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indie-snob>+!#
Beck @ uic pavillion (6-11-03)
With dashboard confessional, black keys |
I guess by now you've realize that I attend a lot of shows. But two nights at a venue as big as the UIC Pavillion in three nights is pretty impressive... or perhaps depressing is the more suiting word. In line, the fans were split between Beck and Dashboard Confessional, but you could definitely tell who was there for whom. All the Dashboard fans wore Dashboard t-shirts, pins or necklaces they made. One asked me if I was going to stick around for Beck, I told her that I was here to see Beck and she seemed to snarl at me. The girls in line talked about that TBS show they saw (I later deduced that this was emo-code for Taking Back Sunday) or how they missed the All-American Rejects show or how much of a fag so-and-so was. It was really painful to sit in line and hear them. Then, a car with two African-American men in their 30s rolled by and one girl ducked and mumbled "Oh my God-- drive-by." I was so disgusted. It was obvious that Dashboard brought out the most sheltered, worst of suburban fans. Gross. Once again, I heard the white-man's blues coming from the soulful group known as the Black Keys, who I saw with Sleater-Kinney back in February (the review, for which, is on this website). They still sound like any other blues group you've ever heard, but I think that's what's great about them. You really don't know who you're listening to but you know that the band is good. Man, two white guys with soul... they just don't come along and form a moderately good blues band every day, now, do they? Not only that, but a moderately good blues scene recieving credit from extremely talented independent musicians like Sleater-Kinney and Beck? Now, for those familiar with Dashboard Confessional shows, you'll already know that a large part of the show itself is up to the audience. The crowd is expected to sing along. Somehow, the show just doesn't seem the same without that. Tonight, people just weren't singing. The parts left up to the audience were weak and Chris ended up singing them anyway. The songs they played were largely off the new record due out in August and of course, all those Dashboard classics, like "The Sharp Hint of New Tears" and the MTV smash "Screaming Infidelities." They played a couple of my more favorite songs, like "The Good Fight," too, so I was pleased. I was surprised to hear a full-backing band behind Chris this time, sounding better than I've ever heard them before. They actually sounded pretty good, with a little keyboard and a very experienced guitarist along side of him. The show at the House of Blues was still a far better Dashboard show, but what are you going to do? I still think it's a fun band to see live... this just wasn't a good venue for them. So, after bunches of people left getting their fill of mediocre acoustica for the evening, the Beck fans were left, contemplating the exact nature that this show would hold. Afterall, similar artists (most notably Radiohead) have abondoned any and all songs that could have helped break their career, and I was worried Beck had done the same. Most suprisingly though, he came on stage, and bursted in "Loser." For about five songs, Beck was a soulful and as much that LA King of Cool as he ever was before, playing tons of great songs from all those previous sexy albums he once did... remember those? So, Beck played "New Pollution," "Mixed Bizness" and a number of other sexy gems before the rest of the band (consisting tonight of a most wacky bassist, guitarist, drummer and keyboardist) left, leaving Beck and his acoustic guitar. He played two of the more mediocre songs off Sea Change (including "Lost Cause," which isn't all that mediocre) and one song off Mutations before bursting into a most beautiful cover of the Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize??" His vocals were so strong and beautiful and sounded perfect for the adapted sad acoustic guitar. He then went back into his more dance-y songs, largely off Odelay. One of the more fun numbers he did was "Where It's At." I dunno... that song's always been funny in my mind. He went on to the end the show with some of the better songs off Sea Change ("Paper Tiger," "Golden Age" and "Sunday Sun") before his final encore of "Devil's Haircut." Beck danced. Beck sang. Beck rapped. Beck beat-boxed. Beck played an acoustic guitar. Beck played an electric slide guitar. Beck played the harmonica. Beck played with keyboards. Beck played with drum machines... What more do you want? Overall, I think he did a very good job of integrating his two very different styles of music. He also did a good job of pleasing fans of both. In fact, I believe his set felt heavier off his funkier numbers, which is much better for a live show. All in all, he's probably one of the best performers I've ever seen. Maybe that's saying a lot. Maybe it's not. |