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words by Andrew Frisicano, photos by Jake Forney
Apart from a few deviations, Fucked Up succeeded in performing their 2008 album The Chemistry of Common Life in full and in sequence at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Thursday, November 5th. The program even found room for the record's hazy instrumentals "Golden Seal" and "Looking for God," both of which featured guest keyboardist Andrew W.K. On the latter, one of the last songs of the night, W.K. was noodley and playful, tacking pointy chords to the song's building progression.
Vivian Girls were another of the night's guests. They added eerie siren-like back ups to "Crooked Head" and "No Epiphany," as they do (with Frankie Rose who was playing her own show across town) on the recorded version.
Another album guest, Katie Stelmanis, who stole the show with her band's unique opening set, dueted with Pink Eyes on the apocalyptic slow-builder "Royal Swan." Her operatic voice tangled with the burly singer's cryptic proclamations. Andrew W.K. was there too, and led the way with an introductory piano figure, cued with a huge wink by guitarist Ben Cook. The epic took minutes to unfold, and it was one of the night's rarer moments.
The pacing of the album did need some energy injected at times - that came in the form of "Crusades," which the band inserted after "Black Albino Bones" (dedicated to "anyone who collects records"). "Peaceable Kingdom," a ChemCom bonus track almost never performed live, was uneventful, until Pink Eyes decided to join the night's many stagedivers (many annoying and wasted) by falling into the crowd and writhing on the ground for a while.
For the encore, the band treated the crowd to "David Comes to Life" and a full-guest version of "Louie Louie." There was no "Party Hard" as requested many times, and that was for the best. Titus Andronicus hinted at that song by jamming on its opening riff while setting up. They played tightly-packed opening set, which had one brief lull. "I thought it was okay after one string broke, but now I'm down to four..." said singer/guitarist Patrick Stickles before grabbing a seafoam green guitar backstage. "I hope the very nice lady in the first band doesn't mind."
That would be the guitarist for Katie Stelmanis, who joined the singer and a percussionist (also on marimba) to perform gothy pop with a booming, crisp sound. On stage, Stlemanis projected a world of drama with the subtlest gesture. The following act, The Girls at Dawn, did off the cuff, girl-group-inspired punk. Their front-woman (girl) was covered in fake blood.
Pink Eyes stuck around until the last fan got his 7-inch signed and a shirtless hug. More pictures from the show below...
Katie Stelmanis...
The Girls at Dawn...
Titus Andronicus...
Fucked Up...
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Is Ill Bill the lead singer?
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:02 PM
most labor-intensive crowd surf ever
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:06 PM
gross
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:16 PM
Maybe I'm cynical, but I am starting to believe that the "band playing the full album in concert" trend of the past few years is an evil plot hatched by the record industry to aid flailing CD sales.
Posted by Regular reader | November 6, 2009 2:18 PM
Seemed like a really fun show.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:19 PM
Katie StelMEHnis
MEH at Dawn
Titus rocked as usual, but perhaps Patrick went a little softer because of Vice incident or because of the cozy sweater he wore.
FUCKED UP PLAYED CHEMISTRY OF COMMON LIFE 'NUFF SAID...actually, they didn't really need Andrew W.K. and really, really didn't need Vivian Girls, but that's besides the point. Pink Eye for president.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:22 PM
At one point during the show Pink Eyes dropped his mic and ran offstage to save and retrieve a fan who was in the process of being dragged out by security for jumping on stage and banging the gong. Very cool
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:24 PM
yea what was that about??? practically half the room went on stage but the dude was goin extra hard when draggin that one dude out...
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:25 PM
Titus Andronicus sucks. and Dinosaur is even worse. Someone murder these kids.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:31 PM
this wasn't sold out, was it?!
Posted by (((unartig))) | November 6, 2009 2:32 PM
I don't necessarily blame the security guy. I'm sure most bands don't want fans jumping on stage and playing around with their instruments and I'm sure he didn't quite understand the type of band he was dealing with. It was more just a very cool move by Pink Eyes to help the kid out. We probably should have thanked him by catching him during his stage dive, but you know, there's only so much weight those collective arms could carry
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:32 PM
doesn't look too crowded. how full was it?
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:33 PM
Did he really go through with that Piledriver?
Posted by Paul Orndorff | November 6, 2009 2:41 PM
i love this venue...bummer i had to miss it ;(
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:41 PM
Nice photos and write-up, thanks.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 2:45 PM
G.A.D. are second generation copycats who can't play.
Posted by Eggroll | November 6, 2009 2:45 PM
I really dont understand this hysteria over Fucked Up.
Posted by tengo | November 6, 2009 3:11 PM
@ 3:11
AMEN.
these guys are boring. i don't give a shit if pink eyes gets naked. shit is still boring...
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 3:22 PM
3:11/3:22
just for a clearer picture and out of curiosity, name a few acts you interesting.
