As of today, Awkward City, Population 1 will no longer be on The217.com. If you still want to hear me rant and rave and bitch and moan, bookmark the new site, AwkCity.com

Thanks for reading, thanks for the comments, and thanks for listening.

Adios,

Carlye

PS - Like American Apparel? Like me? Like the song “Two Become One” by the Spice Girls? Good, because it has happened.

[Spoon, The Walkmen and White Rabbits at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, Ill. on April 4]

We missed White Rabbits, the opener.

I know, I know, I know. Huge mistake. We tried but were running late and we tried and we… have no real excuse. Big mistake, since I’m sure they were as good live as their recordings, and we totally dropped the ball.

We missed The Walkmen too, but caught the last song which made absolutely no impression on me. I don’t see how they aren’t the same band as The Killers, except that the latter isn’t loved by Seth & Summer.

And then there was the (always lovely) Spoon. I don’t really know why, but security. was. insane. After being there for only ten minutes (and somehow successfully sneaking up to third row), I saw two people get kicked out — one for having a beer and no wristband, and one for giving a beer to someone without a wristband. (They were separate incidents, I believe.)

It wasn’t only drinks, though. Cracking down on photography — not just flash photography, but all photography — they shined a flashlight in the face of anyone taking a photo with their point-and-shoot and made them delete it while they watched. Gillman was unfortunately one of these sad souls, which is why all of my photos from the evening have a hazy camera phone effect, since I’m scared of authority figures, and even more frightened of ones who have the power to pluck me out of a concert crowd.

When I was in fifth grade, I was obsessed with Hanson. I used to photocopy pages of BOP magazine featuring young Zak in the middle school library’s copy machine, starting my obsession with magazines and clipping wonderful things from them. Although my crazed cutting has transferred from a blond-haired drummer to Prada outfits and fashion editorials, I haven’t met a similar fascination with a band comprised of boys in a while…until Spoon.

And, as awfully embarrassing as it is to admit, at one point I was jumping up and down, screaming and cheering.

You know what, though? I needed to. It never ceases to amaze me that a band could be so fantastic, but their audience could be so awful.

From New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, their shows continue to impress, and their crowds continue to suck. When I saw them at CMJ, no one danced. When I saw them at The Vic and last fall at The Rivera, no one danced. And, when we flew out to LA to see them, we got yelled at for dancing, despite the fact that we were in the third-to-last row of the venue.

I’m not sure what drives me and my friends bonkers about their music but causes the majority of the crowd to stand there, feet planted and eyes straight ahead, never budging except for maybe a rousing rendition of “The Underdog.”

Look at the crowd…looking!

They played a few songs I wasn’t too familiar with, but there’s a reason I was giddy like a Hanson fan all over again — they played “Stay Don’t Go,” one of my favorite songs of theirs, and the hands-down fave of Alex Davis, our Spoon-loving friend who currently lives in Spain and missed the show.

You never really know when the song is going to start since the album version features repetitive beatboxing courtesy of lead singer/guitarist Britt Daniel, causing the excitingly giddy thought process of, “Wait..no…wait…it kinda sounds…wait, hold on…could it be?….IT IS!!!” whenever it begins.

The rest of the show included a fair amount of songs off of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga and a couple off of Gimme Fiction.  At 2:26 a.m with half-open eyes. it’s hard to think of adjectives for the word “great” and “awesome,” but the show was definitely worth traveling 8 hours roundtrip for.

It’s unfortunate that a band of that stature doesn’t get the outward love and physical respect of their audience when they without a doubt deserve it. But, as long as they keep performing, I’ll be in the front cheering.

If Apple computers are supposed to be so good, why do they keep failing on me!?

Coming soon…

Capgun Coup:

Cursive:

The Daily Illini providing actual unknown news, not just AP copy and pointless opinion columns? It couldn’t be! You don’t say!

This is why I shouldn’t be cooking.

Don’t forget — Cursive tonight at the Canopy Club.  The show starts early (6:30 pm), so don’t miss out by showing up super late.

Love the shoot, hate the hair.