Not to detract from an AZ sighting, but here's my Arcade Fire banter that won't impress him.
I hated Arcade Fire since the beginning of time. In part because people on this board loved them and it was fun to troll them. They reminded me of the rugrat white homeless people who were always assembled around the subway stations in Montreal every time I visited. And they were probably the most overhyped band of their time. That said, I kind of liked Neon Bible. Or at least some of it.
So when I saw that Beck was opening for Arcade Fire at Anthem, that was the most tempted I've ever been to see them. That double bill I'd pay a good 30 or 35 dollars to see. But then he dropped out, so the interest was close to zero.
But then Vas messaged me and said he had an extra freebie for Thursday. So I was going to be in DC Thursday (but not Friday or Saturday) for work, with free parking, so I figured that was enough star alignment, so said sure why not. Later that day, I was showing my wife the new Artic Monkeys video on Youtube and she said "Wait, I like this music. I'm going to be jealous that you're seeing this band Thursday night and not taking me."
I got up Thursday and put in my new pair of tight red thrift store cords and got in my (red) car ready to rock Sammy Hagar and Jack White style. Unfortunately, the drive into the office was a 90 minute nightmare (compared to less than 60 when taking the train), meaning I couldn't drive 55, but I made it.
So 5:30pm rolls around, and I figure I'll head over to Other Half (not far from office) for a preshow draft. And fatass here swings his leg into the driver's seat, and his tight cords rip about a foot long rip from waist past crotch halfway to the knee. Fuck you Ralph Lauren. To the point where everyone at the show will know the answer to boxers or briefs. I thought maybe I could get away with strategially tying me hoodie around my front, but then thought better of it. I remembered there is a Target over on New York Avenue, near Other Half.
So I go to Target, and they literally have three pairs of pants that fit me. One was some really ugly pair of Haggar (not very Sammy Hagar like) slacks, the second was a pair of fleece lined winter activity pants by Wrangler (they had zippers, pants to make a homeless Montreal subway rugrat jealous), and the third was overpriced sweatpants. So I purchased the Wranglers, changed in the parking lot, and prepared to sweat my balls off at the show.
I had the beer, as well as the now cold takeout food I had brought with me, and drove in the general direction of the Anthem. Vas texted me that the opener was no good, so I stopped for a second preshow drink (mojito at that Cuban place on the Wharf), and made my way into the Anthem thereafter.
I made a pit stop and the first guy I saw was wearing a skirt and I thought shit I've gone into the women's room. But then I remembered I was seeing edgy alternative band Arcade Fire and not Wilco, and it made sense that I'd see a guy so desperate for attention that he'd wear a skirt to a rock concert.
After what seemed like an interminably long time between sets (not so much for me but for Vas), the Rugrats took the stage. I texted my wife and daughter, and my wife's best comment was "He doesn't look very appealing." (Well hon, if you were an 18 year old groupie, he would!). At times they were pretty decent, at other times boring (new songs, natch). The whole time I felt like I was watching a band that all 6000 other people liked more than me. That's all I have for a show review. This thread is called Post Show Banter, not Show Reviews. Also, there was far more than average BO at this show. Or maybe I was just smelling my sweating balls in my new Wranglers.
My daughter wakes me up getting ready for school at 6:30 each morning, and my wife and I had taken the day of to go hike and brewery hop, so I bailed on the encore. When I saw tickets for Saturday's show as low as $4, I thought about pulling the trigger, but it was just so much more comfortable to stay home alone (wife and daugher had plans of their own.) and vacation plan and watch a decent horror movie and half of a French film with integenerational lesbian sex scene.
The Wranglers will come in handy this winter when walking the dog. Also, I still owe Vas a mojito.
