Venue: The Aragon Ballroom (see previous review)(2.5/5) I was up on the balcony and got to observe the venue from a different angle, which solved some of the problems The Aragon has, namely ventilation and being able to see as a short person. I also had the unpleasant experience of being near their “coat check” which is a lie. Its a shady woman in the ladies room who just sticks your stuff under the counter and apparently also does not have change. She had wandered off with a twenty from the girl in front of me. I don’t know what became of that as my girlfriend and I took one look at each other and decided to get the fuck out of Dodge. Which meant I spend the show with the stuff I’d brought from the comic book convention I’d been to earlier. Luckily we were in the seated section.
The Crowd: (4/5) I had an interesting perspective on the massive crowd as I was removed from the bulk who were on the floor. They were an active bunch. Especially for 30 Seconds to Mars. As a member of the 30 seconds to mars “Echelon” I’ve been impressed by the fervor in that fan-base. They are intensely devoted and damn, are they loud. I got to see a visual representation of this pleasant fanaticism. When Front man Jared Leto said “take three steps forward,” the entire crowd not just shuffled, but surged forward. The crowd for that part of the show was just as wild and passionate as Leto.
On to the show.
Neon Trees (2/5): They had a song that said something to the effect of “take me back to 1985” and I agree that they should perhaps go back to 1985 and leave 2010 to people who aren’t stuck in the past. A decent sound musically, the front man was a touch whiney both in the vocals and the lyrics. Very much 80s revival music they sounded like a bad attempt at billy idol with a little bit of metro station’s perky beat.
Pleasantly, they are better recorded. Still a little 80s bubblegum without actually being 80s bubblegum for my taste.
Mutemath (2/5) Too many strobe lights with too little talent and too many laser sounds. The show had an odd division the first half was fair at best with way too many flashy lights. Toward the end of the set, they suddenly gained some talent and quite literally trashed the stage, throwing soundboards, guitars and drums everywhere. The front man even screwed up the mic. While they were a fun listen, this band was more show than substance.
30 Seconds to Mars (6/5)-- 30STM, as they are known in the fan community, is a powerhouse of, layered instrumentation, intense effects and a front man whose stage presence alone could leave many bands in the dust. On top of his incredibly powerful prescience and striking good looks, Leto has a voice like none other with incredible power, range and precision. He was deep in the crowd for parts of the show, playing both the main-stage and a smaller, jury rigged stage in the sound both. His graciousness came as a pleasant surprise. He was also very gracious to the fans, expounding on how much that night, and his fans meant to him and his band.
The band itself was precise and very professional. On top of their coordination, each member could stand on his own. However, there was no mistaking that this was Leto’s show, not for vanity or lack of talent on the band’s half, but for the simple fact that Leto is a force on stage.
I look forward to whatever 30 Seconds to Mars does next, this band is something to be reckoned with and if the evolution of their albums is any indicator, we have not seen one tenth what they are capable of.
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