Show Review

Okay. Round two of me vs. all-ages shows during the weekend of Friday the 13th took place at the Recher Theatre.

Fortunately, the Recher Theatre has two fully functioning bars that are opened for all their shows, all-ages or not. So this show wasn't nearly as mind-rattling as the This Providence and June fiasco. And no, if I see X's on your hands, I will not buy you a beer. I have better things to do than trying to explain to a judge how some underaged trouble-maker was thirsty and dying for a cold one.

I managed to miss Days Away because it was Friday night and all the college kids were out being extremely drunk and belligerent, in turn making parking a nightmare in the town known as Towson, Maryland.

I finally situated myself inside the club about two songs into Piebald's set. I wasn't happy. For starters, there is no reason why Mewithoutyou should be playing before them on this tour. Piebald has too much energy to play before Mewithoutyou. Plus, it's a tease because this amazing pop-punky/indie-rocky band in Piebald sets the mood for Say Anything so much better than Mewithoutyou. So Piebald rocks the crowd's socks off, "American Hearts" style, and then BAM! time for a major buzz-kill in Mewithoutyou.

I can't seem to get away from this band. They're like my arch-nemesis. Every show I go to it seems like Mewithoutyou is on the bill. This is not a good thing. I mean, Mewithoutyou create some fairly interesting music, and I can enjoyably listen to their CDs. Unfortunately, I feel as though they are one of the most boring live bands around.. Seriously, I would rather watch paint dry than sit through another Mewithoutyou set. Boo to Mewithoutyou playing after Piebald.

By the time Say Anything was setting up, I was still perturbed by the fact that Piebald wasn't the main support for this tour. I was also growing uneasy because I was surrounded by seven-hundred or so punk rockers who looked like they were ready to riot the moment Say Anything took the stage. I started having flashbacks of the Saves the Day show, and I wondered if my skull would make it through the night.

Let's pause for a moment. I'm surrounded by an audiance between the ages of 16 - 25, and I'm fearing for my life. Say Anything isn't a hardcore band, not even close, and their songs are poppy, corny rock anthems. What is wrong with me? What do I have to fear? And then I remembered the raging hormones of all the little 13 - 16 year-olds at the This Providence and June show. Now, let's multiple that by ten. Okay. Now I'm really edgy and ready to throw bows and Christ punches. But then I remembered Say Anything isn't a hardcore band and this would be unacceptable behavior for such a "happy-go-lucky" crowd. I quickly downed my beer and braced for impact.

Enter some Nintendo esque music and Say Anything appeared on stage, minus Max. The oxygen began to grow thin. Mr. Max Bemis eventually burst onto the stage and that was the end of breathing fresh air for the night.

They opened with "Molly" and the crowd went absolutely beserek. I found myself asking, is front and center really a good idea for this show? I mean, the 699 other kids in the building want my spot and they aren't taking no for an answer. And great! Now, I have fat dude leaning on my back (aka crushing my spine) and screaming in my ear.

"Spidersong" came next, one of my favorites. Unfortunately, fat kid ruined it. Instead of hearing Mr. Bemis spat out the vocals, I had the next spokesperson for Burger King singing worse than my friend's old cat meowing at the moon.

I slid to the left. I slid to the right. I couldn't seem to shake him. He was on me like a war-monger's on North Korea. The next few songs were a blur. I bet it was really great if you weren't near the cheeseburger monster. At some point "Woe" was played, and I remember it being amazing. It's not that Say Anything sounded any better or worse than any of the other songs they played prior to "Woe," but somehow I had managed to break away from that punk who was out to ruin the entire show.

"I Can Get Sexual Too" and "Little Girls" came right at the point in the show where I realized that I am too old for crazy, sold out shows. I remember wishing they would hurry up and play "Belt" so I could go lounge near the back of the club and grab another "Red Star."

They played "Belt" right before their encore. I don't think I've heard Say Anything perform any better than when they play "Belt." It's spiteful and bitter, and it seems to hit so much harder in a live setting. So good.

After this song, I did, in fact, make my journey towards the back bar.

The encore consisted of "Alive with the Glory of Love," "A Walk Through Hell" and "Admit It!"

Even for this old punk-rocker, I can say this about Say Anything's set, "Solid."

And I know that the cheeseburger monster wasn't there to ruin my night. He was there for the same reason I was, and that was to see Say Anything and have a good time. It was just a little annoying to have this kid singing louder, especially since he couldn't sing, than the band. I should start wearing earplugs. I bet that would help.

review by Robby Lester