So, the Garbage/No Doubt concert. Where to begin?
How about the bad?
There wasn’t much bad.
But…
Well okay, the bad was pretty Bad, you’re right. Let’s see, the opening band was the Distillers. Here’s a few thoughts:
- Obviously rebelling against the poseurs who know all three chords, their style was one chord plus feedback, then scream.
- How did they get this gig? Does Shirley Manson has esteem issues?
- Forget just throwing the picks into the crowd, just give up your whole instrument — please.
- Following their ‘act’, the road crew didn’t merely move their gear – there were ritual cleansings of whatever they’d touched.
Comment from Randy: “They didn’t suck donkey because no self respecting donkey…”
Their drummer was really good. In ten years, this band might not embarass him, or they’ll be dead and he’ll be with another group. I’m good either way.
Garbage
I used ear plugs during the opening act (and went outside the auditorium, and prayed for lightning to strike the stage), but with Garbage, I occassionally felt the need to hear what Shirley was saying between songs — the woman has a lot on her mind. I gather their most recent visit to Denver was a bad experience, but the crowd last night was awsome, and Garbage responded. Everyone knows how the band started out as a haphazard group of studio artists that sort of tripped and fell into popularity; how their humble beginnings meant they didn’t know how to act when they started touring.
Ladies and gentlemen, they’re over that. I enjoyed their set immensely.
Then No Doubt came out.
Actually, they came up. Through the floor of the underlit catwalk, to be exact. (Even the drummer, with a secondary set of drums. He stayed out in front on the catwalk for the first three or four songs.)
What to say about No Doubt?
- Jesus, Gwen Stefani’s in shape: vocally, physically, mentally. The rest of the group is probably ready to run a 10k, just to keep up with her.
- The drummer wore only a kilt and a pair of sneakers. Kick ass.
- At one point, Gwen said “the best part of being me right now is that I’ve got all of you,” while making a gesture somewhere between a group hug and scooping in the adoration — she wasn’t exaggerating — I’ve been to several good concerts and at least one I would consider great. I have never seen a singer own the crowd like Gwen did last night.
- Shirley was comfortable on the stage during her set, but after seeing Stefani move around Manson seemed clumsy and unsure, and the girl from the Distillers looked like someone possessed by a spastic poltergeist (actually, it didn’t take Gwen’s performance to cast her in that light, but oh well).
Bottom line: someone told me yesterday that they’d heard that No Doubt wasn’t very good in concert.
Allow me to retort: HA hahahah hahah ahaha aha aha ah aha h ahaha ahhhaaaaaaaa HEEEEEE… *wheeze*.
So Gwen was good….but was she “Hella Good”?
Couldn’t resist….it’s my current favorite song. :)
Positively unbelievable. She could have pied-piper the whole audience off a damn cliff by the end.
:Sob: I wanted to see this very same lineup a couple of weeks ago when they were here, but everyone who I planned to go with couldn’t make it. I told myself it wouldn’t be a good show anyway so I’d feel better. Gaaah! Now that won’t work either.