[break hiatus]
Dear Asobi Seksu:
The next time your band goes on more than an hour after its understood start time, please don’t stand up there untangling your fucking Christmas lights. If you really feel they’re a key part of your band’s sound (which is, otherwise, lovely (at least when your guitarist isn’t singing)), then you’ve got a problem; either way, come prepared.
*
On a related note, I’m never, ever going to another show at the Mercury Lounge on a day when management there has squeezed in a separate-charge, early-evening performance. This is the third time I’ve been there on such a night, and the club doesn’t have seem to have the wherewithal to make these things start/end on time. Tonight’s lag time (beyond the understood 30 minutes) was aggravated by every band on the slate. None displayed any urgency when it came to getting their acts together and up on stage.
I left wanting to display a similar urgency in discussing their music, purchasing their product, attending their future performances.
[resume hiatus]
Agreed on all counts except the light untangling...Hanna was still setting
up all his stuff and gadgets right up until they hit the first note.
What's the rest of the band supposed to do, stand and stare?
what time did AS actually go on. When things were running behind, I thought
I could sneak out, go see the 1900s at Arlene's then make it back. But the
1900s were running late too and that didn't end till almost 1am and by that
time I just said screw it and went home.
I stand fast on the lights. The bassist started setting them up before
even touching his instrument. The singer was running on and off stage,
getting frustrated with the lights, other band members were stopping to
help her. Spool that shit.