Posted by (((unartig))) | November 6, 2009 3:31 PM
I heard a rumor that "Fucked Up" got its name because in April of 2007 the entire band ate a batch of old hummus and they all got fucked up.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 3:46 PM
Whatta show. Look at me singing in the 4th to last picture!
Posted by Ray | November 6, 2009 3:57 PM
Fucked too boring to think of a MEH joke Up
boy oh boy does this band have chops, by the way
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 3:59 PM
titus andronicus is possibly the worst shit pitchfork has ever propped up, and that's saying something. what trash. can they stop opening for bands i like?
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 4:02 PM
@ anon 4:02
apparently you have never heard Girls
Posted by Ray | November 6, 2009 4:12 PM
HEY! thats me playing piano with andrew w.k! a good friend who ALWAYS hooks it up!
check out my musicccccccc:
myspace.com/thedelay
Posted by Nick Noto | November 6, 2009 4:19 PM
myspace.com/isuck
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 4:26 PM
I though I saw Jeremy Jay in the crows. He was wearing a tight orange sweater with holes in it. He left half-way into the Vivian Girls' set. Signed my ticket stub. Cool dude.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 4:35 PM
The girl in a blue shirt is NOT Katie Stelmanis. Just FTR
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 4:37 PM
Jeremy Jay is the best thing to happen to the NYC music scene in a long long time.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 4:39 PM
is it really true about the way they got that name?
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 4:46 PM
cheMEHstry of common life
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 4:53 PM
na you suck
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 4:55 PM
i smell a dirty burt benson in the crowd!
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 5:03 PM
nick noto - you're an eager attn whore. you outlasted your welcome onstage last night by about 3 minutes.
Posted by sammyb | November 6, 2009 5:04 PM
The girl in a blue shirt is NOT Katie Stelmanis. Just FTR
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 4:37 PM
Yeah, it's her guitar player - she's wearing pink/fuchsia.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 5:07 PM
maybe even 5 minutes? go fuck yourself, i was having a good time.
Posted by nick | November 6, 2009 5:55 PM
I really dont understand this hysteria over Fucked Up.
Yeah me too. I like sloppy bands sometimes, but these guys are just overhyped beyond belief and playing this venue having cheesy sing a longs on stage not to mention the atrocious opening bands.
And some people had the balls to talk shit about Throbbing Gristle when they played here with their varied great history.
This show was obviously crap so it speaks volumes of the local hype machine that this ever made it to this venue. What an overload of beards, bad irony, and ear splitting bad harmonies by the opening bands. How silly! Theres a big guy on me screaming.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 5:56 PM
did titus make it through the show without blogging about the security?
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 6:14 PM
Why do you people even bother going to shows if all youre gonna do is bitch about how overhyped and how terrible you think the bands are? Next time stay home and watch jay leno instead of crying about what a crappy night you had.
Posted by anonymous | November 6, 2009 7:02 PM
I stayed at home to make instructional videos on hummus recipes that had never been done before.
What did you add to society buddy.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 7:15 PM
darren maybee stayed home cuz pink eye cropping his style foo
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 7:20 PM
"I though I saw Jeremy Jay in the crows. He was wearing a tight orange sweater with holes in it. He left half-way into the Vivian Girls' set. Signed my ticket stub. Cool dude."
Really? The Vivian Girls didn't play last night you dumb fuck.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 7:42 PM
"I stayed at home to make instructional videos on hummus recipes that had never been done before.
What did you add to society buddy."
Well sir, you have a right to complain about last night then since you obviously had a very productive evening.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 7:45 PM
I keep looking for the viv girls...but i don't see 'em.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 10:20 PM
that fat dude likes man ass in his face.
Posted by Anonymous | November 6, 2009 11:03 PM
all due respect to fucked up, they put on a good show. but titus andronicus was un freaking believable. they get better every time i see them. hopefully they can put it together on wax next time around.
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 12:45 AM
really titus... i don't get it...yeah fucked up are over hyped hardcore, but titus is like nirvana but bad, i could barely get what was trying to be done.
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 1:59 AM
why does that girl have fake blood on her?
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 2:05 AM
I DONT GET THEM...OVER HYPED...WHY THIS...WHY THAT...stfu you losers
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 2:21 AM
Ian Andronicus. that haircut is not working, makes you look fat. also when did fucked up (aside from pinkeye) get so cute and twee looking?
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 6:56 AM
What I would've given to be there...
Posted by Tender B. | November 7, 2009 8:35 AM
did titus do any weezer tunes? did they replace a guitar player in the last year?
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 12:11 PM
i hope titus didnt do any coke and take pictures of it thursday night, that would be hypocritical
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 12:35 PM
jeremy jay is from LA and is whatever
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 1:21 PM
every one on this post <3 weezer and jacked off to it when they were 12 so shut up. if you're on brooklyn vegan you like fruity tunes.
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 3:28 PM
looks so fucking lame!
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2009 3:56 PM
total high school talent show
Posted by Anonymous | November 10, 2009 1:50 AM