You only get one photo this time around. I decided to hang out in the back and enjoy the show from a different perspective. A perspective I'm not used to or inclined to ever try again! The few times I've laid back in a somewhat big venue I've come away underwhelmed. Whether it’s poor sound or a bands inability to transcend a big room, the back of a venue carries a negative connotation for me. Plus, it’s always more fun standing underneath or next to the speaker stacks.
Of course, the chance of coming away underwhelmed from a Spoon performance is rather low. The band has reached a scary level of proficiency live. You'd be hard pressed to find a review reporting anything other than great. (If you do find said review, please don't email me ruining my perfectly good unsubstantiated point). This has nothing to do with meaningless hyperbolic statements. Spoon really are that good live. Really. That’s what you get for touring years on end. When a band attains such a level of proficiency, its performance can often bleed into boredom, or worse, give off a vibe of going through the motions. Fortunately, Spoon's performance did not lapse into either of the two stated options.
'The Ghost Of You Lingers' and 'My Little Japanese Cigarette Case' managed to sound better live than on Ga.... 'You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb' was delivered complete with horn section and was a big crowd favorite. Britt Daniel injected stabs of guitar feedback throughout many songs, never in an intrusive way, and always adding flavor to his otherwise near perfect pop songs. The Gimmie Fiction songs still sound great live, but If I have to hear 'I Turn My Camera On' one more time, I might go crazy. For some reason that song annoys the crap out of me. Let's strike that one from all future set-lists.
The only drawback to the evening was The Ponys opening performance. The last time I caught the Ponys I was blown away by the bands tight rhythm section and endless barrage of guitar feedback. I'm not enthralled by any of their studio albums, none of which have managed to capture their live energy. Since I can't commit to any studio offerings, all that's left is their live show. And much to my dismay, the Ponys laid a fat dud. What happened guys? They sounded off, never coming close to anything tangible you could grab and hold on to. A few times I felt like they were veering towards something concrete but it never materialized. Gummere yelped and screeched his way through the set. I wasn’t expecting him to croon the evening away, but at least be somewhat intelligible. The only saving grace was Exile on My Street, which sounded bad ass. Bad ass, who says that?
DOWNLOAD:
Spoon - You've Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
The Ponys - Exile On My Street
More Photos:
Spoon @ Nokia Theatre 11/05/05
Spoon @ Siren Festival 7/16/05
The Ponys @ Bowery Ballroom 4/04/06
I like Spoon and your take on The Ponys is wrong, very wrong.
Posted by: ptep | October 28, 2007 at 08:50 PM
Nice to see you back in action. Agreed on Spoon. They're like a machine. I saw the Pony's a while back. They were quite solid. Nothing amazing but a fun time.
Posted by: Jeff | October 28, 2007 at 09:28 PM
Ptep, I'm usually wrong.
Jeff, I was a Ponys believer until this last performance. And Spoon and Sonic Youth are touring machines...
Posted by: AngryCitizen | October 30, 2007 at 10:35 PM
what? no i'm in the nosebleeds, the band looks like ants photo?
(never been in roseland)
Posted by: aitzim | November 02, 2007 at 10:03 PM
HA! Roseland is not THAT big, big its still too big for me. I wish every show was at Bowery.
Posted by: AngryCitizen | November 03, 2007 at 06:31 PM
seriously dude, I want more photos next time. That's what you do, and that's what I want. So bring your camera and go to some more hip-hop, indie rock shows and let me know what is going on in the world in picture form because I am a boring miserable person and I like run on sentences.
Posted by: killme | November 03, 2007 at 06:58 PM
Dad, is that you?
Posted by: AngryCitizen | November 03, 2007 at 07:14 PM