Friday, January 02, 2009
Bum Rush the Espy Public Enemy Show
I bought tickets when they were first released, figuring seeing Public Enemy in a small venue was well worth $70, even if it was the night after New Year's Eve. It was a mistake and I mostly blame the legendary Espy pub.
Since time began, when you pay to see a band at the Espy, they are in the Gershwin Room, and I have always been happy with that venue.
Presumptions I made in error:
1. That I would be able to see the Jungle Brothers support act followed by Public Enemy. They actually played simultaneously on 2 different stages. Bad luck if you liked both bands.
2. That I would be able to see and hear Public Enemy. They performed in the Lounge, and the stage is only about 1 metre high. Anyone under 6 feet tall, in the back half of the Lounge could not see the band. The sound wasn't very good either.
3. That considering it was the day after New Year's Eve, the band would be on at a reasonable hour. They started at 1:50AM, after someone (Griff?) said "yeeeah boyz" for half an hour. We turned up at 9 and when we saw the listed start time of 1AM for both Public Enemy and Jungle Brothers, we went and saw a movie (Slumdog Millionaire, excellent), and still had a long, long wait.
4. That I would hear all their hits. They announced that their set would be "It Takes a Nation of Millions..." track by track. It might be their best album, but it is half filler, songs I rather swap for hits.
5. That I could drink beer and go to the toilet. There were too many people. It might have been the alright if half the audience were in the Gershwin Room watching the Jungle Brothers... but I presume everyone was there for Public Enemy. If it was possible to get to the Gershwin Room I would've popped in to count the audience there. As it was, I had to leave the venue and go to the park across the road for a pee, as it was impossible to move in the venue.
To top it all off, every drink was served in a plastic cup, and pots were $4.50.
The band were alright, maybe great if I could have gotten close to the stage and actually seen them. Their lateness, perhaps a combo of Espy greed and trying to get Chuck D away from whatever his vice might be. He's gotta have one!
UPDATE: Three other blog reviews of the gig:
http://maxcelcat.livejournal.com/259232.html
http://nickjam.blogspot.com/2009/01/public-enemy-epsy-1109.html
http://scribulator.blogspot.com/2009/01/so-i-know-what-time-it-is-bro.html
Since time began, when you pay to see a band at the Espy, they are in the Gershwin Room, and I have always been happy with that venue.
Presumptions I made in error:
1. That I would be able to see the Jungle Brothers support act followed by Public Enemy. They actually played simultaneously on 2 different stages. Bad luck if you liked both bands.
2. That I would be able to see and hear Public Enemy. They performed in the Lounge, and the stage is only about 1 metre high. Anyone under 6 feet tall, in the back half of the Lounge could not see the band. The sound wasn't very good either.
3. That considering it was the day after New Year's Eve, the band would be on at a reasonable hour. They started at 1:50AM, after someone (Griff?) said "yeeeah boyz" for half an hour. We turned up at 9 and when we saw the listed start time of 1AM for both Public Enemy and Jungle Brothers, we went and saw a movie (Slumdog Millionaire, excellent), and still had a long, long wait.
4. That I would hear all their hits. They announced that their set would be "It Takes a Nation of Millions..." track by track. It might be their best album, but it is half filler, songs I rather swap for hits.
5. That I could drink beer and go to the toilet. There were too many people. It might have been the alright if half the audience were in the Gershwin Room watching the Jungle Brothers... but I presume everyone was there for Public Enemy. If it was possible to get to the Gershwin Room I would've popped in to count the audience there. As it was, I had to leave the venue and go to the park across the road for a pee, as it was impossible to move in the venue.
To top it all off, every drink was served in a plastic cup, and pots were $4.50.
The band were alright, maybe great if I could have gotten close to the stage and actually seen them. Their lateness, perhaps a combo of Espy greed and trying to get Chuck D away from whatever his vice might be. He's gotta have one!
UPDATE: Three other blog reviews of the gig:
http://maxcelcat.livejournal.com/259232.html
http://nickjam.blogspot.com/2009/01/public-enemy-epsy-1109.html
http://scribulator.blogspot.com/2009/01/so-i-know-what-time-it-is-bro.html
Labels: espy, public enemy
