Menomena last night was great, except no one seemed to really appreciate it. In the front row we were trying to hold it down, doing our part, movin’ and groovin’. But I look back to to greeted with a sea of nonplussed faces and still bodies. What the fuck? Doesn’t this town know how to have fun? Doesn’t this town know how to be respectful? Let me start from the beginning…

First of all, it is not okay to throw beer at the band. Yes a beer can cup was thrown at Menomena’s drummer while he was setting up his drums, before the set started. Secondly it’s not okay to insult the band, and especially after throwing said beer can. “Let’s get started Assholes!” is not the way to ingratiate yourself with the act you paid money to see. Said drunk dude was promptly manhandled out of the building. This wasn’t the only case of disrespect, just the most blatant. The band came on at around midnight (possibly some of the reason that people were irate) toting saxophones, guitars, keyboards, and pedals of all types. The drummer took off his shoes in order to play barefoot and waited patiently for the litany of wires to be sorted out and plugged in properly, until all was in readiness. Once they got started, the monotony of waiting was lost.

Earlier in the week they had performed in Portland with a 25 person choir, and were using that setlist for this night as well (but obviously not with a choir). The show was sold out, so the room was filled, but it didn’t have the feel an amped up, high intensity room; of a crowd bent on having a good time. With the exception of a few of us in front (including one really drunk hippy dancing couple), people seemed totally indifferent to what was before them. No nodding heads, no engrossed faces, just blank stares.

Anyways, whatever everyone else was doing (or not doing), Abbey and I, pressed against the front of the stage, proceeded to have a kick ass time. I felt ridiculous at moments because of the big grin I had on. I’m trying to identify why that was. Maybe it was because these guys were playing multiple instruments through the course of a single song. Or possibly that all three of them sang lead parts for certain songs. I myself played alto sax as my first instrument so maybe it was those saxes on stage. At the time though, I know that I wasn’t thinking too deeply about it (especially  after two PBR Tallboy cans) and I guess I was just taken by everything about the moment.

By the time 1am came around, due to the poor audience response of not clapping, Menomena decided not to do an encore. I sort of thought that would be the case when the drummer took one of his symbols off the stage with him when he left though, so I don’t know if clapping would have helped. They played hard for a solid hour and killed it in my opinion, so encore or not, I was happy. 

Flickr Set Here. (15 photos)

Full setlist:

The Pelican
Weird
Wet and Rusting
20 Cell Revolution
Muscle’n'Flo
Strongest Man in the World
my my
boyskout’n
Cough Coughing
Running
Ghostship
The Late Great Libido
Evil Bee
Rotten Hell
So Long, Farewell

Update:

For the die hard fans, a picture of the setlist, complete with choir song annotations.