Friday, November 30, 2007

Brand New 11.29.07

Brand New at the Commonwealth Ballroom, Virginia Tech 11.29.07.

Brand New played a solo show at Virginia Tech on an off day from their tour with Thrice and mewithoutYou. The stage setup included two drum kits as well as a freestanding drum, and the lights were exclusively yellow and white.

The show began with a half hour of Jesse Lacey alone onstage with an acoustic guitar. He did not address the audience until a brief mumble about colleges and "We are Brand New" before launching into Soco Amaretto Lime.

Jesse solo:
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself (Morrissey cover)
Play Crack The Sky
Two Headed Boy Pt. 2
Moshi Moshi
Soco Amaretto Lime

Jesse then exited the stage and returned with the rest of the band for the remainder of the set. The songs were delivered with much screaming rather than singing, but that style works for many of Brand New's songs, especially the tracks from The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me. The setlist was:

Luca
Jesus Christ
Limousine
Handcuffs
Welcome To Bangkok
Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades
Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't
Jaws Theme Swimming
The Archers Bows Have Broken
Millstone
Degausser
You Won't Know
Sowing Season (Yeah)
***
Untitled

There was minimal band/crowd interaction, except for when Jesse expressed concern over the actions in the pit. He also introduced Limousine as a song about a tragedy near his home, and dedicated it to the school, as Virginia Tech is a "school that knows tragedy."

On a number of the songs, Brand New's crew joined them onstage to play extra instruments, often with multiple people per instrument. It's really incredible to watch them do so.

The band quickly left the stage after Sowing Season, and the belligerent crowd began chanting for Seventy Times 7. Eventually Vinnie Accardi came back onstage and began the slow buildup of Untitled. He left and then brought the rest of the band back out with him to finish the song. At the end, everyone left the stage except for Lacey, who remained at the mic to say, "Hey Chuck! It's Marvin. Your cousin, Marvin Berry! You know that new sound you're looking for? Well listen to this!" before leaving.

Overall, it wasn't the best show I've seen Brand New play. However, Brand New's average set is better than most bands' best sets, so I'll continue to go see them every chance I get.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

i am now ending our friendship
we can no longer be friends because you got to hear moshi moshi live

Elyse said...

I haven't seen Brand New since they were on tour with Dashboard, but it seems to me that since they put out TDGARIM they've become very...antisocial. Either way, I agree with you that their worst sets are better than most bands' best.

also seconding the motion that I am extremely jealous that you got to see Moshi Moshi. D:

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Collin S. said...

Hey, my friends and I drove up from Wise to see this show during my freshman year. Coming across this review really reminded me just how good that show was. I've seen them a lot since then, but this was a really special concert that I'll always remember.