DC ROCK CLUB
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Thursday, June 14, 2007

long live the blondes


the long blondes live - @ the Rock & Roll Hotel - June 7, 2007 - $12

Look at this band. Do they not strike you as a force to be reckoned with? Riding the nostalgia brit-pop-punk train, The Long Blondes chugged into the Nation's Capital last week for some in-your-face rock and roll.

This was a Jimbromski pick, and a good one at that. Unfortunately, you won't get the pleasure of his review of the show. He didn't see it. He had other things to do. Some sort of family commitment, I think. He decided to "Let Go. And Go Outback Tonight." He feigned disappointment in missing the show, but I'm pretty sure he ate an entire Bloomin' Onion by himself. Here's what Jimbromski shared with us afterward:

"also to add to misery last night, i forgot to record the USA/Guatemala game. We went to Outback and they showed it on one of the TVs, but I was blocked by a column. There were two other bigger TVs that were showing classic NFL on the NFL Network. Guess which game I fucking watched for two hours? Raiders-Pats, 2000, the motherfucking tuck rule game."


Jimbromski loves his Raiders. The rest of us were pleased to see him punished for missing what turned out to be one of the better shows we've seen thus far. More on that later...

So let's turn to our membership for reactions to the Long Blondes.

(Potsy) What kind of preparations did you make for seeing the Long Blondes? What was your approach to getting to know this band?



(Sacklunch) I listened to the album multiple times before the show. I enjoyed the album quite a bit, but I didn't think it was great. On a scale from 1-5, I rate the album a solid 3.75. However, that was before the show. After the show I bump it up to a 4.25. That was my only preparation. Except for the 2 beers I had before the show.

(Potsy) Describe your first impression of the Long Blondes.



(Sacklunch) I thought the lead singer (Kate??) was hot in an Austin Powers movie sort of way. Kind of like a poor mans (very poor mans) Elizabeth Hurley.



(Jumbo Slice) I think the lead singer could be described as "a homeless man's Elizabeth Hurley".



(Sacklunch) Yeah, homeless man is a better description. She isn't in the same league as Hurley, but she had that British sexiness about her. I have a thing for English girls...for some reason they don't seem as intimidating as say, a French or Spanish woman. And I dig the accent.


(Potsy) Dissect this 5 piece ensemble. Where's the beef, and where's the fat?



(Jumbo Slice) The lead singer, drummer, and guitarist are the driving force i
n concert. The bassist and keyboardist could probably be replaced and the band wouldn't miss a beat. I suspect the guitarist is the true genius behind the whole band, but I can't be certain. Of course, without a sexy and dy-no-mite front woman, the band would go nowhere. I also have to give credit to the drummer. I watch(ed) from the side of the stage for a while and the guy is solid.

(Potsy) In which Reality TV show would you most like to see this group featured?


(Sacklunch) I don't know, maybe I would like to see them on The Real World/Road Rules Challenge. They could take on other Indie bands in feats of strength and the proverbial "Battle of the Bands". I think they also have sex on those shows.


(Jumbo Slice) Speaking of reality shows, I caught a little bit of a new show on MTV called "Band in a Bubble". I'm officially too old for MTV. I still enjoy the nonsense of the Real World/Road Rules Challenge, but the bands they feature on MTV make me want to light myself on fire. So to answer you're question, I hope they never appear on that show because it's pure crap.


(Potsy) Rock and roll has a long and close relationship with drugs and alcohol. Which drugs and/or alcohol go best with the Long Blondes?


(Sacklunch) A thin line of coke, snorted off the lead singers breasts.


(Potsy) How did they sound?


(Jumbo Slice) The show was fantastic. It was definitely one our top shows. As I discussed via email, I'd put it just outside of my top 5 shows. I really hope they play DC again. I like bands that have great energy and get the crowd moving. Lord knows no one in DC actually likes to dance at shows. Their set list was spot on. They tore through songs knowing exactly how and when to shift gears.


(Sacklunch) I thought they sounded fantastic. That was one case where the live act sounded as good, if not better than the studio album. Kudos to the RNR Hotel for having a good sound system that is consistent week after week. Although the room was only about 2/3 full, there was great energy amongst the crowd and a lot of people were dancing. They opened with "Lust in the Movies" which set the show off right. Excellent opener. Other standouts included "Giddy Stratospheres" and a sped up "Once and Never Again." But the highlight for me was "Separated by Motorways" which I believe was the last song they played. Now that I am thinking of it, that was a great fucking show. They played quick 3 minute tunes in rapid succession. Not too much banter but they seemed happy to be there and acknowledged the enthusiasm of the crowd. Played for about 1 hour (take note BRMC). In my eyes, it was very similar to The Thermals show. I think I am going to put the CD right now.

I hope your steak was good, Jimbromski. You missed a great show.

5 comments:

Jumbo Slice said...

Potsy - you didn't mention your high five of the lead singer as she left the stage. Actually, it was more a low five. Or maybe you were trying to grab her and she smacked your hand away. My memory is kind of fuzzy.

Potsy said...

Oh yeah. I guess I didn't find a way to slip that in there. It was a personal highlight for me actually, so I'm glad you brought it up. Her hand was smooth yet strong.

Jimbromski said...

Nice review. I'm sorry I missed this one.

The Snow Job game changed everything. Tom Brady's been impregnating supermodels ever since and the Raiders have been...never mind.

Good Potsy pic, I need something like that.

sacklunch said...

Where did you get that setlist from? Are you sure it is accurate? I am sure they played more than 11 songs, but I could be wrong....

Potsy said...

it's a set list. not a transcript.