I'm having mixed feelings, I am.
For one, I'm still very pissed that H1 missed, no fault on her part, her chance to go see Arctic Monkeys (Oye, H1, it's no fault of mine either!).
More so, when TD5 and I got to the Highline Ballroom, the place was so incredibly tiny that it didn't matter where you stood - there'd be a clear shot of the stage!
Feeling rather hateful and wishing I had some chicken bones, TD5 and I did the next best thing we could do to calm nerves - go to the bar for some drinks.
I'd just like to point out that I drank almost every day TD5 and I went out. Who's the bad influence?!
Anyway, so in addition to feeling cranky that H1 and Beetchie were not in attendance, I was also very excited.
Yet, there was something off.
Was it the fact that I couldn't bear to sit through another horrible opener as Arctic Monkeys likes to pick 'em?
Was it the feeling that my nemesis was in the room somewhere?
Was it having to deal yet again, with the little biatch, obnoxious children that attend their shows? Did I have to get nasty with peeps...for a third time?
Or was it that I was just really nervous that I would hate the new songs?
The Arctic Monkeys at The Highline Ballroom on 08/03/2009 Set list:
1. Pretty Visitors
2. This House Is A Circus
3. Brianstorm
4. Still Take You Home
5. Da Frame 2R
6. Dangerous Animals
7. Crying Lightning
8. Fluorescent Adolescent
9. Cornerstone
10. The View From The Afternoon
11. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
12. Leave Before The Lights Come On
13. Potion Approaching
14. If You Were There, Beware
15. Red Right Hand (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds cover)
16. My Propeller
17. Only Ones Who Know
18. Do Me A Favour
Encore:
19. Secret Door
20. 505
Oh...that's what it was! The feeling I'd get when H1 blazed me for their playing "505"! I would not be able to handle the fury!
The Low-Lamps:
1. I have two evil nemeses now. The one that's standing in Suga'Face's way and has AT torn was there. I didn't see her, but I didn't need to. That bitch was there and I could sense it. It's okay though, he still looked at me. Twice.
2. "505". I can't believe those effs actually played it. We blame TD5. I was really sad this went down since H1 was not there and this is the one song she really wants to see them perform live.
3. The ugly merch. Really. I hope they release better t-shirts soon. That Matt Helders inspired hippy desert Native American theme is really horrid. Well, whatever. I can still rock it.
4. P. Effin' Diddy. Honestly. Sometimes I wish Matt would stop being friends with suspect people so that they stop showing up at my concerts. He and his entourage were annoying and the fact that Diddy Can't Dance makes for horrendous times. He did some version of the Running Man which is already a stupid ass move, to something he must have been hearing in his head because it certainly wasn't a beat kept by AM. During "Do Me a Favour". Ugh.
5. I did not see the Cookie very well. It's not really a bad thing though. He scares me, that Hooligan.
6. The new songs. Okay, so they're not really low-lamps. They sounded quite good and they are really good but I think it was the entire atmosphere half way through the set that had me feeling a little bit sad. AM started strong - all intense songs, all old songs, some of the new ones. But then, Arctic Monkeys changed. They toned out their concert vibe. They chilled out at the tail end.
When did they become such a super-serious, doom and gloom, "where's-the-fun?" kind of band?
They've matured. A lot. No longer are they the boys from Sheffield who are too shy to speak.
They're very confident now, which makes them better players and gives them better stage presence and it's not a horrible thing, but it's also not a very fun feeling either.
I didn't think they'd NOT change. How could they not? And I'm happy they're going off and creating different records because if it's one thing they can do, it's create a unique sound every time, but I guess I just need the time to let it sink in.
The bottom line is that it's all fun and games until some biatch comes around and "Yoko Ono"'s your band.
Yes, I went there.
I'm with you, rest of the band! You guys are still great! It's that ass who's the problem!
7. The almost complete absence of songs from the first album. WTF! No "Dancing Shoes"?! And they didn't even end with "A Certain Romance"! =(
The Highlights:
1. TD5 ACTUALLY finally agreed to come to a concert with me! All the way from Trinidad, he flew! That was a pleasant surprise but it just reminds me and angers up the blood that he's going to see MUSE at some no name Raymond James Stadium (eh? It has a name? but who knows it?) in FL. Psh.
2. That annoying rich, privileged Asian child was not there. Hooray!
3. Surprisingly, I was no where near obnoxious AM fans. In fact, I met some nice kids.
4. Okay. Can you people believe it? The opening act were actually...really good. Quite good. For a while, I was confused as to where I was. Their drummer was trying to channel Dave Grohl but there's nothing not cool about that. TD5 described them best when he called them "intense". Yes, Modey Lemon certainly were. Why didn't I buy one of their shirts instead?
5. Sound Problems. I don't know what's up with Arctic Monkeys but they're always plagued with sound problems. Their sound cut after the intro to "Pretty Visitors" for a long time, and then again later on. It was funny and they were good about it, as were the crowd. They made jokes. We laughed. And we were happy when they launched right back into it.
6. Alex's banter. So, he's talking a lot more now, and he's funny. He hit us with a few good memorable quotes:
"I've noticed some of you suspiciously singing along. So we have a new record coming out soon, it's called 'umbug. With a Hey-che."
And repeated the promotion of the album after the sound failed again.
At the end of "Leave Before The Lights Come On", he said "Thank you, I can walk to there by myself." to the bus stop.
7. Matt's banter with their number one roadie. I really need to go look his name up because it escapes me. But those two were having a blast while Matt was playing. It was cute. And Matt still managed to keep his beat even while distracted.
8. Nick! I don't care what H1 says, Nick O'MALLEY is a cutie and I like him. Nick O'Fatty he is not. You are wrong, H1!
9. The New songs. I don't think I'll be upset by the new album, which has me relieved that at least one of my bands won't completely fail me this music year. Already I had to suffer disappointment from Franz Ferdinand, U2 (big time!), The Streets (or was that late last year?), and some others I'm just not really remembering right now. It's also not looking too hot for MUSE right now, so I'm not holding my breath.
The new songs from AM are good. They're different. They're arranged oddly and I like them. I also like their cover of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds' "Red Right Hand".
10. I managed to snap "decent" pictures...for once! of AM! It's amazing, really.
I don't know why the other two in Modey Lemon looked like metal men but the lead singer looked like a preppy.
The Cookie's in there some place
I could actually see Matt tear up the drums for "Brianstorm" this time! Except I was too busy jumping to look at him...maybe next time?
Nick O'MALLEY.
Such a clear shot for some chicken bones
My favourite thing of the evening
Currently listening to: "Red Right Hand" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
