Phoenix

Saturday I saw Phoenix at the Tabernacle. They weren't so awesome as when I saw them last, but it was still a good show (there were some tempo issues, some togetherness issues). Nonetheless, the band was energetic and fun.

Another overly enthusiastic Atlanta audience... The last time I saw Phoenix was before the band had been embraced by mainstream radio (sold out a venue capacity of 1800); Saturday's show at the Tabernacle was sold out (capacity of 2600). The difference between the audience at the Variety Playhouse show and the Tabernacle show is entirely due to the blood alcohol level of those additional 800 people.

Example: at the VP show, there was a chatty couple who stopped chatting as soon as I pointed out to them that others were there to hear the music. At the Tabernacle show, the dude behind me frequently let loose this ear piercing, equilibrium destroying frat boy holler in between hits on his skunk-weed filled pipe. Pair the contact high with that deep-throated, high-pitched vibrato-heavy holler that says "hey, look world, I am awesomely paying attention" and there were moments where I forgot my own name.

Another example: at VP, we sat in the balcony and had almost no smoke or spilled beverages in our area. At the Tabernacle show, I spent the second half of the show with my hand firmly on the sweaty small of some gigantor, posturing drunk guy to keep his overly muscled self at least 3 inches from me. I wore more of his beer than he drank.

It may be obvious that I prefer smaller shows populated mostly with an artist's devoted following. I know what to expect when it's an audience full of drunk cowboys or too cool for school hipsters. And then there's a certain bond formed when we are all singing along with every song. That bonding overcomes a measure of assholery.