"Drop a heart, break a name..."
~Fall Out Boy
Last night was the Honda Civic Tour at the LA Forum, which is not in Los Angeles at all, but in Inglewood, which is only approximately half a step above Compton.
I went by myself, kind of at the last minute, but I still managed to end up with a second row ticket directly next to the stage, which means I didn’t get a full-on view, but I had the best view of anyone there except those kids in the pit getting smashed. Cobra Starship opened, and though I tend to disapprove of any emo/rock bands with girls in them, they rocked. Not only do they have their own hand gesture ("Get your fangs up!"), but the girl in the band plays the keytar. All the time. And the lead singer, though not gorgeous, was the most fun performer I have seen since Motion City Soundtrack.
Following them was Paul Wall– I purposely waited to go check out the merch table until he hit the stage. I mean, first of all, he’s a rapper. (Note to Paul Wall’s record label: there is nothing an emo kid hates more than a rapper, except perhaps a carnivore.) And more importantly, he’s a no-good rapper. Not to mention the fact that rap went out when tight pants came in. Enough said.
And then The Academy Is... hit the stage, which is really the reason I was there. I saw them live a couple years ago, and they were amazing, but even now that they are more famous, they are still amazing in concert. I think the lead, William Beckett, has gained weight since the last time I saw them (which is good– I think I could have broken him in half with one hand last time I saw them). Their new album came out two months ago, and they’re not headlining for it, which is pretty awesome. Not to mention the fact that the lead singer is probably going to be the next candidate for a Blair haircut AND he sang all the instrumental parts from the album, which pretty much kicked.
The lead singer is the one in the middle. I couldn't find a decent shot that would fully define his skinniness, but look at those legs in the middle... It's kind of unfair.+44 came out after that... not because they are any good, but because when any band is composed of exactly two thirds of Blink-182, you let them do whatever they want. When Blink broke up, the lead singer/bassist and drummer stayed together, found two more guys, and became +44. They kept the immaturity of Blink-182, and apparently some of the music rights, since they performed my all time favorite Blink song, Girl At the Rock Show. The mature, less prone to playing music in nothing but a tube sock remainder of Blink (Angels and Airwaves’ Tom DeLonge) moved more away from their roots, which is awesome, and the reason why Angels and Airwaves has always been my preferred piece of Blink. But nevertheless, +44 put on a good set– I know I have never seen a drummer as amazing or as entertaining as Travis Barker... he came out with a mohawk and jeans and nothing else, covered in tattoos from the waist up. As soon as he played the opening solo for the opening song, the mohawk was limp from the headbanging. I noticed a woman in the wings of the stage, carrying a sleeping baby girl in a white dress with HUGE headphones on– the kind that block out all noise. The woman stayed there with the baby for the whole set, and I knew it must belong to one of the guys in the band, but I didn’t know who until they left the stage, Travis climbed down from the drum riser, walked past the woman, and took the baby from her arms. (All of which makes sense since the whole band is from LA. Of COURSE their families were there.) But then I started thinking about it– I mean, honestly, how crazy for that little girl... can you imagine growing up with a dad covered with tattoos (and a mohawk) known for having played on top of the Radio City Music Hall marquee naked?
But it was clear he loved the baby, so I've gotta hand it to him. Plus his clothing line is amazing.
Fall Out Boy was the headlining act, and even though I had seen them before (in Atlanta a year and a half ago), they were still amazing. The dynamic between Pete Wentz (the bassist but not the singer) and the rest of the band is odd– he writes the songs, but just because he happens to be the most attractive one in the band, he is always the one that Mcs between songs, and the one everyone loves to love (or loves to hate, depending on your level of emo-ness). Anyway, this was the first set I had seen involving a change of clothes since the last time I saw the Backstreet Boys, which may or may not have been on their last major tour...
A little too much pyrotechnic activity, but they played all the good songs (and some of the bad ones– WHY does ANYONE like "Where Is Your Boy Tonight?" I’ll tell you where your boy is: he’s hiding in the green room until you finish this song). Plus, I would give anything for a shiny black bass with a red bat on it.
All in all, the show was amazing... despite the fact that the cab ride I took home from it cost me as much as another ticket (thanks, Dodgers game that got out the same time as Fall Out Boy concert. Thanks).
This is Pete Wentz, the mouthpiece of Fall Out Boy and one of those few people that I think looks better making this face than he does normally. His clothing line is also amazing.
Man, it turns out I really am a groupie of the highest order.
~B
P.S. Guys with legitimately good music taste who understand the reason WHY music is good and know how to explain themselves are a rare find, even in Los Angeles. Guys who get drunk and then want to drive you somewhere are much more common.
And so, in closing, always remember shoes are for dancing, not just for gazing.
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