Happy Belated Review Day - Islands at Logan Square Auditorium
Chicago - June 2, 2008
quirken’s birthday celebration
Islands live at Logan Square Auditorium
Let me begin with brief apologies for the tardiness of this post, by quoting oft quoted ‘anonymous’ when he said, “better late than never.” Being a father, I have since learned is not always true, though.
My party squad, including my wife and fellow RTPer FrazierJames arrived promptly at 9:45 to find that I had forgotten the tickets. Pretty unbelievable, considering I am pretty responsible, being a father and all. Also not true. So the wheels started spinning for a solution to this quandary.
I looked to technology for assistance, and the iPhone was glad to oblige. I had received a PDF of my tickets, which I promptly located in my gmail. My iPho allowed me to open the PDF and locate the bar code, which the door guy actually scanned directly using a Palm device. Everyone within eyeshot was quite amazed at this. No paper tickets necessary, in we proceeded.
Not sure if any of you have taken in a show at the LSA, as it will be referred to from here on out, but it seemed like a more proper venue for a high school prom. That being said, there was bar serving both beers and drinks, and a raised stage with semi-professional lighting, so it did have the feeling of a concert venue. The 40 foot ceilings, odd chandeliers and Eyes Wide Shut/Twin Peaks style window dressings certainly brought an eerie, harrowing feel to the space, perfectly apt for Islands’ death -and-dismemberment style of music and lyrics.
Not at all appropriate, however, for the white, 5-foot rapper atop the stage as we entered. This opening act, billed as Despot, was a late write-in, as the opening acts billed on the web site had been crossed out on the hastily prepared flyers printed on colored paper at the local copy shop and pasted to the gray glazed cement-block walls outside the entrance to the main hall.
Please see Frazier James posing here with Despot post-show.
So we promptly left to drink beer.
Two quality beers later, we retook our spots just 20 feet from the stage with PBRs in hand, as there could not have been more than 300 people in attendance. And out they came all in black.
The band featured twin violinists (one doubled on keys), a lead guitar player wearing a dego-tee (or wife beater, choose your epithet) with a Kanye-style bandana/neckerchief item, a bass player sporting a Wesley-Snipes-circa-New-Jack-City-hairdo, and your host, Nick Diamonds, wearing a black shirt over a white tee pasted with ‘blood.’ Since I have been going this route thus far, the lead singer looked like a skinny Nate from Six Feet Under.
The set list follows, with notes where appropriate. This set featured none of the douchery mentioned in Benom’s review of the band’s Apple Store performance. In fact, very little exposition came from the mic, which is certainly my preference.
I was excited most to hear the new record, but clearly had a few favorites from their first full-length Return to the Sea that were must-plays in this first Chicago go-round in about 18 months.
* Vertigo (If it’s a Crime) - Nice slow opener, with a good build at the end. One violinist was ‘playing’ a large chain, appropriate for a gigantic junkyard dog or that Chicago bike messenger who wears the hockey face mask for his helmet. Listen closely to the track and see if you can find the sound I am referring to. Or don’t, I know you are busy today.
* The Arm - Super tight, clean performance
* Kids Don’t Know Shit
* Where There’s a Will There’s a Whalebone - Had issue with the fact that Del the Funky Homosapien did not find time to stop the show to spit on this track, and we were left with Despot, who questionably wrote his own rhymes for this version. Questionable at best. After his turn at the mic, he stayed on stage to ‘dance’ and lost a ton of cred by mouthing the words, “I’ll turn their lights out” over and over as the song ended. Just drop the mic onstage and strut off, dude.
* Pieces of You
* I Feel Evil Creeping In
* Life in Jail - Violinist also plays large chains
* Don’t Call Me Whitney, Bobby - Crowd goes crazy for this tune and six to eight 20-something girls get on stage to dance, slightly miffing the band. “I guess were having a party now. Should we take off our clothes now or later?” - Nick Diamond
* J’aime Vous Voire Quitter - No tongue roll in live version. Questionable addition to record, wouldn’t you say?
* Creeper - Apparently this song must be on the radio now, as the crowd again goes nuts. Also, this is a good song.
* We Swim
Encore
* Rough Gem
* Swans - Good but not great version of this song.
Overall, a really great show at a decent venue with little to no douchebaggery to report. What a nice birthday gift.
qkn
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Just saw Islands at Bimbo’s in SF on Monday. Similar setlist, similar band outfits, much different venue, and Aesop Rock did a verse during “Where there’s a will there’s a whalebone.” Still, little Despot repeated that line over the end of the song, which had me laughing quite a bit.
Nick D seems like he could be douchebaggish, but he barely said a word in between songs. Guess he’s learning.
Overall, a nice little show. It has me listening to their albums a lot more over the past few days.
How much is Apple paying you?
seems like a bit of a harsh review for despot. are you accusing him of not writing his own verse up there? strange. anyway, he’s on def jux records and is actually labelmates with del the funky homosapien and you may have your foot in your mouth when his album comes out. also, where did the del thing come from anyway? on the album version it’s busdriver and subtitle. has del ever done whalebone with them? did despot have sex with your girlfriend?