We left work early. I was not going to miss Frank Black like I missed OAR. We ended up getting having time to stop at Starbucks (I'm really digging those Tangerine Fruit Juice Blends...it's like a Tangerine slushy with a hint of tea) and still standing outside the Tower Theater for at least another half hour before they even let us in. We were subjected to works of marketing genius while waiting. There were hot chicks spraying guys with samples of Tag body spray and gay guys handing out shampoo samples. We also saw someone hang a sign that said that WXPN is going to change its format to all alternative. Yay! Alternative music is finally back in Philly.
We got in, swiped free hairspray samples from the bathroom and went to our seats on the loge. The pre-show/intermission and after-show music was the same Johnny Cash CD over and over again. People eventually filtered in closer to the start of the show.
Frank Black came out promptly and started with "Bullet," going right into "Where is My Mind?" without interruption. Loved it! I'm not sure the crowd really recognized a lot of his stuff. They applauded the aforementioned songs along with "Los Angeles" and "Holiday Song," which was the only other Pixies song he played. During the half hour that he played, Frank did not address the audience, other than to say good night. A stark contrast from the times I've seen him with the Pixies.
When the set was over, the guy sitting next to Paul leaned over and asked who he just saw. When Paul told him Frank Black, I gave the guy a look like he was from Mars. He just played cool. "Oh yeah," he said. "That's what I thought." Yeah, right.
Dave Grohl made up for Frank's lack of interaction. He told lots of stories during the Foo Fighters' set. He talked about how he hated that the song "Next Year" was the theme song to the tv show "Ed" and how he hated the show in general. He also talked a lot about "Rockstar Supernova," asking drummer Taylor Hawkins if he'd rather be in Supernova. He talked about the first time he met Frank Black. It was at a festival show in Belgium, which also featured the Ramones. Backstage, there were tables set up for each act based on their size. The Ramones, being a big band with a large crew had a large table and Frank, being a one man show with his guitar had a small table. Dave, Kurt and Krist decided to change the signs on the tables and traded Frank's table for the Ramones table. When they came back to the catering area hours later, 15 guys were gathered around a two seater table that was meant for Frank Black, while Frank sat at a table for 30 by himself. Dave laughed the whole time he told this story.
There seemed to be a lot of moving around downstairs. At one point, Dave threatened to come down and personally usher everyone to their seats. It was then that we learned of long lines at the beer concession stand. A girl in the front row was walking to her seat carrying two beers. "Is one of them for me?" Dave asked. She promptly gave him one of them. He traded and gave her his bottle. He then asked, "Is this that Pennsylvania beer? What's it called, Ukulele?" The crowd corrected him, telling him it was Yuengling. The girl told him she was drinking Miller Lite and he gave the beer back to her, taking his bottle back. He asked her if she drank from the bottle and started calling a roadie to come get it. Then he said he was just joking and took a swig from the bottle. Although, he didn't touch it again for the rest of the show. And when he came back from intermission, he had a different bottle.
He also told the story of how he joined Nirvana and what it was like to live with Kurt before he played "Friend of a Friend." He also talked about how it was a shame that Philly lost its alternative station. You could tell he was struggling with a cold a little. He was barely audible after screaming during some of the songs.
As for the set list, the show has been pretty standard in all the cities that they've been to so far, starting with "Razor" and ending with "Everlong." Just before "Everlong," Dave brought the house down with "Best of You" screaming solo. Most of the stuff is from the lighter disc of "In Your Honor" with some old favorites like "My Hero" and "Times Like These" thrown in. They also played some more obscure stuff like "Skin and Bones." Very cool! They have changed a song here and there in each city. Our "catch of the day" was "Big Me." It was cool.
When we walked out of the show, we saw the tour buses. Figuring it would take us a while to get out of the parking garage, we decided to hang back with a crowd that had formed near the bus. A kid standing behind us made my blood boil. "I didn't like that first act," he said. "I kept waiting for him to say something to us. And his guitar playing was so off." Hey kid, Black Francis does not need to address you. Ok, buddy? And as for the guitar playing, most of what he played was written to be hard and heavy with a full band. That's why it sounded different.
Dave didn't come out, but we got to meet Taylor, which was cool. He seemed pretty friendly. Paul got this picture with his cameral phone.
It's a camera phone, people! Deal!
I'd probably put this show in my top ten all time favorite concerts. It was small and cool. I tend to like the heavier Foo Fighters stuff, but this was flawless. They won me over.
