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This was it. After nearly a year of hearing good things about Andrew W.K., and listening to everyone glorify him as the "audio messiah", I was going to see him. I had saw him on Warped and wasn't impressed, but something told me that was due to the fact that he was on late and kids were all tired from insane performances by their other favorite bands. I disregarded that experience.

A wise part of me said: "Don't take too much stock in what people say, if you get your hopes too high, they're bound to fall back down to the ground."

With those two conflicting thoughts in my head, I walked into the Metro, a couple minutes late, (Hey, my family was having dinner) true, but I walked in.

Once I entered, I heard something powerful, loud and nearly incomprehensible coming from the stage, so I charged up there, to find Vaux.

I saw the 6 guys up on stage, each holding down their instruments, guitars, bass, drums, vocals, organ. Organ? Yes, an organ. Onstage, they gave their all, screaming, moving jumping around what little room the Metro stage afforded them. They mixed the orgran well into the music, complimenting the frenzied hardcore assault.

How did the crowd react? Occasionally. Yes, a good 60% of the fans were college frat type meatheads. Yep, Vaux didn't have many fans there, but after that performance, they should have many, many more. It's really a shame that there were that many death metal stoners there, but, those that saw Vaux and paid attention liked them. I got a "refused-esque" feel about Vaux. That's gotta be good.

Next up came High on Fire. Not being a fan of death metal, I can't comment on them. They didn't inspire much energy in me, though. I suppose if you like them, that wasn't a bad way to spend 45 minutes of your time.

Waiting. And waiting. Watching the techies, guitar doctors, and other roadies setting up Andrew's set, I was restless. 30 minutes felt like an eternity. I was anxious, was the "audio messiah" as good as he was touted? Was he the answer? What was the question?

Andrew W.K. was kickass. He stirred up the meatheads, frat boys, punk rock kids, scene point collectors, and assorted other people over 20 something into a mosh pit frenzy. I've seen better live bands, but he was powerful. And good. He's better than 90% of the bands I've seen live.

YOUR MONEY WILL NOT BE WASTED GOING TO ANDREW W.K. You'll have a good time. Bring your friends. Bring your girlfriends. Bring your date. Spouse, whoever. This guy knows how to get a party started. If you're on the fence about seeing him live, just go see him. You'll have a great time.

For those interested in a setlist, here's what I can remember:
1. unknown (the one that has a chorus that went "gonna be a party tonight")
2. ?? Perhaps a song called "take it off?"
3. Don't Stop Living in the Red
4. She is Beautiful
5. Ready to Die (Damn, did he go off on that song! 2nd best of the night.)
6. new song called "you are something i didn't catch" (I just didn't hear the last word)
7 New Song called Never Let Down
8. I dunno.
9 We Want Fun
10. New song called Tear it Up
11 Party Hard
12 I Get Wet (Wow. One of those live versions that blows the recorded one away. I wish I had a tape recorder. Best song of the night.)

I can't say that he's the "audio messiah" or that he'll save us from bad, uninspired, canned, cliched music, but he's great live, and if you didn't have fun there, you may as well commit suicide, because there's no hope for you getting joy in anything else.

Other: Why not a 10? High on Fire.
There should be a AWK icon, and yes, it should be scott giving the devil horns.
And just incase you're still reading, go see him.






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    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, September 11, 2003 at 6:56 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    yeah. i just dont get why they put the explicit content thing on his cd I Get Wet. it must just be something the industry likes to do to make something seem like its more rebellious. this is music that id let my grandmother listen to. but it is great.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 10, 2003 at 12:07 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    AWK is a model citizen.. I saw him save four children from a burning house and he also takes time away from ROCKING out
    to help old ladies cross the street!

    start the song!

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 10, 2003 at 11:16 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    high on fire is NOT death metal. what are you retarded? it's stoner rock for christ's sake....

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 10, 2003 at 7:55 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    dude awk is emo and emo is sexist.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 10, 2003 at 1:40 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Yeah thats a pretty fucking stupid comment. Lord knows I couldn't survive without women.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 8:33 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    the one about most women should be raped.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 8:32 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    by the way the quote below mine is absolutly retarded and i hope that most people didn't laugh at it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 8:31 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    yeah, i really really really doubt that AWK would ever try to rape someone.
    the guy is all about being nice and having fun.

    give me a break and slap some honesty into your sister would ya?
    your sister should sue him or something, he's rich and famous isn't he?
    hi i'm 19 and want attention and money! hihihih

    On a more serious note i usually believe people who accuse people of rape and i don't think that people should make fun of what is a serious subject, but AWK, common....

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 8:29 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "Dude your sister probably deserved it, like most women."

