System of a Down Concert Rocked

The playlist:

SOLDIER SIDE
BYOB
REVENGA
KNOW
NEEDLES
DEER DANCE
SUGGESTIONS
PSYCHO
CHOP SUEY
KILL ROCK N ROLL
SAD STATUE
VIOLENT PORN
MR. JACK
CIGARO
COCAINE
BOUNCE
ATWA
FOREST
LOST IN HOLLYWOOD
QUESTION!
WAR?
PRISON
AERIALS
TOXICITY
SCIENCE
SUITE PEE
SUGAR

They also threw in Hypnotize, the title song of their upcoming CD, claiming that it was the first time they ever played it live. It was a bit of a mello song, but was still good. In a nut shell, System of a Down kicked ass!! Soldier Side pumped everyone up because we all knew that BYOB was going to come right after it. I would have prefered that closed with newer music, but Suite Pee and Sugar are two great songs. I was a bit suprised that more of the music wasn't from Hypnotize, but what they played kicked ass. My ears are ringing and my voice hurts from screaming. They played almost every song I could have wanted them to play. The stage performances were a little different here and there, like when the guitar player used a voice synthesizer durning War?. A little strange, but a good effect. If I wanted them to play everything exactly like on the CD, Why bother going to a concert?

The Mars Volta was pretty good. I don't know that I'd pay to see them as a headliner, but they had moments when they kicked ass. The guitar player and singer bounced up and down a lot and were all over the place. The crowd went a little crazy when one of the band members took up a flute, circa Jethro Tull. It seemed like no one ever heard a flute played before. He played it well though. I think that I would have liked them more if I was more familiar with their music. It was like a jam session mixing aspects of Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd and Rush (Caress of Steel).

The worst part of the whole show was the opening band, Hella. THEY BLEW CHUNKS!! I have no idea where they were dug up from. It started out with the drummer coming out and playing a bit of a solo, then the guitar player came out and joined in. It sounded like the grand finale of an 80's rock show. Only, it wasn't a finale, it was the show. After about five minutes of guitar solo and drum solo grotesquely combined into a level of musical hell that I never experienced, (and I was in a garage band for a few years) more band members came out with more instruments and they all started playing solos. Only they were all on top of each other adding to the musical chaos, and my head ache. The singer, if you could call him that, started wailing and screaming about genocide or something like that and maybe poop, we couldn't tell. The show ended in an reverse order from the beginning. The band members left, the guitar player left, and finally, (after a few more minutes if drum solo) the drummer left. Honestly, I am giving Hella more of a write up than they deserve. It was aweful. There were boos, and then cheers when they finally left the stage. The drummer was really the only good part. He had some serious chops. He had to, he played a fast paced drum solo for the entire show. Whatever happened to keeping time for the music?

All in all, I am SO glad that I went to the show. It would have been the best show I've seen (aside from Rush, who will forever be number one in my book)if the opening band wasn't so aweful. I think the Korn show I saw ranks a little higher, only because Staind opened for them. I seriously wanted to leave during Hella.

Going to concerts always makes me feel a bit dirty. The girls that go to these shows are all too young and dress too sluty. Sure you can say, "well don't look, perv," but it's impossible unless I close my eyes, only because they are everywhere. What's wrong with parents letting teen girls wear pants that barely come up to above their ass cracks and tops that a little more than bras? One girl was wearing a top so small that her boobies were already popping out, and then half way through the show she took her top off and was only in her bra. (She was sitting in front of us, I wasn't stalking.) I just hope that the style changes before Alydia is a teen. I'll certainly do my best to make her think that frumpy sweat suits are in. I don't want guys like me looking at her in that way.