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4000 people were at this show.

That in itself says something. When I saw Jimmy Eat World in August, they, as a platinum artist on a major label, only played to 2500 people. Dashboard, with more or less word of mouth [up until earlier this year when MTV2 latched onto him like a barnacle to a whale], managed to get 4000 fans all in one room, and it seemed like every single damn one of them knew all the words. But before I get to the main event...

The first band was Loudermilk. As they took the stage dressed in matching black suits with red scarves on, my sister said "who do they think they are, the Hives?" I wish. This band was awful. It's just loud grungy-rock crap with no point whatsoever. Loudermilk's only redeeming quality was their drummer - I'd like to think he's certifiably insane. I'd finally found a drummer who plays just like me - barefoot, loud, and crazy as all hell behind the kit. Other than that, their set was unmemorable, and the majority of the crowd seemed to agree with me, with a lot of girls yelling "TURN IT DOWN!" between songs - I guess someone forgot their earplugs [although, to be honest, the band was really fucking loud]. In short, Loudermilk Loudersucked.

Next up was Rhett Miller, former frontman of the Old 97s. This was his first night of the tour, and the crowd welcomed him with somewhat open, if not hesitant arms [maybe because he was playing an acoustic guitar? Who knows]. The man and his band rocked through a bunch of selections off his new album "The Instigator," including "Our Love," "The El", and "This Is What I Do." He even brought out an Old 97s song [whose name escapes me right now, my apologies] and there actually seemed to be audience recognition. Go figure, right? Rhett's sound reminded me a lot of something along the lines of Pete Yorn or the Refreshments, and further proved to me that no matter what you think of Dashboard Confessional, they sure know how to bring out good support acts [Ben Kweller and the Anniversary the last time, and now Rhett].

Up third was a personal favorite of mine, Hot Rod Circuit. Their set was nothing if not expansive, as they played something off all three full lengths, and they even went as far back as their first EP, playing "Hi-Tech Lip Gloss." They also played "The Pharmacist," "Radiation Suit," "Radio Song," "Weak Warm," and a few more cuts off their new album, all of which sounded better live than on recording. Speaking of their live sound, the sound guy must've taken a break at random points during HRC's set, as the sound was atrocious at certain points [especially the first song], and Casey's guitar kept on cutting out at completely random points. HRC made the best of it, though, and kept the crowd moving with their soon-to-be-patented style of punk infused emo rock. The guy next to me [Ronnie, I believe his name was] proved to be the coolest guy ever for yelling at a girl to put out her cancer stick [it was a no-smoking venue, and she was smoking right in front of us, thereby allowing me to inhale every last whiff of her tasty deathstick]. Big ups to Ronnie. The best part about their whole set was watching all the girls leave/get pulled out of the front by security because they couldn't handle the "pit."

People, if you can't handle a HOT ROD CIRCUIT pit, there's something wrong with you.

Anyway, onto the main event, Dashboard. The girls [who probably composed 3000 of the 4000 in attendance that night] surged forward, and I readjusted my earplugs as all of them screamed out as the Dashboard Confessional banner [as emo as ever] was lowered from the ceiling. The band took the stage shortly thereafter, sans Chris, and began jamming out slowly. When Chris finally took the stage [it felt like forever], the screaming was deafening - I thought I was seeing NSYNC or something.

So the band played. And played. And played. Pretty much anything old got the "full band" treatment, with electic guitars. 3 new songs were played, one of which being "Tonight I'll Take What I Can Get," which is currently available for download on Dashboard's webpage. As a side note, I think I'm the only person in the world who likes this song. Anyway.

After close to an hour of the band playing exactly what you'd expect them to play, they abruptly left the stage as a second banner fell - this time, it was the "So Impossible" EP logo. They then took the stage again after about ten minutes of applause and chanting for their "encore," I guess [it felt more like a timeout to me, it just didn't have an encore feel]. They then began to play the "So Impossible" EP in it's entirety. More girls swooned, and more guys yelled out "I love you Chris!" What else did you expect?

The band sounded as technically proficient as ever - there was no room for error on stage that night. There was also no room for improvisation or deviation from the setlist, since it seemed like every single song was choreographed with lighting. Chris' voice sounded eons better than the last time I heard him sing, back in March, so that was a plus. He must be getting coached.