    Shiiit son, quote of the year so far. Im still laughing.

    hollllla,
    -feedmynightmare

    Posted by 501 on 2003-09-09 20:27:48
    My Score:

    Everything Went Numb.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 6:23 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    The Wolf is the album of the year. God, I love this album.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 6:09 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Dude your sister probably deserved it, like most women.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 5:57 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Man, if you think high on fire is death metal, your brain would be grinded to mush if you heard real death metal. High on Fire however, is the dope shit, stoner rock. However Brant Bjork w/eagles of death metal the other night was the stoniest shit i've ever seen (i've yet to see Bad Wizard live).

    That said, i saw this same show in L.A. a month ago and it rocked my ass off. VaUX RULED, i'm lookin forward to buyin their album. I missed high on fire unfortunately cuz the henry fonda was having liquor licensed problems and you had to go into this little room to dink which i did during high on fire, mass beers yo. then AWK came on and all chaos ensued. It is the only concert i've been to where all the audience members are giving eachother high fives and bear hugs.

    This is the third time i seen him, the second being this years warped and the first being last year at the house of blues with icarus line.

    Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2003-09-09 16:56:27
    My Score:

    Fucking Jewel and scheduling me to work this night.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 4:26 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Saw this same show in St. Louis...it was absolutely the most fun time I've had in as long as I can remember, craziness through and through, completely out of control, and the real party was onstage, dancing with that glorious mother fucker...best time ever.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 3:15 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I pity the foo' who does not pick up da wolf today!

    - mr. T

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 3:12 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    normally, I would never comment on something like this, but this has to be the worst review I've seen on PunkNews.org in a long while....

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 2:48 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I'm doubtful of the guy who said he sister was almost raped because I've met AWK a couple of times (and have the pictures and autograph/letter to prove it) and he is one of the most polite and giving people I've ever met.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 2:28 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    umm... i think youre an asshole. im sure your sister really went to that party... and if she did, she probably tried to rape him.

    (your sister is a man)

    LONG LIVE ANDREW WK!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 1:17 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Yeah, I guess you guys are right.... she must be a slut, so that gives him the right to rape her.. Huh. quality logic at work here.

    Posted by dignin on 2003-09-09 12:38:15
    My Score:

    "Andrew W.K. invited my 19 year old sister to a party after a show in Boston and tried to rape her. Ripped her skirt.. Some drunk roadies saved her. That son of a bitch needs to be assassinated."

    I smell bullshit.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 10:19 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Dude your sister is a band slut. What did she think this party would be, a tea party?? cmon now. her fault for being so stupid.

    My score is for High On Fire. Stoner metal owns you.

    905,
    -feedmynightmare

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 4:07 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Andrew W.K. invited my 19 year old sister to a party after a show in Boston and tried to rape her. Ripped her skirt.. Some drunk roadies saved her. That son of a bitch needs to be assassinated.

    Posted by jheisel on 2003-09-09 02:09:29
    My Score:

    this score is for dignin's comments.

    Posted by moldy on 2003-09-09 01:32:35
    My Score:

    "unknown (the one that has a chorus that went "gonna be a party tonight")"
    damn awk using party in a song thats fucked up quite a stray from his usual dense political theories and emotional heartach

    Posted by dignin on 2003-09-09 01:07:38
    My Score:

    im not too cool, I just think the music is shit. Im sure he is a nice guy and he puts a lot of energy into his live show, but when I saw him all I could was laugh about how ridiculus he was. And if I wanted to laugh Id go to a comedy club or watch my Family Guy DVDS, which would make laugh a lot harder.

    Posted by 8dollarclarinetsolo on 2003-09-09 01:03:06
    My Score:

    saw this in cincinnati and it was great. set list was very similar, they didnt play dont stop living in the red, im pretty sure the first one is "its time to party". "girls own love" was played for sure and maybe "party til you puke" i dont remember.anyway, it was my 3rd time seeing him but the first in a non warped tour stage, and i have said it before and i will say it again: the unity, fun, and just general good time, that andrew wk creates, is greater than you will find at many punk concerts. it seems like distinctions, inhibition and embarrasment fade away and everyone just has fun. i saw people in the "pit" friday who have probably never done it before, and who will probably be too cool to do it in the future. the people who came to the awk show are the people i know are in it for the fun and the scene, and dont give a shit about what other people think and i truly honestly believe that and fuck you if you are too cool. sorry i kind of ranted there

    Posted by dignin on 2003-09-09 00:52:39
    My Score:

    "1. unknown (the one that has a chorus that went "gonna be a party tonight")"

    oh yeah, that song is called "every song he's ever written"

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 12:34 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    scene point collectors

    You wouldn't see any REAL scene point collectors at this show.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 12:15 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    high on fire is usually labelled as "stoner rock."

    Posted by SOYBOMB on 2003-09-09 00:10:19
    My Score:

    Record release show today in NYC, I'll be there and my review of the new album and show will be here eventually.

    Peace,
    -SOYBOMB-

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 12:09 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    AWK is the best live show I've ever seen. Sure, he may not always sound great live. But his power, energy and control and how can just put it all into every song...man, just great shit.

    I plan on picking up his new album tommorow morning.

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