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| Face To Face / My Chemical Romancelive in Denver2004 live show  Review by: TheFranklin See others by this writer Face To Face (link) Only registered users can post comments 
 
Published on September 3rd 2004
Maybe I am just getting way way older. After more than a quarter century of life, I have realized one thing: you may age, but the scene is ageless. And it is true. After you turn 21 (or get a fake ID), shows become about boozing with your friends a little bit. You don't push up to the front and scream along every word. It's kinda sad, but it just don't look like fun to me anymore. Maybe that is way this show was almost a bust for me. Face to Face is/was one of my favorite bands, especially when I was younger and listened to more SoCal style 'Epifat' bands. I tried to keep up with them, but their last few records were a bit of a disappointment, if only because my own personal music taste had grown a bit. I still enjoy seeing them live, and of course, this is their last tour (or so they say), so I was pretty pumped to see them. An added bonus was My Chemical Romance. I had previously hated this band, thinking singer Gerard Way was super annoying live and frustrated by what I thought was an album rife with great parts, but lacking in tying them together. With some reluctance I heard their new record 'Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge', and was sucked in. It is super produced, sometimes cheesy, and borrows liberally from bands like AFI and The Blood Brothers, but goddamn if it isn't a great album. Total fun stuff. Really surprising, and I was stoked to see them play these songs live. After a few pre-show cocktails, we headed into the show, missing whoever the first band was, and being subjected to a terrible band called Seconds To Go. Sorry, I just don't get it. The singer had all these hardcore stances, but was singing crappy. There was just no power behind it. This is where the age thing comes into play; I'm sure I would be way into this band if I hadnt been around for awhile and seen so much. Anyway there was millions of bands better than these kids to play on such a big show like this, but whatever. When they said they had one more song there was a loud cheer from the balcony (? i think). Funny. So My Chemical Romance came out and set up; no sign of the singer. Of course. People were already doing the "wooo!" when the guitar player was setting up his stuff anyway. They were finally ready, and here comes this guy, super showman. Running out from the stage saying "way more vocals up front", followed by "are you ready denver" or some shit. It was kind of annoying. They ripped through three old songs before some newer stuff, and opened with some song that really was a poor opener. Not a lot of power, but the kids liked it. The entire set the vocals were completely different than the record (thanks protools/autotune), but he kept having the crowd sing all the time. That is so fucking annoying! I want to hear him sing it, not a bunch of kids. The sound was weird too. Halfway through I started to get bummed, and wished I was still sitting around drinking at the pre-party bar. Then, abruptly, they were done. I was right about my judgements the first two times I saw them play; good live show if you have only been to a few. And Face to Face salvaged the show. There were lots of young kids, plus lots of older dudes, and everyone went nuts. They opened with "You've Done Nothing", still rocking as a three-piece, and proceeded to play all the hits. Fucking great. They played a lot of songs off the self-titled record, which still is probably their most solid record to date. 'Don't Turn Away' is the number one in my heart, but the songwriting is a little better on the S/T. Trevor kept great rapport with the crowd, and surprised a lot of people by playing 'Disconnected' five songs in (prompting someone to call for it later, only to be berated "did you come in later? cos we played that like a half hour ago"). They also did a little shit-talking on the Warped Tour, which they knew fucking sucks ALWAYS. After like an hour and half they finally called it a night (after a rockstar encore..so annoying). It was a sold out show, like the tour has been all across the country I am sure. Face to Face represents so much nostalgia for me, yet presented old and new material in a way that was very fresh and crisp. Even a friend who went told me even though he didn't know any of Face to Face's material, they still held him captive while they played. Kind of a bummer they are leaving us, but...you gotta do what you gotta do. Gentleman, salud. It was nice to know you. You restored my faith in punk rock. Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
the four comments guy is a faggot....opinion. this is opinion. face to face is without a doubt one of the best live bands i have ever seen in my life. I'm the guy on last 4 comments, oops, sorry. Dude, not try to be a dick but, your an old man. "Halfway through I started to get bummed, and wished I was still sitting around drinking at the pre-party bar." and " You don't push up to the front and scream along every word." I may not push up to the front but after I'm done with my 2 or 10 pre-concert drinks in the bar I look forward to haveing drunken sing alongs with the band I'm there to see. Dude, not try to be a dick but, your an old man. "Halfway through I started to get bummed, and wished I was still sitting around drinking at the pre-party bar." and " You don't push up to the front and scream along every word." I may not push up to the front but after I'm done with my 2 or 10 pre-concert drinks in the bar I look forward to haveing drunken sing alongs with the band I'm there to see. Dude, not try to be a dick but, your an old man. "Halfway through I started to get bummed, and wished I was still sitting around drinking at the pre-party bar." and " You don't push up to the front and scream along every word." I may not push up to the front but after I'm done with my 2 or 10 pre-concert drinks in the bar I look forward to haveing drunken sing alongs with the band I'm there to see. Dude, not try to be a dick but, your an old man. "Halfway through I started to get bummed, and wished I was still sitting around drinking at the pre-party bar." and " You don't push up to the front and scream along every word." I may not push up to the front but after I'm done with my 2 or 10 pre-concert drinks in the bar I look forward to haveing drunken sing alongs with the band I'm there to see. chicago was sold out and outta control. so was Philadelphia and both the show at the 9:30 club wasn't sold out.. i was at 2 of the LA shows that you guys are talking about. 