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 | mewithoutYou / Piebaldlive in New York2007 live show   Review by: Brian See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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Published on June 22nd 2007
Somehow, mewithoutYou is a band that consistently finds themselves in the middle of incredibly solid tour packages. They went out with Sparta and Aloha last winter, Say Anything, Piebald and Days Away last fall, and just prior to that supported Thursday along with Minus the Bear. Adding them to any lineup would immediately conjure images of words like "diverse" and "atmospheric," but this trek with Piebald, the Snake the Cross the Crown and Manchester Orchestra, it was even better and varied than expected.
Set list (8:17-8:44):
Set list (8:59-9:41):
The stage setup was much more minimal than their co-headlining trek with Sparta; only a banner showing off the cover of Brother, Sister was hung in the background, with cardboard cutouts of neither the sun nor the moon hanging from the rafters this time. This was perfectly fine -- Highline Ballroom is a fairly intimate venue at 700 capacity, and has just a big enough stage and floor for the band to really be involved with a still large crowd, and it puts key focus on the band's performance. For the most part, singer / occasional guitarist / occasional accordionist Aaron Weiss seemed much less nervous than usual. He could usually be found hopping and jumping on the stage from its one end to the other. Perhaps all this touring has given Weiss some new confidence -- he even managed an unsettling, cold stare into the audience at some of the set's more serious lyrical moments. Rare moments found him physically settled; one of them occurred in "Four Word Letter (Pt. Two)," when he simply sat down near his guitarist brother and clutched his accordion during the extended bridge. He continued to bravely convey his personal convictions, stressing one in particular when he slightly altered the lyrics in "C-Minor," shouting, "I'm still very much a virgin after 28 years...!" As a whole, the band filled every space in the venue with their breathtaking atmospherics as well as their dynamic bursts of intensity. Interesting and impressive transitions alike were executed between songs. The chorus of "The Dryness and the Rain" was even delivered more slowly and dramatically than the studio version -- it really came off like a somber tribal hymn. In the silent part of "O, Porcupine," the band had to patiently wait a long time for the crowd to finally fall completely aurally dead so Weiss could cleverly whisper, "Listen to it." Just that little part was worth the wait, though. The drummer gave his usual all, having drenched himself in bodily fluids by just the third or fourth song. In that aforementioned bridge of "Four Word Letter (Pt. Two)," he stood up, deftly pulled his shirt over his face and continued to pound away. By the supposed end (the epic, absolutely fantastic "In a Sweater Poorly Knit"), a number of unknowns had jumped onto the stage to join in on the closing, soaring "ahh"s. However, one easily recognized member of these additions was Jesse Lacey, who had ran onto stage several songs prior to tape bundles of flowers to each mic stand. It was a nice little cameo. The band received plenty of calls to come out and play one more, and it was the set's most aggressive: "January 1979," featuring stage dives from members of Piebald and others. Bodies thrashed about wildly and the audience was more alive than ever -- not that they were ever really dull, though. During the two final songs ("January 1979" and "Sweater"), Weiss was sure to pass some fruit (an orange, an apple, grapefruit and plantains) around to the crowd and encouraged sharing. Set list (10:00-10:47):
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i made those plantains! they were bangin', oh my! lol :) i'm glad people got to eat them after all. the highline security dudes wouldn't let me bring the box in so i left them on top of a public garbage can w/ a note. yay! they didn't go to waste! :) no wonder the guy is nervous...a virgin after 28 years? christ, he'd loosen right up if the next time they were in los angeles he'd purchase a hump or two. "So you're saying punk is a religion? I mean... people defend it like it is." "As for religion's place in punk rock, I feel that, as a subculture, punk does is fact have a set of unspoken "rules" that must be met for something to actually be "punk". I mean, you can't be a Nazi and be a punk, right? Well, I feel that being religious is the same sorta thing. I'd explain it more in-depth, with all kinds of psuedo-intellectual socio 101 bullshit, but I'd rather not." saw this show in chicago and the kids all liked piebald and they played grace kelly with wings, no just a simple plan though. it was a great show altogether though i agree with