Wrens Roll Call

[kurosawa-b/w]

I'm coming into this discussion a bit late. I had the same reaction as everyone else. The show was fun but plagued by sound problems (both from the stage and in the crowd). Two high points were my fave songs: Boys, You Won't and She Sends Kisses. I would have enjoyed the set more if the first two bands hadn't left such a bad taste in my mouth.
 
 If I have to endure another Army of Me set, I'm not sure what I will do. Enough!! I know they are harmless, but it's just too painful to watch a band try so very hard and not achieve anything in their sound. I feel bad for them. (Plus those vocals grate on my nerves.)
 
 And...what was with the adoring fans of the first band? The teenage girls in front were embarrassing themselves to such a degree that I actually had to go downstairs to escape their shrieks. ERGH. The band wasn't very good either.
 
 *ranting complete*

[kosmo vinyl]

the whole feeling the need to yack at show is really something.  i witnessed people who paid $25 to see Marshall Crenshaw and Pat DiNizio play solo acoustic, only to carry on like they were hanging out in the rec room.  Wish more people were like Peter Case who is known to shush people from the stage.
 
 Going to a show and socializing is fine if you are at Dewey Beach or seeing some crappy bar band, but it should be different if it's a touring band that people are there specically to see.

[poultrynow]

Didn't see the Wrens but wanted to chime in on the gabfests that take place at shows.  I'd thought it was a special element of DC shows but was somewhat gratified to see a Charlie Hunter show at Tonic in NYC almost drowned out by yaksters mostly talking about how much they knew about jazz.  This reminded me of the hipster contigent yakking during last springs Shins shows about how much better they were last tour.  Best time was M. Doughty at old Black Cat telling the crowd to shut the @#$% up and that DC was one of the worst places to play.  One technique is to go to the offending gabsters, fart, and slowly walk away.

[Venerable Bede]

Originally posted by kosmo vinyl:
  the whole feeling the need to yack at show is really something.  i witnessed people who paid $25 to see Marshall Crenshaw and Pat DiNizio play solo acoustic, only to carry on like they were hanging out in the rec room.  Wish more people were like Peter Case who is known to shush people from the stage.
 

mark kozelek is a good one at quieting a crowd. . .one time when touring with the painters, he stopped in the middle of a song and yelled: "do you mind?  this is my fucking life!"  he's not a pleasant person when upset.
 
 i know that conor oberst used to do something similiar when he was just a whiny unknown with no talent. . oh wait. . scratch unknown.

[eltee]

Originally posted by Suki:
 [QB] how BADDD is that ventilation system at BC?  I'm burning all the clothes I had on last night..

Sorry for the lame commentary, but I had to chime in. It's bad. Look up sometime - only one, maybe two vents the same size made for a residence. I sat under one at a show when I couldn't breathe.

[ttuamy]

i was at the baltimore show in dec. and it was definately better.  everytime the crowd would start to chatter someone would shoosh them and everyone would get quiet.  it was amazing.  it's so wonderful to be in a quiet room for the softer songs when you can tell that everyone is holding their breath.  i didn't think the sound was too bad, but i was pretty close to front and center.  there's a HUGE difference in sound when you move from different spots in the main room.  and fyi, charles told me that they thought they were playing the backroom when they showed up.  so no they're not getting big heads (that's more of a reply to a co-worker).  as for the screwing around on stage and with the music, i like it.  i'm a big fan, though, and i like to hear them go off.  all around, i would give the b-more show a  10 and the bc show a 7.5.

[K8teebug]

I too am entering this conversation a little late.
 
 I could not believe the noise of the crowd.  I think they forgot they were at a concert and not some plain old bar.
 
 The sound was awful.  This has been a trend at other BC shows I've attended recently.
 
 The Wrens were not as good as when they played backstage. I was really looking forward to seeing this show and was utterly disappointed in the performance.
 
 Can't win 'em all, I suppose.