Artist: Joust
Date: 4/09/04
Location: Grand Rapid, MI - Skelletones
Supported by:
Sodastream
The Last Broadcast
Andy Dick Tracy Morgan Freeman
The City Sleep

Shortly after that show I learned that Joust (who I'd yet to experience in their entirety) would soon be breaking up. That's what brought me to this show, Joust's last, and my first time seeing them. The show was at a trying to be hip little coffee bar in Grand Rapids called Skelletones or something like that. I think it has a different name actually, but everybody calls it Skelletones. It was the typical neo-hippie pseudo-punk (READ: EMO) atmosphere...so many sensitive vibes flowing I almost wanted to cry. But seriously, the emo crowd is a cool lot (good music) if not a little bit naive.

Anyway...I'll try to stay on track...the show. The first two bands: The City Sleep and Andy Dick Tracy Morgan Freeman offered a couple different takes on the instrumental guitar rock theme. Both bands impressed me very much as I certainly dig on instrumental stuff. The only thing that I can really remember about The City Sleep was how good their drummer was. He hit really really hard...reminded me a little of Dave Grohl. I pretty much watched him their whole set. I need to get their cd, because they sounded pretty cool. Andy Dick Tracy Morgan Freeman was a little more dynamic. They mixed in a few more effects to create an atmospheric sort of sound. It's that fast strumming over lots of echo effects sort of vibe (similar to Dredg). Anyway, they were very cool too. I recommend you check them out if you like Dredg.

The Last Broadcast was okay, they just didn't really appeal to me. They kind of reminded me of a toned down Laguardia. They were your more traditional lead, rhythm, piano style emo band. The only thing that confused me was that the singer played both piano and guitar, and when he played guitar the band had a total of three guitarists (as well as a bass guitar and drummer). It was really a bit much. I didn't see too much need for that extra rhythm guitar. Granted Pearl Jam has done this a few times with Ed playing some lead or rhythm every once in awhile, but they make this work by Stone (rhythm) and McCready (lead) having two very distinct sounds and playing styles. Anyway I don't mean to criticize. It just didn't grab me. They did a great job supporting Joust and interacting with the local crowd though.
Before Joust when onstage a band named Sodastream made a surprise appearance and played three songs, and I consider myself very fortunate to have seen them. They are from Australia and are on their first tour in the states (I believe they are on a US liable). Anyway I bought their cd, so I'll probably be reviewing it sometime soon. They consist of an singer/acoustic guitar player and an upright double bass player. It is a really great acoustic folksy sound that had the crowd wanting more.

After four quick sets Joust was finally ready to take the stage for their final show. From the introduction of the first song the local crowd was amazing. They really gave Joust the energy to play their longest show ever and probably one of their best (if not the best). It was a very upbeat and energetic (and certainly sentimental) performance. Joust has above average stage presence and charisma, but they were almost beside themselves with the crowd response that they were getting, and they needed that extra energy to carry themselves through the extra long set. After a great version of Stand and Applaud the band started packing up their gear, but the crowd wouldn't let them go. As an encore, probably the only one they'd ever played, they played the first song of the set, 2600, again. It was really a pretty sweet moment, the band and the crowd really had a good time. Joust's unapologetic dorky upbeat emo style of rock will honestly be missed. They obviously had a nice little impact on their local scene, and I'm quite glad that I was lucky enough to experience this show. Sometimes a local rock show isn't just a local rock show. Sometimes the music doesn't suck, and sometimes the crowd isn't lame. Rock can still be fun, imagine that.

-drew


Isaiah's comments on the show from his website:
Sunday, April 11, 2004

Joust ended with a hell of a bang. First, there was the flawless opening line-up. The City Sleep played first, and I love how every time they play people ask me who they are and if they have anything available. Andy Dick Tracy Morgan Freeman got up next, and they totally mesmerized the crowd. Jeffy gave me a copy of their new 3songer. Score! Then our old road-buddies the Last Broadcast played. I liked their set because it's the ***** Last Broadcast, but I also felt bad for them because Ryan sounded sick and miserable. He adds so much to that band. Ok, now get this, Sodastream made a surprise appearance. I knew about it already because now I'm totally an insider at skelletones, and it was an honor to share the stage with them. Mike Babb asked me to introduce them, and gave me a free copy of their latest album, too! Double score! They did three songs, told people about the UICA show the next night, and then we got on...

Now, I should probably mention that a few people came a long way for the last show. My friends Mary, Drew, and Gwen drove up from Fort Wayne. Some kid said he came from Massachusetts, but that doesn't make sense at all because we'd never played there. I think he was home for spring break or something. All the same, I thought it was really cool how people were willing to make a trip just to watch li'l ol' us. The award for craziest fan goes to TJ from Rochester, NY. The dude drove ten hours. It still baffles me that he really liked us that much, and it made the night that much better...

Alright, back to the performance. I said hello, introduced 2600, and before we could hit it, the crowd let out a deafening cheer. They sang so loud. "This is the first song?" I thought, "This is everything I wanted." Kenny from One-21 said at our show in Columbus last week that you haven't brought the rock until you've brought a sweat. So I guess we brought the rock somewhere during our second song. We played hard, knowing that we'd probably never play these songs ever again. Eleven songs, smiles, dancing, and sweat. Oh my damn. We ended the set with Stand and Applaud, and tried to unplug and break down, but the crowd kept shouting...

Now, at practice, we discussed not playing an encore. I've always hated planned encores because it feels like a waste of my time, and it turns something magical and spontaneous into a banality. At this moment in the show, however, I don't think we had a choice. I mean, I don't think anyone would have let us off the stage, and there was nowhere to go. Zachary went up to his mic and said, "We have two options. A, we can just end it there because we really don't have any other songs to play, or B, we can play 2600 again." A lesser human being would have lost his hearing at the explosion that happened when he said this. Okay, looks like we're playing an encore, and it's going to not only be the first song we played in our set, but the first song we ever played live. Stephen and Daining took control of my mic and held it over the crowd. We brought it one last time, and to the vocals of a hundred sweaty kids. It was nothing short of magic, and when it ended, it wasn't the sob-fest that I expected. Instead, everyone smiled and hugged and congratulated us on a job well done. In those first days we wanted to bring the fun back into rock and roll, and I guess we did...

I just got home from the Sodastream show at UICA (they dedicated a song to me! And Pete the bass player gave me some contact information to a record label in Melbourne!), and I'm just now starting to think of the events on Friday night with some clarity. It doesn't matter how I feel about the whole thing. Whether things ended good or bad, whether feelings were hurt or not, the fact is that we did something good for Grand Rapids. Maybe we did something good for everyone else we met along the way. I know it changed my life. From here on, nothing will ever be the same...