| Placebo with Idlewild, May 25th--Boston Paradise I was so excited about seeing Placebo, especially after the great show from Coldplay two nights before! My sister and I arrived around 6:00, after getting a bit confusede looking for the place. I was happy to see that I was not the only glittered fan there, and we waited in line. I've come to realize that so much of gig-going is really spent waiting. Waiting to get inside. Waiting for the opening act. Waiting through the set change. Waiting for an encore. Anyway, we got out tickets at will-call after a bit of heart-stoppage when the girl couldn't seem to find my name. We then went in, and I was a bit disoriented at first. the Paradise is *so* initimate. It's great, tho-funky, and just plain cool. We got drinks and then proceeded to wait. We explored the balcony and side wings before we (or I) decided to stand on the main floor. We waited some more. Then Idlewild cam on, very casually, and launched into a pretty good set. they are active and energetic and Roddy sounded terrific, after every song's applause saying "Thank you, that's very kind" in his Scottish brogue. So I was pleasently impressed with them. But I was sooooo anxious to see Placebo. And finally, they came onstage, and got right inot Hemaglobin. I was standing right where Stefan was, and he is beautiful...and tall. I mean, really tall. And Brian is short...really short. And Steve was, well, sitting down, as drummers usually do. The band had a great light show, and another guy who tours with them, playing the keyboard, or hitting the sample sounds, or playing bass when aStefan took over guitar duties, which he did quite a bit. The man is talented, too! I cannot remember the set list in order, but I will go over the highlights; Definitely Without You I'm Nothing, My Sweet Prince (during which Brian managed to suck down an entire cigarette and still sound perfect. Well, perfect for him, that is), Black Eyed, 36 Degrees. I was so excited when they played 36 Degrees, I love that song. He doesn't sing the "36 Degrees" bit in the end, so the crowd did, and it was soo cool. We were standing next to this adorable couple who had come up from Providence and had actually gone to Coldplay, too! Their mum had driven them up, and the girl was British. They were very cool. All in all, Brian didn't say much, except for his Elvis story before Little Mo and an introduction to Leni ("this is a futuristic love story--it could be my future, it could be yours" laaaaame), and the intoduction to Peeping Tom about vouyerism. But he didn't have to say much. It sounds corny, but his guitar did all the talking. Placebo pride themselves on being a tight band, and they are. They put so much care into their live performance, I can't imagine how much practice they must do before a tour. They are energetic and fun (Stefan standing on the cases next to us was pretty cool). They ended with Pure Morning, which sounded awesome, and they got us all clapping along with it. I had the best time-I think the best gig I've been to. |
 |