There were a lot of other bands, but those are the only ones I saw. Actually saw a little bit of Knyfe Hyts, but I wasn't into it, so we didn't stick around for more than 5 minutes. I didn't go to this show with my girlfriend, so there are no pictures. I'm pretty incompetent with a camera, so if she's not there to take pictures, it doesn't happen. And really at this point, I think I have plenty of pictures of Oneida. Maybe it would have been nice to have a few of Oakley Hall's new lineup, but whatever.
Apparently I was alone in this sentiment, but I was really really irritated that The Knitting Factory didn't have a coat check last night. It was below freezing outside, and everybody there brought a coat. It's kind of hard to dance around and have fun when you have to carry a heavy coat around with you. At least it is for me. Really don't get it. They could have made an easy 200+ dollars if the coat check room had been open. Assholes.
Anyway, I got in right as Pterdactyl started. Walking in, I was amazed at how much the song sounded just like the album. Especially since I'd seen them twice before buying their album and didn't recognize any songs from their live set. Also, they were playing on one of the smaller stages, so you would have expected shittier sound. But it was pretty good. Unfortunately, the stage was pretty small, so I had to get pretty close in order to see. The set included some songs that weren't on the album, but there was plenty for me to recognize this time. They closed with "Esses" and "Polio", the two strongest songs on their album. That's as close as you're going to get to a set list.
Next were Parts and Labor on the main stage. The band was a four piece with a guy playing keyboard/other electronics and singing in the middle, another guy singing and playing bass on one side and a female guitarist who didn't sing on the other end. And of course a drummer...who was actually really good. And holy shit. I just realized I know that girl in the band. Sort of. She's from Austin. Well that's interesting. To me. But I should hurry up and say what I thought of them.
...Which is that I'm not sure. The songs weren't band, but they weren't that great either. There were several interesting moments in the show, but I kind of had a problem with the singers voices. I just didn't like them. Which feels like a shitty reason not to enjoy a band since it's not really their fault. Yeah, not sure if I have anything else to say about that. It was pretty good indie rock that was enjoyable enough, but nothing I feel like I need to hear again. But I could see myself changing my mind about that group...either way.
Next we saw Knyfe Hyts. Well we didn't really see them since we were so far back and the stage was practically nonexistent on the bottom stage. And all we heard was noise. So we left.
Up next was Oakley Hall on the same stage. This time I was smart enough to make sure I had a spot close to the front where I could see. Last time I saw them, all of the members of the band I've known were present for the entire set, except for their drummer who was replaced by STEVE GOULDRING FROM THE MEKONS (sorry, I'm still impressed). This time they had their new regular drummer back with the band. Fred Wallace was also present, but Claudia Mogel wasn't. Instead, they had the woman from Company playing violin and singing, one of the other members of Company playing guitar and two other musicians playing a harmonium and electric piano.
The set focused a lot on newer and quieter material. And while it was nice to see that they're actually playing songs from their new album, mellow mid-tempo country rock wasn't what I was in the mood for. Also, with all of the musicians on stage, there was way too much down time between songs. I left before the last one or two songs because I wanted to get a spot towards the front for Oneida. The set list I remember:
Marine Life
Volume Rambler
Color the Shade
Burry Your Burden
song I don't know
Free Radicals Lament
And then finally. The main attraction. The mighty Oneida. They opened with a cover of Throbbing Gristle's "Discipline" with a guest singer. Bobby played bass, and the whole band was loud. It was pretty cool for about five minutes. It went on for ten. From then on, it was mostly a mix of covers and originals, with the originals sounding better than the covers. The covers were still pretty cool. They played "Hit it and Quit it" by Funkadelic and "She Cracked" by the Modern Lovers. Papa Crazy (also known as Pat Sullivan from Oakley Hall) joined them for "She's Cracked", and it was pretty awesome.
That was all over in about forty minutes. Then came their final jam. It was just tribal drumming and noise. For twenty goddamn minutes. I tend to enjoy Oneida's longer songs on albums, but when they jam live, sometimes the songs can get away from them. I can't really say with this one since it was the first time I'd heard it, but it really never worked for me. And there was no encore or anything after that. Kind of left me disappointed. The set list as I remember it:
Discipline
The River
Hit it and Quit it
Ghost in the Room
She Cracked
I will Haunt You
Final Jam
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2 comments:
The "final jam" was actually Ballad of Vaurice from their first album.
Ah. I did see something that started with a V on their set list. I never listen to that album, and even if I did, I don't think I would have recognized it. Thanks!
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