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Less Than Jake / Sugarcult / Yellowcard

live in Pomona, CA
2002
live show

Review by: WussEmoRock
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Published on August 23rd 2002

Calling home 3 days before I got back from Europe, I was told that I had a surprise when I got back home. Not having a clue what it could be, I just stopped trying to guess and waited to find out.

Sunday night I am handed by my girlfriend my ticket and hers for the Less Than Jake show at the Glasshouse. Wow, was I happy for two reasons.

1)Less Than Jake are one of the best live bands out there and what a great lineup it is as well
2) She had the choice of getting The Palace show or the Glasshouse, and let me tell you, the Glasshouse is so much better. It has better sound, and is much more intimate with the band because it has at least half the amount of people as the Hollywood venue does.

Enough of the delay...onto the show:

Shit, that's all I have to say. I hate people like me, who miss the opening band, especially when it is a band I want to see. But, I had no control over missing them, I got lost driving there. I personally think everyone should go and watch every band, so the openers can have more people watching them and not have people just come for the main acts and also because it is the easiest way to find out about another band. So, all in all, I missed Whippersnapper who I love, which dampened the evening for awhile, but then Ms. Branch's band came onstage and that turned everything around.

Opening with "For Pete's Sake", Yellowcard rocked out with an awesome set, thanking the city of Orange County (where I am from) numerous amounts of times for sticking by the band and making the band who they are today. Yellowcard was telling how they had band problems for awhile and thank you to everyone from OC for still supporting them, and then they introduced the new bassist who took Warrens spot. I still haven't quite gotten use to him, but he did fit right in. yellowcard played "underdog" from the new EP and also "Eeverywhere" from Michelle Branch. You can't forget their 3 biggest songs, "sureshot," "starstruck," and the final song of the night which always includes the back flip from the violinist, "october nights." Yellowcard really got the crowd pumped up, and announced that they are going on tour with No Use For a Name in October, so I suggest everyone who missed them here or even who didn't should go anc check them out then.

I will be dead honest with you, right when yellowcard ended, everyone went to buy merch, so I thought. Who knows, maybe they did, but most of them never came back inside. When Sugarcult hit the stage at least half of the crowd had vacated the small 800 capacity building. A ton of girls and reluctant boyfriends stood up in the front anxious for Sugarcult to hit the stage. Five minutes late, they did. They came out and played the only two songs I know not by choice, just because everyone knows them, "Bouncing off the walls," and "stuck in america." The dumb thing about this band is some guy kept yelling Bouncing off the Walls is gay, and the singer is like, o yeah that song is gay, we don't play that song it's not ours. Then two songs later they played it, haha it was actually quite funny. By the end of their set everyone who was outside came back in and rocked out to "daddy's little defect" (rocked out in a sense that the front half of the room was going absolutely nuts) and the back half was just standing there. The good thing though is everyone pretty much showed the band respect, which is always a good thing. Sugarcult, like YC, announced that they are going on a 5 to 6 week tour with the Ataris in the fall, and then they left the stage after playing the only song I got into, a cover of the Ramones song "sedated." Does anyone else notice that Sugarcult sounds really poppy on CD, and sounds really poppy live as well, except for the fact the singer trys to sing with a really raspy voice that sounds a lot harder, it doesn't work in my opinion.

I love Less Than Jake. Not only do they rock live, but they take no time in setting up either, less than Sugarcult even did, only 15 mins. When 1015 strolled around, the lights went out and the star wars theme came on. White lights were flashing everywhere in the dark, and then "all my friends are metalheads" came on with the 20 second talking intro and when that was over the band leaded by Chris and his unbalievably awesome looking spiked hair that was at least a foot high bleached rocked out to their opening song. They played a much better set list than their last time around with AF and NFG, playing songs off of Losing Streak ("johnny quest," "automatic," etc.), Hellow rockview ("all my friends", "last one out of liberty city," History of a boring town," etc), Boarders and Bounderies ("look what happened," and many many others) and even some old songs like "Hows my driving Doug Hastings" and "My Very Own Flag." My only wish is that Less Than Jake would play "Dopeman" and "Al's War," both songs they never play anymore which saddens me dearly. Anyway, thruought the set they had the confetti cannons, super soakers, and even posters of them that they made into paper airplanes and thru out into the crowd (I managed to snag one). When they finished they came back out to play 3 more songs, starting with "Gainsville Rock City," and ending with I can't even remember right now, but it was a good song none the less. They even played "I Think I love You," the cover they did that apperas on the Scream sountrack.