My only true complaint is that it just wasn't as much fun anymore - sure, I could sing along, but when everone else [and I really mean *everyone* else] was singing along, it loses it's mystique. The band devolved into "just another rock band" in part due to the audience. Dashboard Confessional is out of the "scene," as petty as that may seem. The music is better, but the fans are worse. The price of popularity, I guess.

All in all, it was a solid show [minus Loudermilk]. Look for Rhett Miller to go on tour with Pete Yorn and Ben Kweller [I can always wish], look for Hot Rod Circuit to become a lot of frat boys' favorite "punk rock band" after this tour, and look for Dashboard to keep wooing the girls [and guys].



People who liked this also liked:
Ryan's Hope - The Trials Of RecessionGatsbys American Dream - In the Land of Lost MonstersThrice - The Illusion of SafetyBoys Night Out - TrainwreckColossal - Welcome The ProblemsMock Orange - Mind Is Not BrainCougars - Nice, NiceTexas Is The Reason - Do You Know Who You Are?Bear Vs Shark - Right Now You're In The Best Of Hands. And If Something Isn't Quite Right...The Cardinal Sin - Oil And Water



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    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 28, 2002 at 7:02 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    dude if you were old school and you saw what punk is today you would complain.......

    it sucks to be fair, its the worst it has been ever.

    -oldtimeskatepunkchap

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, October 27, 2002 at 7:36 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    The concert was pretty good, i really only saw dash and hot rod circut as i waited in the endless lines for the girls bathroom and the merch line. Whew. But it was all worth it in the end when Carrabba blew me away with his closing song which combined "Hands Down" from the So Impossible EP with "This Bitter Pill" and returned to his Further Seems Forever roots with WITH "The Moon is Down" I thought it was amazing.

    Posted by waste_elite on 2002-10-25 02:51:12
    My Score:

    "Yeah fucking right. Waste_elite, get a clue. All you do is bash anything and everything that has any sound of poppiness in it, go look at my comment under the atopilot off interview, I went into more detail on the subject."

    ah, wuss you make me laugh. i don't bash poppy music, i bash crappy, boring, generic music. and dashboard is just... really, really lame. i don't like the music i like in order to sound "punk" at all. i'm not so pathetic as to worry about my punk cred on a fucking website.

    by the way, i'm listening to the new jets to brazil right now. is that poppy enough for ya? get a fucking life and leave me alone kid.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 24, 2002 at 6:18 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Poppieness is okay for if you like poppieness, but if you don't you're gonna hate it, which i hate it. So....

    Posted by WussEmoRock on 2002-10-24 17:25:40
    My Score:

    Yeah fucking right. Waste_elite, get a clue. All you do is bash anything and everything that has any sound of poppiness in it, go look at my comment under the atopilot off interview, I went into more detail on the subject.

    to the guy 2 posts down. Dashboard did take that cd off of his site, and stop mentioning it everywhere, he even went as far to say his first release was the one on vagrant. don't believe me if you don't want to, that is fine. But, at least we agree that swiss... is his best album to date.

    *****Wuss-Emo-Rock*****

    Posted by waste_elite on 2002-10-24 16:59:54
    My Score:

    "when that kid said that you're gay if you listen to DC and you should listen to the unseen instead, that just further confirms that all those old-school punks are ignorant hatemongers"

    uh, i'd take the unseen over dashboard any day and i am far from being an ignorant hatemonger. your stereotyping isn't any more productive either.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 24, 2002 at 1:25 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    i did notice that they took swiss army romance off their website, but someone please fill me in as to why. what "drive thru scandal" are you talking about? i heard they had some shit with drive thru, but how could it have been so bad that chris doesn't even acknowlege (in my opinion) his best album?
    And on a side note, i agree with the guy below, the gay bashing has to stop. when that kid said that you're gay if you listen to DC and you should listen to the unseen instead, that just further confirms that all those old-school punks are ignorant hatemongers. so please, to all the people who will undoubtedly post just to "bash" dashboard confessional and their fans, please be a little more creative and a little less ignorant.

