Overall Rating: A
Red Palace
As expressed best by the people next to me, "this is hipster central, maybe cause the area is still so dilapidated." They were talking about H street NE, an area of DC known for violence, bad streets, and hideous buildings. An area one didnt think to go to not too long ago. Now with the influx of hipsters and their hangouts more people are venturing here. They come to eat at Sticky Rice, go to the bars, hang out at H Street Country Club, dance and see concerts at Rock n Roll hotel and Red Palace. I don't think about those things, so it wasn't even a factor in my decision to go to the concert. After a few extra hours at work, I hopped on a bus and made my way there.
I got there later than I normally do for concerts, and still ended up at the front of the line and subsequently stage. Somehow the actual venue space is not bigger than my living room. Okay, its bigger but it's still about half the size of the Black Cat. I expected it to be small, but not that small. The small size lent for a more intimate and familiar concert. It was like if everyone was friends or family with the bands; many were. Other than that, I loved the red walls and the patterns adorning the walls and doors. And the fact that they played The Big Lebowski at the bar downstairs while we waited to be let upstairs.
Deleted Scenes
When we were let upside from the bar area to the stage members of both bands were still there. Looking a little bewildered they exited before the majority of the crowd could get upstairs. When they came back out, I couldn't help but think how the lead singer reminded me of Michael Cera with hoodie and all. He talked very little throughout the show, mentioning at some point that the band had just finished recording their album at 11pm the night before in Delaware. I respect the hustle. The opening song gave me hope, lots of drum, just the way I like it. By the third song I knew they had something special. The drums were a little rocky on the song, not in the genre sense, more like the drummer messed up. But the drummer killed it after that slight fumble, as he had being doing before it. Intricate and diverse, heart pounding and pace setting, the drums really make the songs stand out. I really liked all the songs except for one. Towards the end of their set, the lead singer threatened, not in words, to stage dive, but didn't. He said he didn't "think we could take it. [He's] a polite asshole." Oddly enough, that is what he looked like.
Young the Giant
I highly recommend you see both Deleted Scenes and Young the Giant if you get a chance to see either. Young the Giant definitely have the potential to big.
*Update: Deleted Scenes will be playing at the Rock n Roll Hotel on 02/12.
Red Palace
As expressed best by the people next to me, "this is hipster central, maybe cause the area is still so dilapidated." They were talking about H street NE, an area of DC known for violence, bad streets, and hideous buildings. An area one didnt think to go to not too long ago. Now with the influx of hipsters and their hangouts more people are venturing here. They come to eat at Sticky Rice, go to the bars, hang out at H Street Country Club, dance and see concerts at Rock n Roll hotel and Red Palace. I don't think about those things, so it wasn't even a factor in my decision to go to the concert. After a few extra hours at work, I hopped on a bus and made my way there.
I got there later than I normally do for concerts, and still ended up at the front of the line and subsequently stage. Somehow the actual venue space is not bigger than my living room. Okay, its bigger but it's still about half the size of the Black Cat. I expected it to be small, but not that small. The small size lent for a more intimate and familiar concert. It was like if everyone was friends or family with the bands; many were. Other than that, I loved the red walls and the patterns adorning the walls and doors. And the fact that they played The Big Lebowski at the bar downstairs while we waited to be let upstairs.
Deleted Scenes
When we were let upside from the bar area to the stage members of both bands were still there. Looking a little bewildered they exited before the majority of the crowd could get upstairs. When they came back out, I couldn't help but think how the lead singer reminded me of Michael Cera with hoodie and all. He talked very little throughout the show, mentioning at some point that the band had just finished recording their album at 11pm the night before in Delaware. I respect the hustle. The opening song gave me hope, lots of drum, just the way I like it. By the third song I knew they had something special. The drums were a little rocky on the song, not in the genre sense, more like the drummer messed up. But the drummer killed it after that slight fumble, as he had being doing before it. Intricate and diverse, heart pounding and pace setting, the drums really make the songs stand out. I really liked all the songs except for one. Towards the end of their set, the lead singer threatened, not in words, to stage dive, but didn't. He said he didn't "think we could take it. [He's] a polite asshole." Oddly enough, that is what he looked like.
Young the Giant
Breakdown and set up took a less time then I expected. Normally it is a painful waiting game, only made more painful when you are by yourself. Anyway, as the band(formerly The Jakes) setup, the groupies shouted out Sameer. As I had just heard of the band the day of the concert, well actually a couple days before the concert, I had no idea which one was which. Turns out he was the lead singer, and the groupies were actually his friends and some of the band members family. The females still looked like groupies to me; not hate just observations. While Sameer was taking some time to shake hands and say hi to some of the bands friends, one of the guitarist, Jacob, got points for saying he and the entire band were big Kanye fans. Some dude apparently heard him say it, and squeezed his way to the front to give Jacob props. I blamed it on the alcohol.
The band left the stage when they were done setting up so that they could make an obligatory "entrance." Opening the show with "Apartment," they started off the show with high energy; Sameer and Jacob utilized the small stage with frantic movements. Both Sameer and the lead singer from the Deleted Scenes stage presence reflected some sort of influence; alcohol, drugs, what have you. But, I'm sure that is just the persona they have adopted on stage; a little spastic but typical of rock concerts. It's always nice to see a band having as much as the crowd, and that is how it was the whole night. Even when Jacob broke one of his guitar strings during "Guns Out." He half jokingly called for Stu, their tour manager, to restring it. It turned into a joke used by both the band and audience the rest of the night. The one annoying part of the show was when family and friends of band felt the need to get drunk and loud and ruin the intro of "Island." Which, from the cram course I did of the bands song before the concert, is my favorite. I, along with some other audience members, gave them a couple of disappointed glances. They didn't seem to care. It didn't really matter once the drums kicked in and the crowd got into it. I was so happy I "choose to be adventurous," as Sameer put it after he asked who didn't know the band before coming to the concert. The whole show was great, including Sameer splashing beer on me and the crowd, and then actually stage diving.I highly recommend you see both Deleted Scenes and Young the Giant if you get a chance to see either. Young the Giant definitely have the potential to big.
*Update: Deleted Scenes will be playing at the Rock n Roll Hotel on 02/12.
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