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Less Than Jake / The A.K.A.s

live in Erie (2007)
Warner Music Group

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Nhoj
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on April 24th 2007

Other than their set at the Pittsburgh date of this past Warped Tour, I have never seen Less Than Jake in a live setting, so naturally when I found out they would be playing Penn State Behrend's annual Battle of the Bands (for a mere $5 general admission) I was super excited. I was expecting a good full set, skanking to some classics and happily singing along to some of their newer, less than Less Than Jake material. And so the journey begins...

For starters, the venue, Erie Hall, is really just your average college-sized gymnasium. No frills, very straightforward. In total, it seemed like there were about 200 kids in attendance, mostly college frat types, with some assorted punks, ska kids, "scene" kids, and the random whoevers that happened to be there.

Right before the A.K.A.s took the stage, someone came on and read off the rules for the show: no moshing, no crowdsurfing, no cameras, etc. Naturally this put the crowd in a weird spot once the band opened up with "Every Great Western," where normally everyone would be moving, but now everyone was still. Luckily, the A.K.A.s have a fuckton of energy, and got the stagnant crowd jumping up and down, lightly breaking the no moshing policy and having a great time. I've seen the A.K.A.s several times, so I already knew they would bring everything they had and more. For anyone who hasn't seen them yet, do it. They play all the favorites off of White Doves and Smoking Guns, and a few new ones too. Let's hope that label situation fixes itself.

Set list (not in order):

Every Great Western (opener)
Chain Reaction
Gotta Get Outta Here
Generation Vexed
Always On
Romance Is Dead
Freedom vs. The Perception of Necessity
(various new songs)
Shout Out Loud (closer)

After a half-hour wait, Less Than Jake took the stage opening with "Automatic." I was already excited, but hearing the opening guitar to the aforementioned song sent me into complete skanking bliss. They kept the tunes coming out, and in between songs made rather crass jokes that, for the most part, I found hilarious. The majority of their set predictably consisted of songs from Anthem (six in all), with my favorite, Losing Streak, coming in second with four. Even though the new album was largely neglected with three songs, both Hello Rockview and Borders & Boundaries got passed by with one apiece, and much to my dismay, none, zero, nada from Pezcore (except "Johnny Quest," but I consider that a Losing Streak song).

Other than a somewhat disappointing set list, the only thing that was weird or off about the performance were some of the fans, this being the frat/jock-type college guys who don't really understand the mechanics of a mosh pit or the concept of skanking, but that's just me being elitist.

One thing I definitely can say for LTJ as a live band though, is that they can make you care and believe in songs that otherwise might not matter to you. Even though I don't really like Anthem, while they were playing those songs I fucking loved them, and I guess that's what a show is all about.

Set list (not in order):

Automatic (opener)
Sugar in Your Gastank
Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts
Dopeman
Ghosts of You and Me
Look What Happened (yes, I consider this an Anthem song)
Motown Never Sounded So Good
The Science of Selling Yourself Short
She's Gonna Break Soon
Plastic Cup Politics
Soundtrack of My Life
Landmines & Landslides
P.S. Shock the World
Gainesville Rock City (closer)
All My Best Friends Are Metalheads (encore)

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Anonymous (April 26, 2007)

I was thinking the same as everyone else here…very poor set list.

Anonymous (April 25, 2007)

My guess is that they are going to have better setlists on the Reel Big Fish tour, as I'm guessing they will know that the vast majority of the people there will not want to hear very man IWTOC or Anthem songs. Well, I hope so at least.

Anonymous (April 25, 2007)

I totally meant to go to this show and totally forgot. Their set in Cleveland last fall was better, though.

-Scott

did you see cleveland got a date for the rbf/ltj tour? 8/16 at agora.... i'm pumped.

Anonymous (April 25, 2007)

man that setlists blows major goats. one hello rockview song is horseshit.

Anonymous (April 25, 2007)

terrible set list

Anonymous (April 24, 2007)

hey i was totally at pitt when they played too. that was a really big circle pit.

sweetsuperior (April 24, 2007)

Erie, pa represent!

misterspike (April 24, 2007)

That's an awful short LTJ set ... I imagine there was some kind of curfew or something?

notfeelingcreative (April 24, 2007)

That's the same set they played saturday night at UNF. Variety is the spice of life, LTJ!

Anonymous (April 24, 2007)

You forgot "Look What Happened" and "History of a Boring Town"

Dante3000 (April 24, 2007)

I know the reviewer really like the show and this is a positive review, but it actually makes me want to see Less Than Jake less than I already wanted to.
I'm not sure why but maybe it's just not my thing.
-Dante

WarIsPeace (April 24, 2007)

Man, that set list kinda sucks. I'm surprised...usually they have a great mix of all their albums. And only one song for the encore? That's kinda weak too, compared to when I've seen them when they usually play 3 songs.

telegraphrocks (April 24, 2007)

Weird set list.

I was just listening to bits and pieces of all of Less Than Jake's albums yesterday.

Boring, and dumb, but I'll post the 15 songs I'd prefer them to play:
1- Short On Ideas
2- One Last Cigarette
3- My Very Own Flag
4- Automatic
5- Rock-N-Roll Pizzeria
6- Happymam
7- Sugar In Your Gas Tank
8- Last One Out Of Liberty City
9- Al's War
10- All My Best Friends Are Metal Heads
11- Gainseville Rock City
12- The Science Of Selling Yourself Short
13- Plastic Cup Politics
14- Freeze Frame
15- A Still Life Franchise