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Anti-Flag Show Review
Apr. 8th, 2009 08:29 amI just want to say, quickly, that the ham & cheese turnovers from Acme Bread is one of the best things ever. God are they good. So crispy and flakey and buttery, studded with savory cubes of ham and cheese with just enough bite...
More importantly, last night was Anti-flag. I'm actually sort of overwhelmed trying to write this report, because I don't know if I can capture the feeling or the experience in a way that does it justice.
The crowd couldn't have been more different than the MCR shows. It was over half men, and not just emo guys either, big, muscular, tough guys, hardcore punks and guys in tight shirts with buzzcuts. (I suddenly felt very small and very short. Haha) There was a circle pit, and most of the bands, including Anti-flag exhorted the audience to join the pit, to make it from 'wall to wall'. The circle pit was this amazing seething writhing thing, a whirling dervish of people, pulsing with energy.
One of the things that struck me is the power of music, in the hands of people like this band, to move people and to galvanize people and to bring them together. And that seemed all the more amazing because it wasn't tempered - in most cases - with an adoration for the band, with fans starry eyed in love and falling over themselves just to be near the band members. There was no sexual component to this show. What was bringing people here was just the music, the idealism, and the ideas. Both Justin Sane and Number 2 called us brothers and sisters (until the sheer energy of the show caught up with Number 2, and he started called us 'motherfuckers'. Haha) and I felt like that, very close to them, like we were comrades. Just...comrades in life.
I wish I could remember all the things they said but all that's stuck in my head is this. 'Don't let anyone tell you you're not good enough. There is power in this room.'
I'd alway thought of Justin Sane as the front-man, mostly because he writes all their blogs, I guess, but Number 2 did most of the talking last night. He was just amazing. Not only is he beautiful - but he is, god he so good looking, in a way that has nothing to do with make up or fancy clothes or styling, he's just got this lovely simple purity of features. He's also got a sweetness of expression that shines through even when his face is contorted with rage or righteous anger or exhortion, and when he smiles...he has the sweetest, most joyful, most geniune smile. But more than that, he has so much charisma It's not flashy like say, Gerard's, but he has the same power to command, to bring people together. And so much energy. He seems so healthy and so *alive.* My eyes were glued to him for most of the show.
I think, the overall impression I get from him, and from the rest of the band is that they're putting everything they've got into this, into what they believe in, and there's a very strong purity in that. You get the impression that they are true to themselves and what they believe in. No lies, no bullshit, no posturing. Just them and what they believe and how they feel.
More importantly, last night was Anti-flag. I'm actually sort of overwhelmed trying to write this report, because I don't know if I can capture the feeling or the experience in a way that does it justice.
The crowd couldn't have been more different than the MCR shows. It was over half men, and not just emo guys either, big, muscular, tough guys, hardcore punks and guys in tight shirts with buzzcuts. (I suddenly felt very small and very short. Haha) There was a circle pit, and most of the bands, including Anti-flag exhorted the audience to join the pit, to make it from 'wall to wall'. The circle pit was this amazing seething writhing thing, a whirling dervish of people, pulsing with energy.
One of the things that struck me is the power of music, in the hands of people like this band, to move people and to galvanize people and to bring them together. And that seemed all the more amazing because it wasn't tempered - in most cases - with an adoration for the band, with fans starry eyed in love and falling over themselves just to be near the band members. There was no sexual component to this show. What was bringing people here was just the music, the idealism, and the ideas. Both Justin Sane and Number 2 called us brothers and sisters (until the sheer energy of the show caught up with Number 2, and he started called us 'motherfuckers'. Haha) and I felt like that, very close to them, like we were comrades. Just...comrades in life.
I wish I could remember all the things they said but all that's stuck in my head is this. 'Don't let anyone tell you you're not good enough. There is power in this room.'
I'd alway thought of Justin Sane as the front-man, mostly because he writes all their blogs, I guess, but Number 2 did most of the talking last night. He was just amazing. Not only is he beautiful - but he is, god he so good looking, in a way that has nothing to do with make up or fancy clothes or styling, he's just got this lovely simple purity of features. He's also got a sweetness of expression that shines through even when his face is contorted with rage or righteous anger or exhortion, and when he smiles...he has the sweetest, most joyful, most geniune smile. But more than that, he has so much charisma It's not flashy like say, Gerard's, but he has the same power to command, to bring people together. And so much energy. He seems so healthy and so *alive.* My eyes were glued to him for most of the show.
I think, the overall impression I get from him, and from the rest of the band is that they're putting everything they've got into this, into what they believe in, and there's a very strong purity in that. You get the impression that they are true to themselves and what they believe in. No lies, no bullshit, no posturing. Just them and what they believe and how they feel.
