For months now, I had been looking forward to the concert I attended 29 May: REM, Modest Mouse, The National, and Foals. The Hollywood Bowl is a favorite venue of mine, not because of the size (it's far too big to be a really great venue), but because you really can't have a 'bad' seat, and the acoustics are phenomenal, considering it's an outdoor amphitheatre. That said, the show was fun, but perhaps not all it was cracked up to be... for a variety of reasons. I will explain.Foals.Foals were a lie. There were numerous articles and interviews stating that Foals would be opening this tour, and yet, when the clock struck 6:30 and the first band took the stage, it was... not Foals. I was very disappointed that they weren't there, as I had really been looking forward to catching them live. Seriously, guys -- I was gutted.The National.The National are amazing. I mean that on every level possible, especially considering -- they have to be on stage at 6:30 in the evening, when a majority of the attendees are still wandering in (read: standing up and getting in my goddamn way). I would be frustrated at being "the entrance music," but they were all graciousness, thanking REM for inviting them on the tour and telling us it was "an amazing opportunity." Matt has a great stage presence, for a tall lanky fellow with a preternaturally deep voice. Their setlist, though short, was phenomenal -- for not being a stadium band (they're really meant for small, intimate venues with their cleverly dry lyrics and mellow sound), they had some remarkable builds, and played some of the songs I'm used to in a much bigger, more open style. Also, they tour with a brass section. Ridiculously rad. Their setlist was:Start A WarBrainySlow ShowAbelSqualor VictoriaApartment StoryMistaken for StrangersFake EmpireBaby, We'll Be FineMr November Honestly, I can't say enough good things about them -- Matt was in top form, and the band sounded phenomenal (except that they didn't have the violin mic'ed for the first 4 songs, which was tragic). I think they were far and away my favorite act of the night. I was surprised at how awesome Baby, We'll Be Fine was live -- the build to the end was incredible, completely unlike the studio version, and I was literally rocked. With the exception of one or two favorite songs that they almost never play live, I got quite a few of my favorite songs, and really, you can't go wrong with whatever you get from The National -- they're just that good.Modest Mouse.These guys were my wild card (not surprisingly). I'm a fan of MoMo's music (well, the old stuff), but I'm not exactly breaking news when I say that they are... inconsistent. And also, notoriously lame for setlists, recently (read: post-We Were Dead Before the Album Fucking Sank). I was not disappointed in either of those concerns -- they were fun, but inconsistent, especially in the setlist. I was really excited at the prospect of seeing Johnny Marr live, and he very much lived up to the image of him I had in my mind -- he is every bit the proper rock star... and manages to do so while being completely low-key, incredibly talented, and fucking hot for his age (44!). Seriously -- he is a ridiculously good looking fellow, and a brilliant guitarist. I couldn't take my eyes off him. (Besides, Isaac's hat was scary and I couldn't look at it.) Their setlist was a veritable clusterfuck of a couple of old (decent) songs, a couple of old (shitty) songs, and a couple of new (shitty) songs:Satin in a CoffinDancehallTeeth Like God's Shoeshine (*nb: I'm not sure what song this actually was -- I think it was Teeth, but I'm not 100% sure)Fire It UpTrucker's AtlasKing RatDoin' The CockroachFloat OnHeart Cooks BrainThe Good Times Are Killing MeThe ViewModest Mouse are fun live, and Isaac is probably the only man who can literally rock a banjo. Literally. I loved that I got Doin' The Cockroach and Fire It Up, and Trucker's Atlas was fun too. The hipsters in the crowd only knew Float On (to be expected), and the idiot chick behind me tried to tell me that MoMo are actually from Sweden... which, I believe, would be news to Isaac and the boys. Nota bene for the dumb chick behind me: just because you can't understand a single word that comes out of Isaac's mouth doesn't mean that MoMo are foreign... he always sounds like that, especially now that he's sober.REM.You know, this band has some serious nostalgia for me (as for most of us, I'd assume -- they've been around for well over 20 years now, amazingly), and I went into this expecting to have my youthful nostalgia indulged. I was disappointed on that front, though perhaps I had unrealistic expectations. Now don't get me wrong -- REM put on an amazing live show. They sound amazing -- Stipey is every bit the proper rock star, complete with the suit and the swagger -- and they have a fantastic stage show... but their setlist was absolute crap. Now, I understand they have a brand new album out, and they're excited about it (because this is the first new album this decade which is actually good), but come on -- I DID NOT WANT TO HEAR EVERY FUCKING TRACK ON THE NEW ALBUM. I understand that they're on tour to promote the new album, but really guys -- do your fans a favor, especially the long-term fans, and mix it up a little. Accelerate is their 14th studio album, and seriously -- for the depth of amazingness they have in their personal library, I got a total of 4 songs I could sing along with. Seriously. Their (ridiculous) setlist was:Pretty PersuasionLiving Well Is The Best RevengeWhat's the Frequency, Kenneth?Sitting StillIgnorelandMan-Sized WreathCircus EnvyDriveAccelerateHollow ManFall On MeHoustonElectroliteFinal StrawI've Been HighLet Me InLosing My ReligionHorse to WaterBad DayWalk UnafraidI'm Gonna DJ (which is laughably heinous, a total waste of a song, and frankly an insult!)---------Supernatural SeriousThe One I LoveUntil the Day Is DoneHappy Birthday (to me! And a bunch of other people, too.)Man On The MoonStipey had some ridiculously fun stage banter, including these gems: "This is only our third show on this tour, and it feels a bit stumbling still," (though it wasn't, really), "My mic's on" as they were walking off stage mumbling amongst themselves, "I'm voting for Barack Obama!" and a funtastic story about how the last time REM played the Bowl, Stipey took a header off the front of the stage during the second song of the set... this story ended in his polling the audience for how many people remembered his stage dive, then showing us his scar (heinous, and on his shin) and telling us "See, I take Hollywood with me wherever I go!"As I said, REM put on a great live show -- they're loud, they're fun, they have a great show and a great stage presence, and they sound great. But seriously, the setlist was a huge disappointment for me -- I know they're promoting their new album, but really -- did I have to get 9 of the 11 songs on it? And seriously, Stipey -- did all of the old songs you played have to be ridiculously obscure? You know that people want to sing along (and the crowdsinging for Losing My Religion, The One I Love, and Man On The Moon was fantastic!), so throw us a bone, man.Also, didn't anyone teach Stipey that an encore is supposed to be the songs that everyone wants to hear?! The One I Love: good choice. Man On The Moon: good choice. The obscure song you've only played on television, and never live? Mood killer. I'm all for a rare live track or two, but only if they're balanced out with songs I do know. The first single off your new album? Not even close, man. I enjoyed the show, but I've got to say -- I love REM, and have done for a long time, but that was a serious letdown -- I walked away wanting more... of the songs I know and love.All in all, a good show, but not exceptional -- in my humble opinion, then winner of the best act of the night goes, hands down, to The National; winner of the shittiest setlist of the night is a tie between MoMo and REM; winner of the best rock star of the night (and hottest bloke over 40) goes to Johnny Marr.
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