Punknews.org | Rx Bandits / Men, Women, & Children / Nurses

Review Navigator

Features

Contests

Reviews

Rx Bandits / Men, Women, & Children / Nurses

live in New York
2007
live show

Review by: Brian
See others by this writer

Rx Bandits (link)

Only registered users
can post comments

Published on November 16th 2007

Nothing could quite prepare for me the unfortunate surprise that would taint my first time seeing the Rx Bandits post-Battle, but judging from the destruction I should be trying some for wartime crimes. Anyway...

The sweater-vested frontman of Chicago/Idaho-based outfit Nurses walked onto the stage at about 8:21 and introduced himself as Johnny Cash. After a few notes (none of which were Cash's), the rest of the members sauntered on stage to help properly begin a 27-minute set of super pensive, bizarre indie rock with a couple songs that reminded me of a more tempered version of the pAper chAse. While my attention drifted a bit here and there, as Nurses weren't nearly as violent and cacophonous as their similar-sounding act, it was pretty cool and the audience was surprisingly receptive. One particularly cartoony number included weird falsetto vocals and a slide whistler who attempted to convert the crowd to a chorus by way of conduction.

Men, Women, & Children were due next and I was set to have the best and worst time of my life. It turns out it was merely mediocre. The band's newer songs seem interestingly less ironic, and as a whole the set came off that way too; aside from Todd Weinstock's usual Jimi Hendrix bandana tied to his guitar, which should barely even count, there were no ironic fashions on stage. Sure, the band were selling bubbles at their merch table (some of which were blown during the set) and flashing neon lights adorned everything but the faux-hipster quotient was at a refreshing low. The antics of a terribly drunken, balding and heavyset older fellow (mid-40s at best) in the crowd who resembled Milton from "Office Space" began to grow tired during the set, going from fun and hilarious to plain creepy. After activity that bordered on groping females a third his age, he was promptly escorted out and the set became mildly more enjoyable -- if nothing else, more comfortable. The band played crowd favorites like "Monkey Monkey Men" and that "Vowels" song among others for 41 minutes and then exited.

A fair portion of the audience up front then dissipated to reveal the Rx Bandits fanbase...which largely consisted of brodudes. Huh? Maybe the band's half-decade stint on Drive-Thru is finally producing typified results? Maybe the Sublime comparisons of yesteryear have mallrats thinking that RXB are enrolled in Slightly Stoopid's brew crew? The general obnoxiousness that rose up into the air (and not just the pot smoke) definitely cast a dim shadow over the set, notably when a fellow near me nearly started a physical fight with me over body-to-stage proximity. Seconds later he was chanting the chorus to "Overcome (The Recapitulation)": "...what we need right now is lo-ove!" The ironing was delicious.

This isn't to criticize the band itself. The Rx Bandits provided a fluid, barely interrupted set of songs that drew from their last three full-lengths surprisingly evenly, interconnected by cool, relaxed jam sessions that provided pleasant surprises when the opening notes of a familiar favorite were carefully integrated. Including the encore, they lasted a whopping hour and a half -- no complaints there. You couldn't wipe the smile off Matt Embree's face with a .45; not that it was a difficult task, but he engaged the crowd with practically every lyric and seemed to be having quite some fun himself. It was an odd view to only have one brass member taking up the duty for the team, but lone trombonist Chris Sheets seemed to hold it down. Obviously, the audience was less responsive for cuts from Progress than the ones for the following two albums, but you could certainly hear a chorus of sing-alongs for those songs.

Slight criticisms might come towards the band's song choice and order. Some of the most dynamic, fierce songs on The Resignation ("Prophetic," "Newsstand Rock (Exposition)") were absent from the set, and that's a pity as they're some of the band's best work -- that goes for "Never Slept So Soundly," too. Additionally, while I should be appreciative to hear "Infection" at all, it would've made a wonderful closer period -- instead, it was the pre-tease to the encore, which the band ended with "To Our Unborn Daughters"...hardly a terrible song, but terribly hardy for a show-closer.

So the Rx Bandits' NYC stop in a fairly large club here definitely had its ups and downs. While I'm no longer quite foaming at the mouth to see them again, an explosive new album or even EP could change that.

Set list (10:22-11:53):

Decrescendo
Consequential Apathy
In Her Drawer
Taking Chase as the Serpent Slithers
...And the Battle Begun
1980
Apparition
Dinna-Dawg (The Inevitable Onset of Lunacy)
All the Time
Only for the Night
Infection

Encore

Overcome (The Recapitulation)
Sell You Beautiful
To Our Unborn Daughters

All photos by Jolene Mattison

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.

