(Quite an enjoyable match today, I find it goes down even better with music from the albums noted below in listening through one of my earbuds...)
One of my highlight concerts in 1994 was late in the year in seeing a triple bill at a small standing room only venue that over the years I have counted that I have seen at least 15 concerts at. But I have always remembered my first very memorable night of seeing these performances there.
Mrs. B&W and my work friends and I went to see this show, and the build up to the event was quite memorable. It included everyone meeting up at our place for pre-show beverages and playing and singing along to songs off of two albums we had been listening to most of that year. Those were fun times in the late twenty-something years with no kids yet.
The opening band was Irish Alternative band Fatima Mansions, which none of us knew, but I see have a decent following in retrospect. They had just released their final album that year Lost in the Former West. The venue was already packed even for their performance, though I can't see their setlist listed online.
The second act was much anticipated in being a bit unique, and not fitting many genres perfectly at the time. With all due respect to Foggy, they have never once reminded me of Eagles, except in having a one word name for their group. In fact, this band spans genres including geek rock, alternative rock, indie rock, emo, and power/punk pop. I do not get a peaceful easy feeling when listening to their music, but maybe one of these nights I might, though I doubt it.
Weezer had formed two years prior in LA, but was having a hard time in standing out in backing performances with grunge being so popular at the time. Rivers Cuomo and the band considered self-producing their debut album, but were pressured by Geffen Records to instead choose an outsider. They decided on Ric Ocasek, who of course we all know was the front-man for the Cars. Ocasek was selected because of his work on the Cars' song "Just What I Needed" (which Benjamin Orr sang lead vocals on, I will add ;-) ). Cuomo felt that song sounded similar to the way that he wanted Weezer to sound like. Ocasek convinced Weezer to switch their guitar pickups from the neck to the bridge, resulting in a brighter sound.
In reviewing the setlist from that night, most songs were of course from their debut album, Weezer (The Blue Album). While I am also partial to non-hits "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" and the haunting and impressive build up in the closer, "Only in Dreams", I've chosen the opening song from their setlist and album that night. This song got the mosh pit starting in full force with my co-worker friends that I remember vividly to this day. The fact that 'Paul was making me nervous' in losing his shoe in the pit that night is beside the point. We still talk about that event and night.
The workers are going home
Yeah!
"My Name Is Jonas" - Weezer
And then there was the headliner...
I already nominated a song from this band's 1991 debut album, but it was their second album that got this York, PA band on the modern rock map as a 90's powerhouse alternative rock band. I can't remember being this excited to see a band's performance given how strong this album was. Throwing Copper was named after the band shooting BB guns in the backyard, and inspired by Quentin Tarantino's 1992 film Reservoir Dogs, of which the album track "Waitress" was referenced from a scene within.
There were so many great songs on this album, and kudos to OB1 for already picking a non-single standout earlier on the playlist. The hits were strong, and I'd recommend anyone listen to "Selling the Drama" or "Lightning Crashes" if you haven't heard it already, though I suppose many of you have.
I'm instead choosing the penultimate song on this release that was such a powerful live performance, and one I had looked forward to hearing performed live, next to "T.B.D.". This track was a rage-filled critique of inaction, complacency, and political correctness. It mocks people who talk extensively about problems rather than taking action, often interpreted as an apocalyptic vision or a complaint against do-nothing activism. I find this track also applies so much today with the current situation in the US with the obvious lies and false promises made and believed by enough 3rd time suckers to cause the "Shit Towne" we currently find ourselves in as a result. We sadly saw all this coming.
I always enjoyed this part in the song where lead singer Ed Kowalczyk noted that the preacher's voice sampled in the song (in [ ]s below) was recorded from a shortwave radio station in Colorado:
I talk of freedom
You talk of the flag...
[I warned you, I prepared you
I instructed you, I told you what to expect
All the time been feeding, what have you got?]
Look where all this talking got us baby....
"White, Discussion" - +Live+