    Posted by maverick on 2002-10-24 00:27:51
    My Score:

    They play old songs, but they're all arranged for a full band now - Chris does none of the old ones just by himself.

    -Scott

    Posted by WussEmoRock on 2002-10-23 22:57:01
    My Score:

    scott, or anyone who knows this...

    does dashboard every play any of the old songs off of swiss army romance? I know they took the cd off of their website and don't even mention it any longer (probably because of the drive-thru scandal), but do they ever play songs off of it (not including the few that are on the vagrant release "screaming" "again..")

    thanks

    *****Wuss-Emo-Rock*****

    Posted by rage on 2002-10-23 20:15:46
    My Score:

    Having gone to highschool with Rhett Miller I've heard much of his early stuff and even been privledge to semi-private screenings of his solo work and Old 97's songs alike. He is an amazing musician who really has some killer talent, hate to see him off on his own but anyone who had seen him in the 97's knew this was bound to happen.

    Posted by maverick on 2002-10-23 15:59:11
    My Score:

    To the guy 3 comments down:
    You say their music and stage presence is lame and choreographed.

    I say the same about your commenting style [Emotaph? Geez, buddy, quit going to Buddyhead every day to see if they've updated their gossip].

    I stick by my initial assessment of this concert.

    -Scott

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 at 3:55 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I think Dashboard Confessional sucks, I only like one Hot Rod Curcuit song, and I don't know who Rhett Miller is. But, enough with the homophobic shit you little wimps. Guys who bash gays are either insecure about their own sexuality or they are religious wimps. Either way, they deserve to get a kick in the ass.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 at 3:28 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "The guitarist thinks he is coll and that he is in At The Drive In, but he is just lame and all his shit is choreographed."

    All his shit is choreographed? I suppose you happened to go back stage and take a look at his notebook. Jackass. I think he's a joy to watch; he brings so much energy to the band. It's great.

    -Scotty

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 at 12:25 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Hot Rod Circuit is opne of the worst bands that I have ever seen. I saw them open up for The Get Up Kids, and they were just so boring and uneventful. The guitarist thinks he is coll and that he is in At The Drive In, but he is just lame and all his shit is choreographed. Thier music is just a cheap version of what all the rest of the Vagrant/Emotaph bands sound like. Completely unoriginal. Just like Dashboard Confessional, completely unoriginal. Don't get me wrong, I like emo. I like Dag Nasty and I even like Planes Mistaken For Stars. I even like Sunny Day Real Estate. I like alot of bands that can be considered emo, but Dashboard and HRC is not even real music. It's just a fucking marketing scheme for little girls.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 at 10:59 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    There must be two bands named Hot Rod Circuit. I saw one of them open for Avail earlier this year at the Knitting Factory in New York City. The show was sold out, but less than half of the people were watching them and those that were watching were just standing their bored and waiting for them to finish up. I was not impressed with this band either. (Editorial note: Avail rocked the house as usual.) Perhaps some day I will see the other Hot Rod Circuit that everyone is raving about.

    -Dino Radja

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 at 10:48 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Um...Jimmy Eat World played TWO sold out shows at the Riviera this summer - 2500 tix each night - that's 5000 people dummy.
    Congress Theater capacity is 2900

    Just wanted to clarify that. Jimmy played two nights at the Riv over one night at the booming 5000 capacity Aragon becuase the Riviera theatre SOUNDS better.

    Cheers.

    Posted by waste_elite on 2002-10-23 00:45:43
    My Score:

    i think that dashboard is absolutely horrible. don't even get me started.

    if i was at this show i'd be forced to pull a John Belushi on Chris' guitar.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 at 12:25 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    awesome review! I dislike Dashboard, but this review was fantasic...nicely done...

    as for this guy... "go listen to some fucking soia and some fucking unseen..." Ouch, I don't think so...I'd rather listen to DC, and that's a stretch...I think SOIA is one of the worst bands I've ever heard...and Unseen? Don't get me started...Dashboard may be for "pussies" as a lot of these morons say, but SOIA is for bro's...

