7th from the sun

2.4.2kXI

As I said in last week's Venue Announcement, this is one of those weird periods in LA's live music scene where it seems every band I like is coming to town. Last night I saw Yo La Tengo and my god was it great. It was rife with the up-and-down (fast-and-slow) songs that characterize YLT's music, but boasted a sweet gimmick: The Wheel. The wheel was a "Wheel-of-Fortune"-style wheel that had neat categories like "Songs that start w/ S," "Condo Fuckers" (Their alter-ego band's name) and such. They would spin the wheel and play what came up. The thing that we got was "Sit Com Theater." It was what it sounds like: A dramatic reading of a sitcom episode. They performed a SpongeBob™ ep. It was fun. The fickle LA crowd got restless as it went on. And on. Ira, of YLT, thanked the crowd for not booing when they were finished.

I'm reporting about the show because I've noticed that LA crowds seem too "cool" to really get into a live show. Except for an occasional mosh pit (like at Helmet), there's some mild head-bobbing, but that's about it. It's lame.

Even when sets a theremin on fire and follows up w/ a Tesla Coil, nothin'. Boo.

Tonight - Homestead.


bye-ee!
whrr ... clik!