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Reggie and the Full Effect / Midtown

live in Seattle
2003
live show

Review by: FatTony
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Published on July 22nd 2003

The first thing that ran through my mind as I walked into the Graceland was how empty it was. The show was far from sold out and was the third one I've seen recently that had failed to attract a full house. It left me worried about the future of this little club. But the worry disappeared as the first band, Motion City Soundtrack, took the stage.

The only previous exposure I'd had to their music was a video of a live performance that had been posted over at Punk Rock Vids recently. They seemed like a fun band based on that video, but they were so much more. They put on an amazing set and I urge everyone reading this to at least give them a chance. The only disappointment was the luke-warm reception of the crowd. But I enjoyed them, and that's all that really counts. To put things in perspective, I NEVER buy a band's CD at their show. I don't have a reason why, I just don't buy CDs at shows. But I picked up this band's latest right after their set. If this band doesn't get huge, there's something seriously wrong with the music industry.

Next up, A Static Lullaby. I actually own their CD, and I don't much care for it. I'd also seen them live once before and they were less than interesting. In fact, they seemed like a bunch of jerks. Not true tonight. They were much more outgoing and put on an all-around good show, earning a pretty decent response from the crowd. But while they performed well, the fact remains that I don't really like their music, so I wouldn't say that I truly enjoyed their set, but it was certainly more than tolerable.

Next up was the reason I went to the show: Midtown. Let the onslaught of speculations on my musical tastes and sexual orientation ensue...I like them. This was either my third or fourth time seeing them live and I have to say that they're slipping a little. I can't put my finger on it, but they didn't seem to all be on the same page tonight. They played many of their old standards and threw three new songs into the mix as well. The new stuff sounds like it'll be harder than their last albums, but it's difficult to say. Of the three new songs, only one sounded halfway decent. The other two were either bad songs or the band hadn't rehearsed them in a while. In fact, it sounded like they hadn't really rehearsed at all recently. Many of the songs were a tad on the sloppy side, and this is a band whose live show is usually pretty tight. Regardless, I was pretty disappointed in their performance tonight.

Finally, Reggie and the Full Effect. Let me just say that I had never really heard this group before tonight, with the exception of a couple of downloaded tracks that I didn't like and got rid of. I almost left before they came out, but I decided to stick around for at least the first few songs. I'm glad I did, because this was a FUN set. The music wasn't terribly complex and the band was very tight, but it all came together nicely with plenty of stage presence to spare. For an encore, the lead singer came back out on stage wearing a ruffled shirt and jacket with a powdered wig and rollerblades and sang a couple of silly techno songs as he skated back and forth across the stage. While the set didn't make me run out and buy their CDs, I'll certainly give them another chance by downloading some tracks and possibly picking up an album later on.

Overall, this was a pretty good show. Motion City Soundtrack totally stole the show, with Reggie coming in second. If A Static Lullaby were to write some more palatable music, they might make my list of bands to keep an eye on. And finally, the disappointing Midtown, who could stand a rehearsal or two before coming around next time. I recommend getting there in time for MCS, getting something to eat or drink, and returning in time for Reggie. Final score: 5/10.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 28, 2003 at 5:55 PM (EDT)
My Score:

About the egos - they took a full 35 minutes to set up (tune guitars, say "check, check" one too many times...), and they still had the crappiest sounding set of the evening. You couldn't hear any of the lead singer's vocals...which is good or bad, depending on whether you enjoy hearing the 13 year old girl behind you scream out all the lyrics instead. I was very thankful for the new songs, not because they sounded good - but because the uberfan behind me didn't know the words...

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 27, 2003 at 1:26 PM (EDT)
My Score:

i'm glad midtown got robbed, fuck those egos.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 26, 2003 at 2:43 AM (EDT)
My Score:

In case anyone is wondering, here is the Midtown setlist from their performance in Ft. Worth. I have to agree that the new stuff sounds like angry crap...incidentally, the guys in Midtown should be angry since their van/trailer/something got robbed of $3000 worth of stuff tonight (in Ft. Worth).