scott. i saw this tour in SL,UT and the kids were confused about piebald. it's a shame because not only have they been together forever (i saw them during their "sometimes friends fight" days) but because they seem to enjoy playing live so much. Piebald is one of the bandest that looks totally stoked to play live. Why do I always get into these arguments? Uhhh. Personally, I dislike religion because all the people I know that have had any serious belief are the same people who are 100% certain in everything they do, which really ticks me off. I mean, you can't go through life not questioning anything because it's all part of some higher power. It also seems like the religious people I know feel that any jackassery that they take part in is absolved because they go to church/temple, and that they are somehow better than me for doing so. I also have the typical "punx argument", where you have to have individual thought, but I know that religious people are capable of that too. I guess I like to be in control of my own life (theoretically), rather than being at the mercy of some omnipotent being. I have never attacked religion, I am attacking organized religion and its place in punk rock (which should be nowhere). Cool. So now punk is close-minded and deciding what bands can sing about. Awesome. Feeding 5000, why are you rabidly against religion? Not that i'm trying to push you into anything, but I've always wondered what drives the folks who avidly deny anything. Contemporary theorists are saying that a capacity for spirituality shows evidence of a higher level of consciousness. And some say that someone "rabidly" attacking something proves the unsurity that that someone is hiding. Once again, I'm not trying to sway you, I'm just curious. Oh, and I love "brother sister". Incredible record. I think that Mike really fucked himself with his poorly thought out arguments and junior-high ideas. I am rabidly against religion, and feel that it has no place in punk rock, but I'm not gonna needlessly argue it and have my words twisted by some believer. Suffice it to say tha people are capable of both believeing in god and listening to/making punk-related music. And that is okay. I caught this tour in Cleveland last night -- the room was almost sold out, right around 400-450 people. When Piebald started, everyone just stood there with blank faces (because why would anyone know a band who have been doing it for TEN YEARS and have put out four records and toured with fucking everyone?). So a few of us moved our way to the front and started a dance party for the ages. And when "American Hearts" kicked in? Holy fucking shit. We went bonkers. My throat hurts so much today from singing along but it was completely worth it (even though there was no "Grace Kelly With Wings" or "Just A Simple Plan" -- denied!). I think you people are missing the fact that people like George Bush use God as this selling point. I would never want to associate myself with the same type of people who profit off religion, so how can you possibly associate yourself with religion? Punk is about non-associations. No gangs, clans, groups, whatever. INDIVIDUALITY. Asoociating with organized religion is far from individuality. But Jesus isn't around anymore and he is a household name. The only reason why people bash christian bands is because there living life by these certain values that punk loves to hate. Its just not cool to go to church on sunday, as a teen, you much rather say fuck you to your church. Now these kid will gladly go to church? Its a counter- counter culture! The guy below me is spot on. I believe this Mike in Portland fellow is a bit mistaken. All in all, this was probably the best show I've attended this year. i'm checking this show out in detroit tonight. hopefully it should be a deceont one (piebald certainly has never put on a bad show that i've seen) lol @ mike in portland. to you punk is about rebelling. well to me punk is about being who/what you want to be. KurtTGS: did you seriously say that Jesus is not mainstream. You have to be joking. I was bored as hell the other day and watched 'The View' on ABC and Michael Moore was on I'll bite. Yeah I agree a pretty stupid comment by Mike. I don't believe in organized religion or do I like mewithoutYou, but technically they can do whatever they want. The only thing I got against religious bands is keeping their religion to themselves. If you believe in God, great, but people in the crowd most likely don't want to be preached to. Keep your beliefs to yourself. Oh and thanks Mike for writing the guidelines on what is punk. You should hang out with fuckyouoioioi more often. Wow, thanks Mike. That was the most ridiculous thing I've ever read. "marcus garvey.." is an amazing song. love piebald. Bring out the Jesus lovers, lets debate. manchester orchestra is amazing, one of the best new bands, fan for a couple of years now |
