Friday night I decided to go to a show all by my lonesome. Well - I just can't sit in that apartment by myself forever, none of my friends seem to remember me on their call list, when my days of driving around town to get smashed for no reason have come to a close, and I didn't have Jas to pal around with. Ok self pity all over.
I had heard that the Black Lips were one of the best live bands around, and holy shit did that not disappoint as a review. And the Pony's playing before them were amazing as well.
These are the Ponytails. They weren't playing, but were there, and are interesting as all hell.
Unfortunately the Ottobar has taken a rather stiff dive as a member of the fraternity of musical venues. And to be honest I think it's because if you don't play hip hop (Mr. Lif, BossMan), aren't death metal (Pterodactyl, FMyGun), don't have a large record deal (deerhoof, enon) , or aren't from the tri-state area (two if by sea, oranges band) then you don't stand a shot of really having a great show with the fans. Baltimore just doesn't come out, esp. to the Ottobar which is becoming more of an actual "bar" than a venue these days. Baltimore chooses to go upstairs and play pool, or have a drink and bullshit in the part of the venue where you can smoke rather than watch a band.
But, this show was just sweaty and dirty. You know the kind of show where it's so fucking hot in there that your forearms start sweating and the hairs starts to stick to your face and neck and it's almost like having some sort of weird sex on a crowded floor. I mean you don't touch anyone in a weird way and I didn't "dance" with anyone. But it's that weird heat of the club that sorta just makes everything come down to a base level so that the clothes, the makeup, the cologne just don't matter.
Not totally like this - but this always comes to mind with sweaty dancing (BTW - easily the worst scene in the Matrix trilogy)
Here are two clips of the Black Lips performing. It was fuckin intense. I'd recommend checking them out.
And just for shits and giggles I have included the greatest song ever recorded by any man ever - - I of course speak of Paul Stanley's - Live to Win!!!
