how there are at least two different rhythms to dance to with ska and it's still okay. You can be bouncy and fast or slow and swaying. The crowd got amped for "Hands Off She's Mine", "Tenderness" (the General Public song, remember?), and "Mirror in the Bathroom", which people had been calling for since the beginning. I wanted "Mirror" to last forever. I'm not even joking. It was musical bliss for me. Then there was a short break between the main set and the encore; they didn't fuck around.

At one point the band led the audience in a chant for Barack Obama during a breakdown, replacing actual lyrics. But I don't really the song titles since I'm not really a big English Beat fan.

So all in all, Dave Wakeling is strange and the band was awesome.

Goodness, I fell behind

In show-I-will-totally-be-checking-out news, the English Beat are coming! And it's only $15 dollars. These dudes are known for doing the song "Mirror in the Bathroom" which is a strange but catchy song that I only found out about when watching Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Show info:
The English Beat @ the Knitting Factory appearing Dec. 8 (with the revolver [get it? it's a Clue joke!])