TSOL

T.S.O.L.
Meat Whistles
Sunn Automatic
F.I.
10/21/00 @ The Green Room 
Tempe, AZ

    This particular night was oddly quite rainy in Tempe, Arizona.  It was a struggle to make it to the venue on time because the roads were so slick. It wasn’t long after 8 that me and my photographer/girlfriend arrived at the venue to see T.S.O.L.  We saw a short lived set of a local band F.I.  I don’t know how to describe their performance.  It was definitely a fresh band just starting, and it wasn’t starting too good.  I only caught the last 2 songs from their performance, which turned out to be longer than expected from anyone.  They had a small following of 2 people singing along on the
microphone.  It was nice to see a good-sized mosh pit at the start of the show.  Their music was more very underground hard punk.

     Soon after F.I. completed their set, the next band Sunn Automatic prepared for their time onstage.  You could tell they were better known since they had a couple groupies.  They started their set and after the 1st song quickly went into a cover of the Deftones’ “My Own Summer (Shove It)” which turned out to be a very good cover.  The rest of the songs were all-original from them.  They were there not because they were punk, but because they were just beginning to get on radio.  Their music was more suitable for a rock/alternative concert.  But overall they were the best behind T.S.O.L. The audience wasn’t too much into them, but you could definitely see people becoming interested.

      Next was the very interesting band, the Meat Whistles.  They had a sound all their own.  It’s very hard to explain, it wasn’t dark, but it sounded that way and very messy.  It was a sound they had strived for it seemed.  The Meat Whistles turned out to be more of a show band than an actual musical band alone.  Examples of this are the $5 they paid some girl for kissing the drummer, the $2 they gave to a girl for pulling down the guitarists pants, and the free pitcher of beer they gave a couple for stripping onstage.  The singer constantly went into the audience singing personally to different audience members, then going to the bar and getting a few “drinks.” The Meat Whistles really didn’t appeal to me at all, but they did have a few good songs like their well-known song “Spider Man.”  All in all it came down that they wanted more personality attention than music talent.  It’s sad to see that in music.

     Finally the all mighty T.S.O.L. took their set.  They started off strong with themselves and the audience and kept it strong on both sides the whole show.  They played all the older favorites including “Code Blue.”  Now I have to admit, I’m not too familiar with their work and I wish I knew more songs to list for you guys, but I don’t and I just want to apologize.  Their set definitely blew all the others away.  No special gimmicks, just them, a stage, and their music.  They just made a new fan from their amazing hour and a half performance.  They brought out the pits in a way no other band was able to the whole night.

     Before I finish off this review I want to say that people need to respect each other.  It’s not the bigger shows that are dangerous; it’s the smaller shows.  More aggression is shown and more assault is used.  I don’t understand how someone can be calling people “posers” because they don’t think they’re punk when they’re out there using and assaulting women inside and outside of the venue.  Someone who’s truly punk or the right person for the show will show respect and know their boundaries.  It’s just a little scary to take a woman to a show and know anything can happen because the one guy decided he wanted to take it a little too far and show off.  So if you’re truly punk, you’re the one watching out for the women, not assaulting
them.  Shows need to be safer to a certain extent that only a person can be assured that they or their girlfriend won’t get raped, or touched in any unwanted fashion.  This show definitely had it’s bad times, but those people will pay and remember, no one’s alone in this situation….Thanks for taking the time to read this and I recommend you go see T.S.O.L. if they’re stopping in your town soon, but be sure to be late because the opening bands aren’t worth the time, unless you’re going to be in the action and not just standing around….Otherwise you’ll be pretty bored and tired the time
T.S.O.L. hits the stage!

Issac Kiehl