Laser Printer = Bliss

Was seriously underwhelmed by last night's Counting Crows gig.

The highlight of the evening was Blind Pilot, the first opening band with easily the best sound quality I've heard for a band so low on the bill. They sounded more like a place and time than other bands or genres; I could have told you they were from Oregon before they announced it. I'd probably describe them as folky alt rock with strong bluegrass undertones. They were great, anyway, and they agreed to do an interview for a future issue of the Magazine. Fab!

I was expecting great things from the Hold Steady, but I really didn't get them. I don't think that anybody else did, either. Of course I'm always suspicious of "rock" bands that make a habit of using piano. I know that's not necessarily fair, but it's just one of those things. Still, they're not really rock. I'd call them Avant-garde Hipster Pop. Anyway, the keyboardist kept doing jumping jacks too fast for the songs and the lead singer swayed unbalanced about the stage as if he was on acid and trying to start a fight. First there was the piano, and then there was the talking. He didn't sing so much as talk, and although there's a place and a time for that, it just didn't fit the between the other bands. They probably get that a lot. By the time they played 5 -- count 'em, 5 -- more songs than I thought they should, I'd lost my patience completely. I'm not sure WHAT that was but I'm certainly not in any hurry to listen to it again.

As for the Counting Crows, Jesus. Like I said, I loved the Counting Crows when I was 10, but the novelty's wearing off. I think it must be wearing off for them, too. Granted, it can't be easy playing Mr. Jones night after night for fifteen years. They got that one out of the way straight off, and filled the rest of the set with randomish choices off of the follow-up albums. It wasn't always obvious which ones they were playing when because Adam Duritz spliced lyrics from some songs into others (like Long December/Rain King) and filled the rest of the space with improvisational jazz warbling. He stopped short of launching himself into scat at one point, but that was probably lack of know-how more than self-restraint.

Even though the crowd went mental for everything off of August and Everything After, it became clear that the newly independent Counting Crows were having none of that. People expecting a hits parade of their favourite songs done faithfully would have been very disappointed. The style would have better suited a cafe than the CIA at £33 a pop + booking fee.

The lighting, on the other hand, was fantastic, and the venue was most pleasant.

You know you've got problems when they lighting is the best part.

In other news, the Super Secret Underground Headquarters has a laser printer! Hurrah! We're one step closer to the return of printed copies. This excites me more than anybody else. Still, the more people I share my plot with the more support I get. I've had more offers of monthly columns and stapling/distribution help. Fantastic!

Now if only I could find that copy of InDesign...