Chicken Rules

When a show feels like a reunion amongst old friends, then it’s clear that the band who is performing is truly special. For me, Against Me! fills that role. I saw them twice on their latest tour, reaffirming my belief that they are terrific performers, while bringing the realization that they are also a different band.

Warren’s departure was a heartbreaking loss. His ear-to-ear smile brought such a distinct personality to the live show. The classic thumbs-up rivaled Fonzy’s as a memorable trademark. He was the first band member I ever spoke to, and I’ll miss him dearly. He recently opened a Mexican food restaurant in Gainesville. I wish him the best.

George Rebelo of Hot Water Music stepped in as an adequate, unsurprising replacement. He’s an excellent drummer, of course, and I’m sure that I’ll warm up to him eventually, but for now he’s still “the new guy.” His drum fills aren’t as fast as Warren’s, but that’s pretty much my only criticism. That, and he has a smaller beard.

The New Haven show was ultimately disappointing. The “hidden” fifth member was a shock, and he was especially unnecessary as a third guitarist on certain songs. Oh well. Several songs killed the energy, and there was nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe that’s my own fault. After all, there are just over twenty-five post-demo Against Me! songs that I have never seen live. Not to imply that I will ever get sick of something like “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong.” That alone makes the show worth attending, every single time.

Crowd surfers deserve to fall hard, though.

Setlist, 4/28/10

High Pressure Low

Don't Lose Touch

New Wave

White Crosses

Pints of Guinness Make You Strong

I Still Love You Julie

Up the Cuts

Ache With Me

Amputations

I Was a Teenage Anarchist

Miami

Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart

Sink, Florida, Sink

Suffocation

Stop

White People for Peace

Cliche Guevara

Thrash Unreal

Rapid Decompression

Turn Those Clapping Hands into Angry Balled Fists

Baby, I'm an Anarchist!

I used the New Haven show as the basis for my contemporary concert report for Music Appreciation, which was due the next morning. I wrote the majority of it in the library, dropping it off at the professor’s mailbox that same day to avoid any late penalties.

The Long Island show was two days later. I went with my sister and my dad, which was automatically more enjoyable as result. Against Me! is my sister’s favorite band, which makes her cooler than most girls her age.

Against Me! played a near-identical set, but for some reason the energy felt much more positive. They played with a noticeable enthusiasm, which tends to reflect the crowd’s own attitude. They also sounded fantastic, as Tom’s voice was clear and distinct. Although the set was extremely predictable, I decided to make the best out of it, embracing the songs that I otherwise can’t get into. Even though the new material abandons the subject matter to which I used to relate, the band’s passion remains. Tom’s priorities have naturally shifted according to his newfound responsibilities as an adult. To demand that his lyrics reflect my own mindset would be incredibly selfish. I applaud his courage and honesty, and will always respect his creative integrity.

Setlist, 4/30/10

High Pressure Low

Don't Lose Touch

New Wave

White Crosses

Pints of Guinness Make You Strong

I Still Love You Julie

Up the Cuts

We're Breaking Up

Amputations

I Was a Teenage Anarchist

The Ocean

Miami

Sink, Florida, Sink

Suffocation

Stop

White People for Peace

Thrash Unreal

Rapid Decompression

Turn Those Clapping Hands into Angry Balled Fists

Cliche Guevara

Baby, I'm an Anarchist!

Unrelated from Against Me!, Dead to Me, the opening band, was terrific. I spoke to Chicken, the bass player, at the New Haven show. Chicken happens to have played in a band called Western Addiction, who released one of my favorite hardcore records of all time in 2005. I asked him if they would record again, to which he replied, "I hope so! Fingers crossed." I saw him again in Long Island while I was waiting in line. He walked by, so I waved and said hello. He stopped, shook my hand and said, "I've met you before." We then struck up a brief conversation. My dad asked him about the tour and Chicken told of his fondness for New York, and of the thrill of watching Against Me! every night. If it's not apparent by now, yeah, Chicken is the man. Seriously, he was one of the sweetest dudes I've ever met. Everyone should check out Dead to Me's Little Brother EP. It's flawless.