Intro
Become What You Hate
Get It Together
Tear It Back

Just Rock N' Roll
Pussy Song
Rock Song

Like a Movie
Bend Song
No Place

Frayed Ends
A Faulty Foundation

The setlist was written in some sort of abbreviation...I think all the new stuff has the word "song" in the title.

The score is for Motion City Soundtrack and for Reggie (who played despite having their Common Denominator costumes stolen by the same people who ripped off Midtown).

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 26, 2003 at 2:07 AM (EDT)
My Score:

new stuff as in living well is the best revenge

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 25, 2003 at 1:06 AM (EDT)
My Score:

score's for the review...
does this guy know what hes talking about... i dont think so...

motion city... rocks...
and to never have heard of reggie... comeon...

do you know anything?

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 24, 2003 at 11:51 PM (EDT)
My Score:

"God, day 1 of Krazyfest is really gonna suck a fat one.

-sickboi"

i concur. except elliott got added and i love them, but the rest of the line-up for that day is a joke.

Posted by Poisonthesink on 2003-07-24 22:43:52
My Score:

"The new stuff sounds like it'll be harder than their last albums, but it's difficult to say."

Wasn't New Found Glory's last cd going to be "the hardest they've ever put out"?
Man, "the label" is certainly putting out some "hard" music lately.......

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 24, 2003 at 10:19 PM (EDT)
My Score:

To the guy right below me: Do you mean "new stuff" to be the most recent album that came out (a year ago), or stuff that hasnt been released yet?

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 24, 2003 at 2:28 PM (EDT)
My Score:

midtown played ALL new stuff, with the exception of fraying ends and just rock and roll, they played like a move, become what you hate, and the rest of the new stuff, it was ashame because the audience wanted to like midtown, there set was just SO bad it was hard for them.. i was disapointed, MCS ROCKED, and REGGIE's set WAS AMAZING, cept for the encore, which was funny if you understand it, (ie. fluxuation,common denominator)

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 24, 2003 at 1:07 PM (EDT)
My Score:

sounded like a rad line up reggie is just pure fun, i guess thats why i like them listen to more reggie

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 24, 2003 at 2:52 AM (EDT)
My Score:

wow, horrible fuckin review. midtown is awful. reggie owns.

and the graceland is gonna go out of business?? every fuckin show i've been to lately there sells out. brand new sold out. alkaline trio sold out.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 24, 2003 at 1:58 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Hey, fuck you pricksuck.

-BSD

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 24, 2003 at 1:54 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Actually BSD, if you were reading any of the comments you would see that ASL arent pricks, i know that for a fact. I have seen them live many times and they are always incredibly nice. They are a band that love their fans and praise them like no other. I think you are the one being the prick, all you do is just go on reviews and bash the bands with dumb one line sayings, you say dumb shit and then dont even back it up, i suggest to grow up and get a fucking life

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 7:59 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Could someone please post what songs Midtown are playing on this tour?

Posted by flocktothebeat on 2003-07-23 16:35:17
My Score:

i love reggie, anything involving members of coalesce is good to me. hungary bear rules "lets get it on" sean ingram will rule your feeble world.
this show is coming here in a week or so and i cant wait. i might just get there really late so i miss generic crappy, sappy pop punk emo bands

Posted by FatTony on 2003-07-23 15:57:09
My Score:

Shit! I was there, but I totally forgot about that part. I guess the rollerblading stuck in my mind more (I thought that bit was funnier).

Posted by evildeadalive on 2003-07-23 15:31:42
My Score:

Uhhh... you left before the best part of the show... The amazing Common Denominator from Finland. (Actually they are just Reggie wearing goth costumes with Finnish accents...) They are goddamn hilarious. It would have been nice if you stayed and talked about that...

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 2:32 PM (EDT)
My Score:

So basically ASL are a bunch of insecure pricks who put out gambeless pop shit? I hope you're proud to a fan of them!

-BSD

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 1:57 PM (EDT)
My Score:

i'll never get reggie, i just find it stupid and pointless, he doesn't got the song-part laid down.

