We missed RX Bandits due to a public transport miscalculation, and arrived just in time to hover near the barrier of a mostly empty floor for US pop-punksters Motion City Soundtrack. Frontman Justin Pierre, with his mad-scientist hair, led a tight 7 song set of mostly new tunes (from 2010's My Dinosaur Life) almost bookended by their two biggest hits to date. Closing with poppy favourite 'Everything is Alright', the small but dedicated crowd cheerfully yelled back lines such as "I used to rely on self-medication/I guess I still do that from time to time" to the wry amusement of Pierre. Their set was short and FUN, as ably demonstrated by their hard rocking keyboardist and enthusiastic air drummer. :)
Disappear
The Future Freaks Me Out
My Favourite Accident
Delirium
(?)
A Lifeless Ordinary
Everything is Alright
(I wasn't taking good notes, so I *think* this is correct. Anyone know which song I'm missing?)
Didn't catch Glassjaw, but returned to the now-packed floor for veterans of the scene Sunny Day Real Estate. I've been told that many of the other bands on Soundwave have tweeted at one time or another about being reduced to gibbering fanboys in the presence of SDRE, and I can believe it. They played a good set of epic songs: tuneful anthems that slowly built to massive choruses, engulfing the audience in sound. It was LOUD and INTENSE and I kinda loved it. I wasn't very familiar with their songs going in, but now I will not rest until I find out what that amazing fourth song of the set was.
(eta: the song was '48'; and you can listen to a recording of the set, thanks to Morris.)
There was only a short twenty minute wait for Jimmy Eat World to take the stage, but the anticipation was palpable, as the floor packed to a hot, sticky crush. With just over an hour to the "strict curfew" (hah), Jimmy Eat World launched into 'A Praise Chorus', then zipped through a song from each of their last four albums culminating in the well-received 'Work' (from 2004's Futures). The set ended up being a good balance of old and new(er), of poppy hits and slow burners (including a performance of a truncated 5 minute version of Clarity closer 'Goodbye Sky Harbour').
While I had fun, there was an unfortunately limpid feel to the show; I don't know whether to put it down to a "respectful" crowd (as frontman Jim Adkins kindly called it in a rambling bit of banter about the pitiful crowdsurfing), or because the sound was a bit off, somewhat uneven. At times the guitars and drums were way too loud in the mix, the vocals lost in a mushy muddle of sound, and at other times big soaring pop songs like 'Futures' ended up sounding hollow and tinny. It was a shame, because Jimmy Eat World were giving their all, and there were great moments: like when you could clearly hear the lovely harmonising voices of Adkins, Linton and Burch, or when that great guitar riff in '23' sang out over and over.
A Praise Chorus
Big Casino
Crush
Work
Dizzy
Futures
Lucky Denver Mint
Goodbye Sky Harbour
Pain
23
Bleed American
Let It Happen
Always Be
Blister
Hear You Me
The Middle
Sweetness
'Sweetness' live @ Roundhouse 23/2/10 (from soxfang)
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