522 words on Live
While I was in Köln on Sunday, I went to see The Libertines who were playing at Gebäude 9, a club in what looks like an old factory hall right behind the trade fair areal. It seems to be quite a cool place and bands like Low and Ikara Colt are playing there later this month.
Pierre got a ticket for me before I came over, just in case. It wasn't necessary and it wasn't really a ticket either, rather a receipt for the money that they let me in and stamped a giant How are you on my palm for. Although it wasn't packed, it was reasonably full. Most of the people were younger than me, though. The support band were Spoon who played decent but not overly exciting songs. I may write about them later after giving their LP, which I bought that night, a few round-trips on the record player.
I hadn't been to a concert for over two months now, and I knew it was good to be back at one as soon as I could hear and feel the first beats of the drums, the bass, the general noise and of course all the other people appreciating the same kind of music.
When The Libertines came on, I was surprised at how young they looked. Gone are the days when everybody I listened to was older than myself (I guess I should've made the effort to go and see Bowie some weeks ago...). Never mind. The music was great fun. Loud and a bit aggressive but not in a bad way - driving I'd say. I enjoyed it very much.
Although I guess this has been said many-a-time by now for its obviousness, they sound a bit like The Strokes, perhaps a bit less bold and have a similar way of delivering their lyrics very casually. Also, they have a line containing the words dazed and confused and the guitarists kept tearing their strings at a rate that the guy who had to change them seemed a bit unhappy with after a while.
The only thing I found odd was that the times when the most people dance were those when they played the slowest and least-danceable songs. I dont't know their names as I don't have my copy of the CD yet, I just went there on a whim because of those songs Dan put on the CD he sent me recently and amazon have been a bit slow in delivering the goods. I guess those are the best known songs, but why are always the wrong songs the best known ones? I.e. why do people seem to prefer the cheesy ones?
This seems to be happening frequently. Say, when I saw Ash in spring - songs like Shining Light or even Candy seemed to be appreciated most, while World Domination or even Walking Barefoot are obviously superior. This can't simply be a matter of taste, for sure...
When she wakes up in the morning She writes down all her dreams Reads like the book of revelations Or the Beano or the unabridged Ulysses.