No Rock And Roll Fun

SHE'S COME BACK: It's been way, way too long since we last had a review from Becky Bamboo. But she's back, clutching a review of the Lookout Records SF do:

Last week I went to the final night of the Lookout! Records (former label of Green Day and The Donnas) 15th Anniversary celebration at the Great American Music Hall. They handed out bags of goodies - some cds and singles they'd grabbed at random from the stock, and posters. My bag had a couple of split singles, a full length album by a band whose name I can't remember right now, and a double cd Lookout! compilation from, like, 1996. I listened to all of them on the way to Lake Tahoe and it's pretty cool stuff. I love getting free shit.

Anyway. I got there near the end of local band Communique's set. 2 songs was enough to convince me to get their EP and I'm glad I did because it has some great songs. They're less punk than a lot of the other bands on Lookout! and have some really pretty songs. I'll definitely go see them again.

Next up was The Oranges Band, who I knew I'd seen before because I recognized the name but I couldn't remember anything about them. As they started playing, I could see why they hadn't stuck in my mind. They were just okay, but I did like them more this time. There were even 3 or 4 songs that made me consider buying their album. They did better on the faster, more upbeat powerpop/punk songs than on the slower, wannabe arty stuff. Those songs just ended up droning on and on and got boring. Keep it snappy, boys.

All thoughts of Communique and The Oranges Band were banished though as soon as The Pattern started playing. Man, these guys put on a hell of a show. From the first note they blew everybody's hair back. Loud, fast, funny... wow. During one song the singer threw his mic stand down and hopped up on the drum riser, holding the mic, with his back to the audience. He stepped down backwards, tripped over the mic stand and fell forward onto the monitors and then into the crowd (who caught him before he hit the floor too hard) and NEVER MISSED A FUCKING NOTE. Seriously. He was so proud of himself, too. After the song ended he said, "I don't know how many of you know that song but I didn't miss a line!" He was a hoot onstage, pulling all these pouty, sexy poses and dancing around with overtly sexual hip thrusts and smouldering glances at the crowd. They put on a great show, all energy and sex and noise and sweat. Loved them.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists closed out the night. They had quite an act to follow and pulled out all the stops to keep the audience jumping and dancing around. They were fast and fun with great songs, about half of which were off their excellent album, _Hearts of Oak_, released earlier this year. The standout song for me was "Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone" which Ted dedicated to Lookout! Records. What a great fucking night. All shows should be this good.