We're Not As Fucked As You Think

This was probably the worst show I've been to all year. Swear Jar, now playing as a three-piece without a bass player, did their best, but in the cavernous Charter Oak, the sound just went in all different directions. Dear Landlord's set was decent enough ("thanks for letting us into your church"), even though they're not really my thing. Off With Their Heads were friggin' terrible. Ryan stands in front of the band now, looking like some random dude who just walked in off the street and decided to grab the microphone; he still hasn't found his way as a frontman without a guitar, I guess. The tempos were so slow that even stuff off "Hospitals" sounded lifeless. Seeing them play at Charter Oak four months apart means OWTH are at once one of the best bands I've seen this year and one of the worst bands I've seen this year. I don't think it's a matter of them being on Epitaph now-- besides, I'm willing to bet "In Desolation" was finished before they signed, and it might even be a better album than "From The Bottom" anyway-- but there seems to be a conscious effort being made to move the band in some other direction, one that I'd rather not take part in.

The funniest part of the whole night was when Sean wrapped duct tape around all but three rows of church pews, trying to get people to stand further down towards the stage. I don't know if it ended up working or not (most people were probably gonna move down once the bands started anyway), but it was still pretty defiant on his part.


Dear Landlord -

"Three to the Beach"