What the hell?

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 10:13 AM (EDT)
My Score:

God, day 1 of Krazyfest is really gonna suck a fat one.

-sickboi

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 9:27 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Reggie is my god and I bow to him from the bowels of hell!

I also love Paco. All their cds rule.

-ejaculine

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 8:26 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Good review

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 3:49 AM (EDT)
My Score:

there are many reason that i don't like midtown. their lives show is one of them.

Posted by travis on 2003-07-23 02:31:03
My Score:

The Graceland isnt going out of business any time soon. Dont you worry. Shows like this hardly ever sell out in Seattle. Mosat people around here go for the indie rock oriented stuff, rather than the pop stuff, or so ive noticed.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 2:17 AM (EDT)
My Score:

okay motion city soundtrack IS getting big in case you havent noticed.
static lullaby, in my opinion, is not bad musically. they are catchy and like finch and glassjaw with decent lyrics and could be worse in terms of technicalities in guitar and stuff. as for stage presence, they act like rockstars.
midtown. not really a fan of them live. they have egos that take up the entire venue. musically theyre alright. catchy but thats all they got for them. nothing else.
reggie. so cheesy and funny. i dont take em that seriously but they are just one of those bands to listen to when driving or something with a group of friends. catchy, dancy, and funny.
this score is for the review. you barely mentioned any songs that the bands played.

Posted by inagreendase on 2003-07-23 01:49:07
My Score:

there's two major reasons for the hate static lullaby receives.

1) they can be extremely arrogant. sometimes when they can't make it to a show for one reason or another, they won't even call the venue to confirm the lack of their arrival. many people who have seen them live have said they acted like assholes, and the other half of the time the opposite. i saw them w/ anti-flag and they were great, and quite contrary to the asshole thing they were praising the crowd pretty damn well. the only negativity they received was that someone said "shut up" during their in-between banter, and they jumped right on her. Joe said "okay, that's the first thing we're NOT gonna do," and one of the guitarists i think started mocking her in a little girl voice, "c'mon guys, really, like shut up..." probably a good example of what can happen if you give them any sort of shit.

2) they're commonly viewed as a derivative screamo band trying to capitalize on the popularity of said 'genre'. i personally love asl and can't all that many derivations but thats just me.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 12:00 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Why does everyone hate Static Lullaby ?...I have their CD and I enjoy it. I haven't seen them live, but I like their music.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 at 11:44 PM (EDT)
My Score:

The five stars is for the Aquabats - Ska Boss reference.

I think somebody's at the door.
Somebody answer the door
I don't want to get the door.
Unh, I'll get the door.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 at 11:24 PM (EDT)
My Score:

i'll never get reggie, i just find it stupid and pointless, he doesn't got the song-part laid down.

and this comes from a guy who really likes atom and his package and the aquabats.

I AM THE SKA BOSS
who's the ska boss?
ME, YOU SILLY

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 at 11:21 PM (EDT)
My Score:

"Next up was the reason I went to the show: Midtown. Let the onslaught of speculations on my musical tastes and sexual orientation ensue"

Cmon, youre just asking for it...gayboy

Posted by NewKid on 2003-07-22 20:45:19
My Score:

The latest Reggie record did nothing for me. It just kinda bored me. The songs just kinda all seemed too much of a joke. I like when they are actually playing it like it is song. Even tho it's meant to be humorous.

-NewKid

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 at 8:43 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Reggie rules...they know how to fuckin' entertain. Yeah, they got cheesy little skits (like the Aquabats) but their songs rule. Their songs range from Moog pop to weird techno skits to some "faux" metal. I mean, where else can you hear the poppy "Girl, Why'd You Run Away" and Slayer's "Raining Blood" at the same place? Fuck yeah, they rule.

This score is for Reggie and for everyone of his other little "side projects": Paco, Fluxuation, Hungary Bear and Common Denominator...

Not so much for everthing else at that show...

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 at 7:32 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Midtown sucks... The end.

-BSD