(no subject)
Feb. 9th, 2003 | 11:26 pm
Thanks to ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
slipkid being sent to LA for work, i got to see Paul Weller last night. I hadn't planned on going since it was $25 and I'm not a big fan of Weller's solo stuff. I love the Jam as much as anyone, but even after borrowing some Weller cds from Kai, I couldn't connect with him post-Jam. Maybe I didn't try hard enough or maybe it's just one of those things that I don't have an ear for.
The show was at the Warfield. It was only the second time I've been there, the first being Nirvana & Dinosaur Jr. back in 1990. The crowd was old, damn old. For once I think I was one of the youngest people there. At punk shows, I'm usually one of the oldest. Weller put on a good show and seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself. He looked a bit old, but in good shape and pretty energetic. He sipped red wine from plastic cups on a piano in between songs and took several smoke breaks during the times when he let his band wank their egos a bit. I mention ego-wanking because the drummer had like a five minute solo. I haven't seen a drum solo at a show since I saw Rush about 20 years ago. I just don't see the point to a drum solo, unless you're some kind of virtuoso or something. This guy was competent but he was no Neil Peart. I realized during the drum solo that I was officially at a "rock" show.
The highlights of the night for me were, of course, the Jam songs. He played "In the Crowd," "That's Entertainment" and "Town Called Malice," which are the same three Kai had told me he played in LA the night before. It was great to hear them, but I wish he would've thrown in a couple different ones. Of his solo stuff, I didn't recognize most of the songs, but there were at least half a dozen that were really good (the ones I recognized were "Up in Suze's Room" and "Wild Wood"). The band, including Weller, did occasionally wank a bit to show their instrumental prowess...but it was an entertaining set that only dragged a tiny bit here and there. I guess I can forgive Weller for a little bit of wanking. Can't expect him to be a punk forever. He still writes good songs and puts on a good show. I'm glad I went. It was a good time hanging with Strom and Miles also.
slipkid being sent to LA for work, i got to see Paul Weller last night. I hadn't planned on going since it was $25 and I'm not a big fan of Weller's solo stuff. I love the Jam as much as anyone, but even after borrowing some Weller cds from Kai, I couldn't connect with him post-Jam. Maybe I didn't try hard enough or maybe it's just one of those things that I don't have an ear for. The show was at the Warfield. It was only the second time I've been there, the first being Nirvana & Dinosaur Jr. back in 1990. The crowd was old, damn old. For once I think I was one of the youngest people there. At punk shows, I'm usually one of the oldest. Weller put on a good show and seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself. He looked a bit old, but in good shape and pretty energetic. He sipped red wine from plastic cups on a piano in between songs and took several smoke breaks during the times when he let his band wank their egos a bit. I mention ego-wanking because the drummer had like a five minute solo. I haven't seen a drum solo at a show since I saw Rush about 20 years ago. I just don't see the point to a drum solo, unless you're some kind of virtuoso or something. This guy was competent but he was no Neil Peart. I realized during the drum solo that I was officially at a "rock" show.
The highlights of the night for me were, of course, the Jam songs. He played "In the Crowd," "That's Entertainment" and "Town Called Malice," which are the same three Kai had told me he played in LA the night before. It was great to hear them, but I wish he would've thrown in a couple different ones. Of his solo stuff, I didn't recognize most of the songs, but there were at least half a dozen that were really good (the ones I recognized were "Up in Suze's Room" and "Wild Wood"). The band, including Weller, did occasionally wank a bit to show their instrumental prowess...but it was an entertaining set that only dragged a tiny bit here and there. I guess I can forgive Weller for a little bit of wanking. Can't expect him to be a punk forever. He still writes good songs and puts on a good show. I'm glad I went. It was a good time hanging with Strom and Miles also.