Less Than Jake just gets better and better everytime I see them. If it's not the band who is making you have a fun time, its the crowd. They have a crowd at every show I have seen them that are the most energetic, fun crowd, and make the show a blast. Whippersnapper, from what I asked people played amazing, Yellowcard I would have gone to see if they were just headlining I like them so much, and Sugarcult did a good job, although 45 mins for them and 30 for the other 2 bands isn't quite what should have happened. LTJ played for an hour and 15 mins, ending at 1130, leaving the crowd wanting more and more. In 3 or 4 days they leave for England they said, I'm guessing the Reading Festival, but who knows.

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 29, 2002 at 8:28 PM (EDT)
My Score:

hmm...i like sugarcult and less than jake and i thought sugarcult rocked when i seen em live. well..im out i didnt know that sugarcult and the ataris were touring this fall? heh. later...jesikah

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 28, 2002 at 2:42 AM (EDT)
My Score:

I love how people complain about spelling errors and things, when they do nothing but sit and complain, you go and write a review instead of bitching about how bad mine is. I don't know about all of you but I read reviews to learn or hear about a bands cd/show, I don't sit and wonder why Scott or the reviewer did not spell a word right. This is not english class, it is suppose to be fun, not something we HAVE to do, sorry for not having our mommy and daddy proof read it for us.

chris corradini

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 28, 2002 at 2:37 AM (EDT)
My Score:

dude learn to fucking spell before you start writing reviews. come on scott, you could atleast spellcheck things before posting them. it's not like your tubby ass has anything better to do.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 27, 2002 at 12:18 PM (EDT)
My Score:

2 new songs at the show, ghost of you and me and plastic cup politics. new album=anthem.
chris corradini

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 27, 2002 at 9:50 AM (EDT)
My Score:

No new songs? LTJ Played a new song or two when I saw them with BR - I want names.. and a new album...

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 27, 2002 at 12:49 AM (EDT)
My Score:

god damnit why did the san diego show have to sell out....

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 25, 2002 at 10:38 PM (EDT)
My Score:

the guy below is an idiot

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 25, 2002 at 3:01 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Yeah man, fuck Sugarcult. Fuckin' Sugarcult are so like, 1995! 45 minute set, how could the Glasshouse allow this when we had those great Florida posuers in the house. I dig that awesome fucking Violin! Dude that's the most original, punk rock shit I've ever seen! Just like all those cool horns in the bands I used to listen to. Actually, I heard Black Flag wanted to do it first, but they couldn't afford a quality Violin. Man, now I don't have rock out to just Country in my moms SUV -- I can rock that awesome Yellowcard. Love that major label here today lost my shirt tomorrow ROCK.

myopic

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 24, 2002 at 8:10 PM (EDT)
My Score:

im glad somebody else feels that way about "Dopeman". I mean its a decent song, but I don't see why everyone wants it played at shows so bad.

Posted by Word on 2002-08-24 00:05:56
My Score:

Sugarcunt sucks0res. They eat big white hooker ass. That's been infected with herpes. Fuck sugarcult. they eat ass. LTJ is the raddest band ever.Word.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 9:37 PM (EDT)
My Score:

they played that song along with one other new one at the glasshouse show, great song I must add. Not that this is a bad thing at all, but it sounded just like everything off of losing streak.

