The Panthers had major sound problems. I couldn't make out the lead singer's vocals at all, and I was like 6-8 feet away from the guy. Plus they kept blowing a fuse or something until (I guess) the staff turned off the big fan and the blue Christmas lights behind the "stage". However, the Q&A sessions and audience interplay during blackouts were the highlights of their set for me. I guess that's not a good thing, but, when everything worked, they did rock hard and impressively. I'm sure I would have enjoyed their set a lot more under other, better sounding circumstances. At the end though, I was left wishing I had gone upstairs to see The Killers instead.
Like many others here, I was hoping to see both Stellastarr* and TV on the Radio. I have to agree with the criticism of the Black Cat staff. Every time I ask anyone there what time a given act will take the stage or how long they'll play for, no one freaking knows. I guess I've been totally spoiled by the 9:30 Club's professionalism in this regard. One of my fellow patrons told me that TV on the Radio would probably start their set between 10 and 10:30. Stellastarr*, as ususal for a mainstage headliner, would take the stage at 11:00. Obviously, I wouldn't be able to see both sets in their entirety, but my hope was to see most of both. The evening would soon see those hopes dashed against the rocks of inevitability.
With the Panthers' electrical problems, I think they finished up a little late, and TV on the Radio took their time getting set up. I don't think they actually started playing until 10:45. I wouldn't say that TV on the Radio was the best band I've seen in concert this year, but they were really, really good. Like a fusion of Sam & Dave and rock. It wild how the lead singer used two different microphones. I presume they were configured with different delays or characteristics to sound differently? I've never seen anyone do that. That was fucking cool. Anyway, this was my first exposure to them. I basically wanted to see what the buzz was all about. I rather like going to see bands cold, so this is not uncommon for me. It often makes for an excellent first impression. And I'm really glad I got a chance to see them. I just wish they hadn't been scheduled for the same evening as Stellastarr*. I stayed in the backstage listening to TV on the Radio until 11:30 and then bolted upstairs to catch the remainder of Stellastarr*. Unfortunately, Stellastarr* quit playing kind of early. I looked at my watch when they finished with the encore and it was only 11:47. Now, I've only been to about five Black Cat mainstage concerts so far, but I've never been to one that finished that early. The Gossip and the Decemberists both played until after midnight. I think the Decemberists played until almost 12:15, because I remember running all the way to the Metro to catch the last Green line train afterwards and barely getting there in time. Anyway, I was rather disappointed. Not in the music. The music by both bands was absolutely great. The scheduling just didn't work out. If I had known it was going to turn out like that, I would have stuck with one or the other, probably TV on the Radio and saved the $10 I spent on the Stellastarr* ticket that I barely used.
So what time did TV on the Radio finish?
