Here's my review. Because I'm feeling shallow tonight so there will be cattiness and cuteness factors of the bands included in the review.
Aveo, from Seattle Washington:
I'm still trying to decide if I like this band or not. I really dig their name (It's Latin
for "I desire", in case your dead languages are rusty). But they seemed kind of scared and ill prepared and the singer has a quavery voice
that reminds me of Morrissey. Not that I'm dissing the Moz, I still get down with my Smiths records, but he does it better, and it makes me laugh. However, their songs are catchy as hell and the more I listen to them, the easier it is to get past the voice thing.
Verdict: Listen to someting besides old Smith records, guys.
Cuteness Factor: They were kind of cute in a Seattle kind of way.
The Velvet Teen, from Santa Rosa, California:
Local band who were a bit bewildered to be sharing the stage with the others. Once again, cute name. A little too cute, maybe. All three of them sang cute little harmonies that weren't very good. The drummer was sort of sloppy. The lead singer had an amazing voice, but he's apparently gone to the John Vanderslice school of bad fake British accents.
Verdict: Get a new drumer. If you're not British, don't sing like it (Robert Pollard being the exception to the rule).
Cuteness Factor: These boys were adorable. And the drummer sang.
Dismemberment Plan, from Washington, DC
This show wasn't nearly as good as the show that made me fall in love with D-Plan in 2000. At that show, Travis was near death with some kind of flu and still managed to rock my socks off. At this one, he appeared to be in a bad mood, looked like hell and just didn't seem into it. He got snarky with the Bimbo's bouncers who removed the kids THEY HAD INVITED ONSTAGE. "I'd like
to give a big thank you to our guardians. Who saved us. From the little indie girls in spaghetti tops."
Verdict: Good, but they're better than this.
Cuteness factor: While normally I think these guys are adorable in a geeky kind of way, They were just not lookin' good at all, except for Eric, who's the indie rock Brad Pitt. Joe, what's with the new scary white-trash heavy metal look? I'm scared! And Travis, honey, cut your hair.
Death Cab for Cutie, from Bellingham, WA:
Once again, I manage to miss Death Cab despite the fact that I'm actually THERE for the show. We were just feeling too old and sore and tired to stick around after dancing our butts off to D-plan, so we left. I feel guilty and dirty.