1st night at automatic 7 and new found glory. 2nd night had saves the day and alkaline trio. The person doing this review is a fag!! I cant believe I actually went to this faggets website!!!Absolute punk rocks!!! i was at the Face To Face Irving Plaza and philadelphia shows. If you wanted to see the Pixies, you would have had to stand in line starting the night BEFORE. The passes to that show were sold out by 10 a.m. right, that's exactly my point. the kids were there for STD and NFG. the huge bands that f2f took along 'cause they weren't drawing anymore. maybe california is a bit different, but for the rest of the country they weren't drawing so much and kept dragging along the trendy bands of the moment. just like right now where they're touring with my chemical romance. that was one tour in one city. i guarantee you those kids werent there for alkaline trio. they were there for std and nfg. i saw that tour too. it did three nights in LA and two in san diego. all face to face crowds. "to the dude below. to the dude below. ignorance is bliss was way before it's time. however what tees me the most about f2f, is the fact that they tried to go back to their "old" sound in their next 2 realeases..... "The thing about the ignorance is bliss record is THAT EVERYONE BITES THE SOUND TO THIS DAY! " The thing about the ignorance is bliss record is THAT EVERYONE BITES THE SOUND TO THIS DAY! "bands who have opened for face to face tours since '96 You should just be thankful Seattle has a festival like Bumbershoot every year. Look at some of the bands this year, Drive By Truckers, the fucking Pixies? come on. And if you would have purchased your ticket beforehand you could have saved some money. 25 bucks is not that much money for one day either. bands who have opened for face to face tours since '96 Oh, also, saw Face to Face at Bumbershoot last night. While Bumbershoot blows a fucking gargantuan cock, Face to Face managed to salvage the day (and $25 one day admission ticket) for me. Man, I take it this reviewer doesn't like "young people". The "MCR sounds like a liberal AFI/ Blood Brothers" is dead on in my books. I like the new record, despite all the bad hype. I even border on liking it alot. hmm maybe you had a few pre review cocktails too. "You obviously haven't been following face to face tours for the past four years, they've included: Saves The Day, No Motiv, A new found glory, Thrice, Dashboard Confessional, Hot Rod Circuit and midtown! Alk3 also played the tour with saves the day and nfg but I don't really put them in the same category, the only band I can recall them playing with, from the last two albums that didn't fit the "emo" label at all has been snapcase!" I really dont see how MCR is an emo band. I hate to say it but they play punk.Just because they tour with emo band doesnt mean they are one. Unless use use the word emo as a word for shitty bands, then i guess your right. "I can't believe ftf played with that horse shit of an emo band" saw this in chicago, face to face was amazing...the crowd was way more into it than any crowd i'd seen in quite some time...they played alot off of dont turn away and big choice...more than i even expected you people are way too harsh on MCR. They are fucking incredible live...or at least they were the three times I've seen them. " heard their new record 'Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge', and was sucked in. It is super produced, sometimes cheesy, and borrows liberally from bands like AFI... bikeage was recorded on their big choice CD. I saw this show tonight, and I face to face were awesome, although they did tons of stalling, and seemed to want more out of the audience or some shit.. I've only heard Don't Turn Away, so couldn't fully enjoy it.. but I did like the Descendents cover they did.. is that one of their "recorded" songs, or was that spontanious (I think it was bikeage, it was the track after hope on two things at once). I can't believe ftf played with that horse shit of an emo band I went to the second show and it was a blast, the parts that i remember, at least. And yea, there were lots of 'older punks' and people who said they hadnt been to a punk show in years in attendance. I thought that was pretty cool, it brought a shitload of people together. "They also did a little shit-talking on the Warped Tour, which they knew fucking sucks ALWAYS. " I heard their new record 'Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge', and was sucked in. It is super produced, sometimes cheesy, and borrows liberally from bands like AFI... i saw this concert when it pulled through Pontiac and face to face was amazing. Really tight music-wise all night long with no excessive stalling and they played a really varied yet solid set. I wish they would've played some more songs off ignorance is bliss, a b-side or perhaps a cover off standards but i was still happy. my chemical romance is for fags. This review promotes forgery and faked government documents. BANNED. |