What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Posted by vaginalinferno on 2007-11-20 15:26:39
My Score:

i've seen these guys 8 times over the past 4 years or so and they've never disappointed me at all. i caught this tour at the TLA in philly, and it was just as good as ever. I would have loved to hear prophetic or never slept so soundly too dude, but i've only seen em play those songs a couple times. the songs they ALWAYS play in their sets are obviously the ones they feel sum them up best as a band, choices like taking chase as the serpent slithers and to our unborn daughters (which was a bangin closer, and i will fight you to the death about) i thought it was nice of them to mix it up on us and not close with decrescendo or infection
and why do you need to rag on the crowd? people who go to Rx bandits shows know about and love music. i mean YOU were there weren'tcha? ever think maybe the indie-hippies were lookin at you and thinkin what's with the punks around here? i bet they weren't, give people a break man, i've lit up at their shows before and matt usually smiles and says somethin like 'yea light it up light it up!' some of us like our music more than way, don't be a hater/
let's burn while we still have nerves, love while we still have hearts, need while we still can break and love while we still have hearts. (eat that dude below who thinks he's better than other rx fans because he reads the lyrics. honestly, i thought people who listen to this band would take what they say and be a better person from it)

Posted by riotmute on 2007-11-20 11:33:36

ok so what was the fucking venue

Posted by providence05 on 2007-11-19 18:32:13

that was him, good call

Posted by mathclubfabulous on 2007-11-19 11:35:35

providence05: I wasn't at this particular show, but it's almost always Gunnar from The Exit

Posted by maverick on 2007-11-17 23:57:05

Considering the steps Rx Bandits have taken to remove themselves from the Warped Tour scene, it's definitely shocking that a majority of their fanbase is still puka-shell necklace-wearing, backwards-Cocks-hat-wearing brodudes.

Killer live band, though. One of the best going.

-Scott

Posted by ashtraymonument on 2007-11-17 21:40:47

i saw RxB four years ago, and they put on an amazing show. they always seem to be touring with crappy bands since then, or not tour anywhere near me.

and to eazyd, get out of here with that shit.

Posted by damnitsderek on 2007-11-16 20:22:29

I wanted to see the Rx Bandits so bad when they came to Seattle in March, but I couldn't bring myself to go to a show with Gym Class Heroes and all of their fans. I think I may have made the wrong decision.

Posted by eazyd on 2007-11-16 14:54:54

so what was the unfortunante suprise? stop being such a faggot. go back to dasbhoard confessional shows im sure they wont be so rough.

Posted by facetofacereunion08 on 2007-11-16 14:07:19

they didn't play "teen idol"...wow, i'm surprised (sarcasm)

Posted by baseball on 2007-11-16 11:19:16

Rx Bandits are a great live band and their last two albums are a couple of my favorite of all time

they have one of the strangest fanbases i've ever seen though, it absolutely boggles my mind that a band with such progressive lyrics draws the crowd it does.... the only explanation i can think of is that the douchebag fans that are becoming more prevalent never opened up the lyric book or even paid attention

that being said, they're a hardworking band and absolutely deserve to be drawing good size crowds

Posted by providence05 on 2007-11-16 10:13:19
My Score:

who was that dude who came up and drummed with them on the last song?

Posted by Not-To-Regret on 2007-11-16 04:31:35
My Score:

Score is for the latest album... to the person below, I can understand where you are coming from, but I think this album deserves a good listen, the last track still gives me goosebumps to this day... I tend to appreciate their technical skill but they definitely maintain their accessibility and complexity while still being fun. Some amazing tracks not to be missed and a well produced album as a whole.

Posted by Not-To-Regret on 2007-11-16 04:31:25

Posted by Not-To-Regret on 2007-11-16 04:30:23
My Score:

Score is for the latest album... to the person below, I can understand where you are coming from, but I think this album deserves a good listen, the last track still gives me goosebumps to this day... I tend to appreciate their technical skill but they definately maintain their accessibility and complexity while still being fun. Some amazing tracks not to be missed and a well produced album as a whole.

Posted by winiferd69 on 2007-11-16 01:58:38

I'm really afraid to listen to the Rx Bandits newest album because...
1) The Resignation is such an amazing album in very many ways, and I agree, it is VERY underrated, and I wish they would have gotten a lot more exposure over it. I don't want this to be a letdown.
And.
2) I heard a couple places online that the new album gives off a kind of "Mars Volta meets Ska" vibe...and I really don't like most ska other than OP Ivy and Big D, and the Mars Volta hasn't written anything after De-Loused that has stuck with me.

Posted by theotherniraj on 2007-11-16 01:17:04
My Score:

I saw them in Rochester last night. I didn't really get into Nurses, but Men Women and Children were alright. I think RxB put on a way better show than the last time I saw them with Gym Class Heroes, but that may be because I can't stand Gym Class Heroes.

Anybody know why the drummer was on crutches?

Posted by GlassPipeMurder on 2007-11-16 00:33:15
My Score:

that sucks about the RxB crowd, though based on the bands they've been touring with (Gym Class Heroes, Chiodos, etc) i'm not really surprised there are dooshy characters in the audience.

Posted by defianceohioequalslove on 2007-11-16 00:21:40
My Score:

The Resignation is such a ridiculously underrated cd. Definitely in my top 20 favorite cds of all time.