konstantine128
08/22/04, 07:16 AM
After two hours in a car, a dinner of crappy rest stop pizza, and scrounging up $30, we reached the Water Street Music Hall in Rochester, NY exactly on time for the show. The line was two blocks long, and there was a huge sign out front: "Something Corporate- SOLD OUT." Thank God for Ticketmaster.
The house was packed. From everyone's complaints during openers Woodbelly and The Rocket Summer, it was obvious that everyone was excited to see SoCo. At first, Woodbelly wasn't bad, but after a couple songs I just wanted Andrew, Josh, Clutch and Brian to get their butts onstage. Everyone was anticipating an awesome show, and the guys did not disappoint.
Entering the bright lights to screams and camera flashes, Something Corporate (along with their temporary guitarist, who wasn't that great) dove right into "Hurricane." The crowd pushed closer and closer, making me thankful for the fight right before that caused the dancing girl in front of me to be hauled out by security. The heat outside was nothing compared to the 1,000 degree pit where everyone was scrambling to get closer to Andrew.
With his blonde mop of hair and flip flops, Andrew sang every song with so much emotion it was as if he had just written them. When he wasn't playing it, Andrew climbed all over the coolest piano I've ever seen, painted with the cover art from North. The lead singer's energy was contageous; the whole crowd sang every word of the whole set, including the 9+ minute performance of the essential "Konstantine." Despite his sweat-drenched button down shirt, Andrew never went bare chested like drummer Brian. The whole band, even the seemingly shy bassist Clutch, performed as one, with response from the crowd similar to a religious ritual. Josh, who was playing guitar right in front of me, was a little held back at first, but eventually he was rocking out with Andrew and everyone else.
Toward the end, an unfamiliar tune filled the speakers... until everyone realized it was "Hey, Ya." Without the crazy dancers and with Andrew at the mike, the song sounds completely different. SoCo made it their own, and the crowd loved it.
Finally, after everyone had sweated off their makeup and the black x's on their hands, it was time for the last song. The heat didn't keep the audience to jumping in time to the chorus of "Punk Rock Princess." I didn't even care that the people behind me finally pushed their way to the front. Andrew finished his part, and with a toss of his set list and empty water bottle, flashed a grin and strolled offstage. Josh and Clutch (what is his real name, anyway?) played a little more, and left one by one until it was just the drums. A little more pounding and a drumroll, then the lights went out. It was all over.
The show was awesome. I loved every minute of it, and I can't wait for the next time Something Corporate comes back to Rochester.
The house was packed. From everyone's complaints during openers Woodbelly and The Rocket Summer, it was obvious that everyone was excited to see SoCo. At first, Woodbelly wasn't bad, but after a couple songs I just wanted Andrew, Josh, Clutch and Brian to get their butts onstage. Everyone was anticipating an awesome show, and the guys did not disappoint.
Entering the bright lights to screams and camera flashes, Something Corporate (along with their temporary guitarist, who wasn't that great) dove right into "Hurricane." The crowd pushed closer and closer, making me thankful for the fight right before that caused the dancing girl in front of me to be hauled out by security. The heat outside was nothing compared to the 1,000 degree pit where everyone was scrambling to get closer to Andrew.
With his blonde mop of hair and flip flops, Andrew sang every song with so much emotion it was as if he had just written them. When he wasn't playing it, Andrew climbed all over the coolest piano I've ever seen, painted with the cover art from North. The lead singer's energy was contageous; the whole crowd sang every word of the whole set, including the 9+ minute performance of the essential "Konstantine." Despite his sweat-drenched button down shirt, Andrew never went bare chested like drummer Brian. The whole band, even the seemingly shy bassist Clutch, performed as one, with response from the crowd similar to a religious ritual. Josh, who was playing guitar right in front of me, was a little held back at first, but eventually he was rocking out with Andrew and everyone else.
Toward the end, an unfamiliar tune filled the speakers... until everyone realized it was "Hey, Ya." Without the crazy dancers and with Andrew at the mike, the song sounds completely different. SoCo made it their own, and the crowd loved it.
Finally, after everyone had sweated off their makeup and the black x's on their hands, it was time for the last song. The heat didn't keep the audience to jumping in time to the chorus of "Punk Rock Princess." I didn't even care that the people behind me finally pushed their way to the front. Andrew finished his part, and with a toss of his set list and empty water bottle, flashed a grin and strolled offstage. Josh and Clutch (what is his real name, anyway?) played a little more, and left one by one until it was just the drums. A little more pounding and a drumroll, then the lights went out. It was all over.
The show was awesome. I loved every minute of it, and I can't wait for the next time Something Corporate comes back to Rochester.