    Jimi

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 10:41 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "this goes out to all you old school punkers
    we all have opinions, we are not one sided bastards who listen to shit that is dead and walk around in the summer wearing leather all over and making sure that your hair is a perfect spike so that u can be "independent"
    just because some band was recognized doesnt mean the suck, they are still making the same damn music they always have, only now more people listen to it.
    also, u make fun of emo because it is just some shity boy band that sings abut girls and such. well who fucking cares, its not their fault that they are not homos that dont get girlfriends and sit and listen to crap that is dead while thinking how cool it is that they are an outcast and that they will never stop being an "old school punker" even though they just started listening to that music last week
    and with that said....nfg is the shit
    same with pretty much all the "emo shit"
    "
    i found all this in the nfg review for sticks and stones, and i thought it hit the target dead on (well except for the not having a girlfriend part) i used to like DC but now they are just getting on my nerves. hot rod circuit is amazing. but it is true, u "old school punkers" take this shit to far

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 10:29 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    hehe, more guys yelled out "chris i love you" got gay?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 9:19 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    That was a good, honest review.

    Why are there still kids posting about how much DC sucks? I mean honestly, there's been how many reveiws of DC stuff that you guys have bitched and moaned about, yet you still go on. Amazing.

    Hot Rod Circuit is great.

    -Scotty

    Posted by Megan on 2002-10-22 19:04:52
    My Score:

    personally, after hearing from people who went to this show, i'm so glad that i went to Rhett Miller's instore earlier that afternoon as opposed to paying money to go see him play with Dashboard Confessional... fifty people instead of 4,000... sounds like a good trade off to me

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 7:03 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    fuck fuck fuck fuck dashboard!! i said it once i'll say it again. theyre a bunch of pussies who play lame music for pussies and 13 yr old girls.

    i don't get in the whole 'who's punk or not' argument but i gotta say theyre not even remotely close to punk..or good music for that matter. DC is the epitomy of 'not punk' (and someone told that they were punk before). i thought half the fun of blasting punk music was pissing off your parents for christs sake. it seems to me that you could sing the lyrics to DC along with you parents

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 6:16 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    hehe,let the dashboard bashing begin. in fact, i'll fucking join. i Hate these guys(with a capital H i might add). i don't want to fall asleep at a concert. i want to be able to move and feel the energy of a band. and i don't want to hear about lost loves and heartbreak. its just too depressing. is this the next coming of the beatles or what? girls swooning and fainting?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 6:11 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    jesus fucking christ. you faggots are still raving on and on about these homos? not surprised, birds of a feather flock together, right? go listen to some fucking soia and some fucking unseen and i'll excuse you little pussies from ever liking dashboard.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 5:55 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    What a snore fest

    -JAM

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 5:35 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I also like "Tonight I'll Take What I Can Get" but I feel the same as you, like no one else does. Anyway, good review.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 4:55 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Earplugs on a Dashboard concert?
    WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU?
    1. earplugs are for pussies.
    2. dashboard is a pussy.
    pussy pussy = bad (if it's not movies we're talking about).

    Posted by abileneINlove on 2002-10-22 16:20:27
    My Score:

    This review wasn't as self-glorifying as some of your old stuff has been.

    Kudos.

    I am, however, dissappointed with your lack of Old 97's knowledge. They're pretty trendy you know. Spin usually reviews them well. Shouldn't you have carbon copied your opinion to theirs?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 3:38 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    i also liked this review because i really agreed with it. I don't mind most of his music, but the fans are truly ruining it... i remember seeing dashboard when he first signed to vagrant and he opened for the alkaline trio. A lot of people sang, but there was only like 400 ppl there or something. I am going to the seattle show next week and now i know what to expect. I am just going for hot rod circuit - i wanna kick some ass in the pit.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 2:24 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    i liked this review. why? because at first i just thought it'd be another commentary about how dashboard is "gay" and how all their fans should die and how chris isnt punk because he was on mtv and all that other bullshit. I guess i'll leave those comments to the ignorant self-proclaimed punks who i'm sure will soon be posting. I like how the reviewer noted that the songs got better, but the fans got worse. exactly how i feel about the whole dc thing going on right now. well, if you do go see him on his tour right now, try not to let all the teeny boppers get in the way of you having a good time

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 1:28 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    wearing earplugs are so not cool.

    Sara(no h)

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 1:26 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    first comment!
    Commence ripping on Dashboard & their fans in T minus 10...
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