New Band Concerts

Yeasayer, one of my favorite new bands from Brooklyn, is playing in Chicago next this Thursday at one of my favorite venues, the Metro. I don't actually have tickets and the show is sold out, but that's what craigslist is for. I find that on weekdays, especially day of the event, tickets on craigslist tend to go for face value when people realize at the last minute that are too tired to go. So we'll see on Thursday night if I'm doing laundry or singing in the crowd at a sold out show.

One thing I love about seeing young bands perform is that you pretty much know what they're set list is going to be. Typically these bands only have one album out and it is highly unusual that it's going to be a double disc. I love the feeling of going to a concert and knowing every song that the band plays. This happened last year at Chester French, and if the crowd has been larger I truly believe that would have been an epic concert. You rarely leave these concerts going, "that was a good show, but I wish they had played..."

The other great thing about seeing a band in it's infancy live is the covers. Because a band does not have much to pull from, and I have never actually see a band play their entire debut album on stage, you tend to get some really interesting covers. Eight years ago at Filmore in Denver I saw Maroon 5 do an awesome cover on Nine Inch Nails "Closer". Also they're second release was a live album EP with a cover of the Beatles, "If I Fell In Love With You". I love that feeling when you're in the crowd feeling a concert, a new song comes up and you go, "I love this song! Wait, this band doesn't play this song! Oh let's see how they cover it!" And kudos to any new band that proves themselves with "Baba O'Reilly", taking on Townshend is a challenge.

That said, I'm now thinking that I'm going to have to go see Yeasayer, and see what they might choose to cover. I bet it's something awesome and psychedelic from the late 60s, or maybe some Queen. Freddie Mercury was a genius.