Crítica:
07/24/03
CenterStaging
Burbank, CA
Summer 2003, US Clubs
Private dress rehearsal
Intro (Lullabye)
Pet
The Hollow
Magdalena
Weak And Powerless
Orestes
Rose
Thinking Of You
The Package
3 Libras
Thomas
The Outsider
The Nurse Who Loved Me (Failure)
Judith
Review by Johnny Firecloud
Walking out the door Wednesday towards a highly dreaded 12 hour drive up to San Francisco for a court appearance, Skwerl's phone rang with the news we'd been waiting two and a half years to hear: A private engagement with A Perfect Circle, tickets are not being sold, this is a dress rehearsal for friends and family before heading out on tour this weekend. Be in Burbank, Los Angeles at 8pm tomorrow. The venue is called CenterStaging.
That meant we had to drive halfway up the country and back down again in exactly 24 hours.
Eyes wide and gas tank full, we tore up the coast, attended my uneventful court appointment, and immediately turned and headed south again. We knew it would be close, and close it certainly was. No sightseeing, no zen moments in the ocean breeze, none of the standard fare that would normally accompany such a beautiful drive. After 24 hours of non stop driving, 1,000 miles covered up and down the gorgeous California coastline, we made it to Burbank at 7:45pm only to realize we had no idea how to get to the venue. Aimless desperate driving gave way to guerilla inquisition missions in every liquor store or group of people we saw. Nobody knew where we were supposed to go. As the sense of defeat was beginning to bleed in, we finally were given a general direction from someone, and guessed our way to CenterStaging, somehow.
It was 8:45. We were very late. Signs everywhere were posted, telling us to head down the alley to the back of the studio, and the closer we came as we ran down the alley, the louder the music ahead became. It took only a few seconds for me to recognize the song as The Hollow, and the oh-shit-we're-missing-it panic set in. Sprint. Name check. Wristband. In the door.
Imagine walking into a darkened warehouse in the alley of a side-street recording studio. On the left, a wall, guitar cases, assorted gear. To the right, the side/rear of a stage. In front of us, roughly seventy-five people cheering as the first notes of Magdalena were being played. We made our way in, hearing from others that we'd only missed two songs, and noticed that there was a good 25 foot gap between the end of the stage and the crowd. There were no barricades, hell, there wasn't even any security, just two white lines you weren't supposed to cross, and all this empty space in front of it. LA types just don't want to seem too eager, I guess. Skwerl and myself, dear reader, are not LA types. We walked right to front and center and there we remained.
Strobing white backlights and a hazy blue and purple glow shadowed the band as they surged through an intensely strong Magdalena. Josh's drum riser was set up to the far right of the stage, in the back.
To the far left, on a platform bathed in shadows and flickering purple stood new guitarist James Iha. If he was nervous at playing his first APC gig having only been a member of the band for 12 days, he didn't show it. Bassist Jeordie White, also new, stood towards the front on the left, dressed in black. Songwriter/guitarist Billy Howerdel was just right of center, focused and intense. Behind him, between Josh and James, was another platform, raised considerably. A black post stood on each corner, connecting about 8 feet above the ground like goal-posts. On the platform, bent and lurching with high brown pigtails, white sleeveless t-shirt and blood red pants, was Maynard. Fragments of three immensely influencial bands in my upbringing all playing together as one was quite a sight, and I worked hard to overcome the awestruck feeling as quickly as I could.
"This is kind of like our dress rehearsal thing. So... nothing's going right, hasn't yet, but hopefully it'll work itself out," Maynard said, just before they slipped into Weak And Powerless, the new single. A swaying bassline started it off, and then the rest of the band snapped into place, seeming to pick up where The Hollow left off in general terms of atmosphere and attitude. A fuller, richer and more powerful sound seemed to previal moreso overall than in previous times I'd seen APC. Was it the new material, or the new lineup? Both, it seemed.
Before a flawless Orestes, Maynard went on to introduce the new members, Courtney Love (Jeordie) and Whoopie Goldberg (James). Danny Carey of Tool was pointed out and thanked for showing up late midway through the song. Rose followed, sounding much more muscular and bass-heavy, as well as a strong second guitar presense from James. At the end, there was discussion on how there was very little clever banter saved up for the show, and Maynard says "So let's turn to the Book of Seinfeld... I'll read you a passage." He went on, deadpanning, "I was on a plane, and we left late, and the pilot says, we're going to be making up some time in the air. And I thought, isn't that amazing, they just make up time." No emotion, no comic timing. Much laughter. Billy thanks us all for doing so, and on they went into Thinking Of You. Billy and Jeordie's backing vocals filled in the chorus very well, and the final solo was completely dominated by Iha. Already one of my favorite songs, it carried a new swagger, a deeper penetration altogether. I was in heaven.
After the song Maynard handed the mic to James, saying it was his turn to tell a joke. We were then treated to a short pointless and funny story about meeting a bear, Mr. Bear, by his house. They decided to be friends. the end. Josh and Billy then began the Package, another new song. Immediately there was a sense of something lurking, waiting to pounce as the vocal line created a hypnotic air, sweeping through with quiet declaration. The song built through the first and second chorus, and then shed its skin to reveal a stomping, arresting surge of power ("Mine... mine... mine... take... what's... mine..."). Moments later it turned a corner and vanished, leaving only an echo.
3 Libras followed directly, sounding more like it was being performed by the original lineup than any other song played that night, and it was just as beautiful as ever.
"This song goes out to Chewbacca, it's called Thomas." Tremendous and densely low-ended, Thomas served as a perfect precursor to the next song and highlight of the evening, The Outsider. Another new song, and instantly my favorite ever done by APC. Maynard's fierce rapid-fire rhythm, interwoven with a complete sonic assault by the rest of the band, was lean and furious. Thunderous applause followed.
As if my heart wasn't already about to burst, Maynard says "Are you ready to try it Billy? You think we're ready? This song isn't one of ours, it's by a band called Failure, they're a band from the 50's, bunch of old guys... we've only been playing it together for about a month now... oh wait, three days. Right, well it feels like a month." With that, they began The Nurse Who Loved Me. When hearing of its presence as a cover song on the new APC album I raised a questioning eyebrow, wondering how it could be pulled off with the dynamics of this band. That eyebrow was set firmly back in place once the song was presented live. Maynard's soft endearing melody carried the beauty of it to new heights, with Billy's soaring tones and Jeordie's deep swaying bass rumble adding colors previously unseen to The Nurse.
The final song, Judith, was the closest to a crowd sing-along that Hollywood could muster. As James tore through what had always been Billy's final solo, adding new dynamics althroughout, the full effect of what I was witnessing took hold. It was obvious that there was a sense of accomplishment radiating from the band. They shook off the rust flakes while stretching and flexing new muscles. This had been the first live performance with the new lineup, and, minor technical difficulties aside, the show was a mighty triumph for A Perfect Circle.
Como veis, triunfazo de James.
El single, "Weak And Powerless": http://www.aperfectcircle.us/mp3s/weak_and_powerless.mp3
LDA
Foro
Calendario
Registrarse
