Best Hanging-in-There for a Concert Results

I realize that I've completely neglected last weekend and my hangings-out with brother-in-law Cory, and I'm going to continue to neglect last weekend and my hangings-out with brother-in-law Cory because I've got photos from Wednesday night I want to share.

Anyway, Wednesday night I passed on a perfectly decent dinner invite to check out the Spin 20th Anniversary Party at Webster Hall. The main draw for me to the show was that Lady Sovereign, a British grime star I've enjoyed for the past bunch of months who is rumored to be set to sign with Def Jam for her US debut, would be making an appearance. She was to be the first act, so I got to Webster Hall right around 8 (at that time the place was nearly vacant) and waited. And waited, while the DJ (listed on the program as "The Rub" but The Rub is a club night in Brooklyn that features many DJs, so who knows who the DJ really was) played several Lady Sovereign songs. At exactly 8:40 the night's "second" band, Drive By Truckers, took the stage. I was substantially upset to have dropped a decent amount of money for my ticket to this show and to have my personal main attraction turn out to be no show.

I didn't really know what to do, I was feeling strongly compelled to just leave Webster Hall at that point. I wandered around the club, reading the free copies of Spin that were lying around, hung out for a little bit on the club's floor where Sarah Lewitinn was dj'ing, considered hanging tight until LCD Soundsystem were going to come on, but finally grew frustrated enough that I decided to leave.

Well, just as I was about to leave I ran into Kane, a co-worker of Mike Lemmon's that I had met on several occasions, and we got to talking and I met a bunch of other Blue Sky folk and I went from being mad at a club all by myself to hanging out with plenty of good people, so I felt no reason to split.

And so, hanging out with plenty of good people lead to my seeing many good bands. Somehow I wound up right in the front for everything.

LCD Soundsystem came on after the Drive By Truckers. It was my third time seeing the band, I like them more and more each time I see them.



They started off their relatively short set with "Losing My Edge," a departure from their typical sets.



I think if I were a rock star I would want to be James Murphy. He really seems to be on top of things.







As usual, the band ended their set with "Yeah," here's James going to town on the drums . . .



And here's a video of his hectic drum-action.

Upon finishing "Yeah", the band found themselves with enough time to play one more song, so they officially closed the evening with "Movement," which I was glad to get to hear. When James Murphy announced they'd be playing the song he said to the crowd "I'm calling an audible, do you know what that means, "calling an audible"?"

During LCD's set I discovered I was standing right by Lane, Olivia, and, crap, Lane and Olivia's roommate . . . Kate? Or something like that? Sorry, I totally forgot your name. So, anyway, suddenly it was like I was surrounded by people I knew.



The "party" was "hosted" by "actress/rockstar" Juliette Lewis. She was sufficiently, uhm, wasted?



Also, the creepy guy from Last Night's Party was there.



After LCD Soundsystem the night's first "surprise guest" made his appearance . . . it was J. Mascis from Dinosaur Jr. He wailed and rocked . . .



And we took irreverent photographs, disgracing the honor of a 90's Alt-Rock Legend.



There were lots of celebrities at the show. I saw Kirsten Dunst (but I didn't get to tell her that we had the same birthday), Leelee Sobieski (did I spell her name wrong? Of course I did), at one point I looked to my right and realized that the member of Run DMC who isn't Run and who isn't dead was standing right by me, and then there was this lady, who I spent the night thinking might have been Gwen Stefani without any eye makeup and without nice clothes and, also, she never blinked . . . because I think she was very, very high.



And guess who came on next? Lady Sovereign, of all people.



What they say about her is all true: she is short, she is young, she wears her house keys around her neck, and she's got this tough punk kid stage presence going on.



She was good, but I can't say that her rhyming cooked that night.



She mugged well on stage, but didn't really bring a lot of fire.



Then a band called Death Cab for Cutie played. I had certainly heard of the band, but never heard them . . . their music made me think of the OC, a TV show I've only watched twice (the second time because I wanted to catch the Star Wars trailer back in March).



"My mind is kinda flowin / like an oil projector"



And then Juliette Lewis was on stage again. Wasted.



The night's second surprise guest turned out to be DMC, the member of Run DMC that had been on the floor by me.



I hate to say it, but one member of Run DMC does not a memorable performance make . . . good photos, yes, but he seemed very alone out there.



He did "Walk This Way" all by himself. Sad.



And then, finally, way too late at night, it was time for the night's headliners, Public Enemy. Coming to the show I was pretty sure I wasn't going to stick around for their set, but then I realized that I was in the very front of a crowded room and this was my opportunity to see the Rolling Stones of Hip Hop . . . so why not?

Anyway, prior to their set the band's menacing musicians took the stage . . .



. . . and triggered what may have been a world record for "Most White People Making the Black Power Salute."



And then Chuck D exploded onto the stage . . . and you may ask, "Brigham, why are you posting a picture of Chuck D's feet?" And I answer, "Because that is what you see when you're in the front of a Public Enemy concert." I had no idea that the band would be so energetic, everyone was running around the whole night . . .



. . . or doing push-ups together . . .



. . . or pulling karate moves on each other . . .



. . . or getting all up in my grill.



About three songs into the set "hype-man" Flava Flav appeared on stage.



He mugged and posed and everything.



I'm just glad he quit smoking crack.



Hip-hop scholars would certainly give you an earful on the Chuck D/Flava Flav dynamic.



More Public Enemy, what else should I say?







About half-way into the set I realized how late it was and remembered that I went to school and felt I had seen enough, so I made my way away from the stage.



On my way out I passed through the first floor lounge where Tommy Sunshine (who I hear is a big deal) DJ'd to absolutely no one.



And that's what happened Wednesday night.