-Chris Corradini

Posted by ltjskank324 on 2002-08-23 21:24:38
My Score:

i saw this show in az at club rio... did anyone here the ghost of u and me? from the new one anthem its a great song decent review but i must say sugarcult is awful

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 7:45 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Shit. I'm the reviewer and I can't believe I didn't realize it was Al's War, I turned to my girlfriend while they were playing it and I said to her I love this song but I couldn't for the life of me pin point the name of it even though I was singing every word, haha thanks for clearing it up what song it was, haha I feel retarted. Hope you all enjoyed the review though.

-Chris Corradini

Posted by SOYBOMB on 2002-08-23 19:37:53
My Score:

Why do people like the song "Dopeman"??...........

Peace,
-SOYBOMB-

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 4:19 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Yeah. SO i went to the show at the glass house and the palace and they were great. Sugarcult sucked. Yellowcard and Whippersnapper were okay. They actually did play "al's war" in both shows. I think they played it last at the glass house when they came out a second time. Maybe you left when they were playing it. It's your own fault.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 4:14 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Hey I saw them at the Glass House that day too, it was a fun show. Actually, they did play "al's war", that was the last song they played, I can't believe you didn't realize it was "al's war". So I just wanted to tell you that they did play it.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 3:37 PM (EDT)
My Score:

You may not like Sugarcult, but they are far from jerks. My band opened for them and they are the coolest guys I have met. They still remember us and everytime they come through San Luis Obispo Marko talks to us. Say what you want about not liking they're music cause they're poppy, I still like it, but don't call them jerks. Oh, and LTJ closed with Al's War at the palace.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 2:31 PM (EDT)
My Score:

NUFAN has already got some fall dates posted with yellowcard and the eyeliners. Theyre actually playing in sacramento too, well orangevale same thing though. They toured late last fall also.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 1:23 PM (EDT)
My Score:

I had a blast at this show. It was my first time seeing Yellowcard and they were cool. And it was my third time seeing Sugarcult, never again do I want to have to see them. They're always on almost every show that I'm eager to go see. WHy am I cursed? And Less Than Jake was just entertaining as usual. They're is never a bad time I have at an LTJ show.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 12:55 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Nice review. I hope NUFAN *is* actually gonna tour this fall unlike last year when they canceled cause of the stupid sept. 11th thing. Anyway, Sugarcult acts like rockstars onstage, but i'm glad to hear that they got some respect from the crowd.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 12:39 PM (EDT)
My Score:

They played Al's War in San Diego so I don't know, maybe you missed it. That sucks though. LTJ put on an amazing show but Yellowcard amazes me everytime I see them. Not that many bands can look as thrilled to be up there playing for you as Yellowcard, they're an awesome live band.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 11:34 AM (EDT)
My Score:

I was at the show in Hollywood at the Palace, and it was just as great also. The only downside was having to endure Sugarcult. Sugarcult is one of the most boring bands I have encountered and not to mention they're jerks.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 9:40 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Yeah and at the thow in DC we had the Pietasters...sucka.

-sickboi

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 4:46 AM (EDT)
My Score:

When they played Seattle, their encore consisted of Gainesville Rock City and Al's War as well. I'm wondering if the reviewer didn't realize it was Al's War.

Chris also mentioned the new album would be out sometime later this year. I can't fucking wait!

Go see Less Than Jake! They've blown me away everytime I see them!

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 1:13 AM (EDT)
My Score:

At the show in DC their encore was also "Gainesville Rock City" and "Al's War."
I guess it's just bad luck because just about everytime out of the five times ive seen Less Than Jake they
fit "Al's War" into the set.
And has anybody heard when they are going to release the upcoming album?

Posted by Vien on 2002-08-23 01:04:45
My Score:

Damn, I'm so sad because i had to miss this show. At least I get heat about how bad ass it was.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 23, 2002 at 12:55 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Pretty good review. The San Francisco show was fuckin awesome. Slick shoes opened and they just sucked, so did yellowcard. Sugarcult did a great set as always. No band can touch less than jake live though. For us the encore was gainesville rock city, a new song called plastic cup politics, and ended with Al's War. Less Than Jake owns.