Venue: (3/6) The Congress is an elderly relic of a time gone by, and looks/sounds it. It’s obvious that the ceilings and walls used to be ornately decorated, but the molding and paint have faded and chipped, lending a simultaneously run down and endearingly worn feeling to the atmosphere. It used to be a theater, so the sloped floor lends both access to airflow and a better vantage point for those of us who are of shorter stature. The sound system has the problem all older speakers have—the distorted bass and weak middle range. Fortunately, I was at a post-punk show and the distortion wasn’t as detrimental... well, at least not to the main act.
Neon Trees: (4/6) One part Billy Idol, one part Freddie Mercury front man, Tyler Glenn took the stage with a brash attitude true to punk. Glenn didn’t care if his band was headlining or opening, he was going to play his set and get the audience involved. While the ever-true anger at the little things that get under one’s skin often brings out the sympathy in anyone, I found that they didn’t quite connect with the people who weren’t familiar with their work; if you were a fan it was fun, but otherwise, the energy wasn’t quite there.
Glenn was also far and away the most talented of his band and the most iconic. The guitar work was just a hair inharmonious and the drum work was flat out off.
Overall, I had a great time with them. They aren’t there yet, and I don’t think they mind that fact.
The Offspring (5/6): It was an honor to listen to a band that is one of the fathers of post-punk. The Offspring formed right smack in the middle of the punk movement and managed to adhere to that feel in a time when punk in the truest sense was dying. Their influence on my generation’s music is near unparalleled. Echoes of their sound ring throughout the alterative rock and post punk movements.
After twenty-six years they still have it.
While The Offspring are far from their peak, they are also far from finished. Moreover, they understand who they are playing for. While there were a few songs off of their newest album, the majority of their set was their older stuff. I will admit that nostalgia made the show even better. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of skill involved. In particular, I was impressed with the guitar work. If you’re reading this, I’m sure you are familiar with the old running jokes about talent (or lack thereof) involved in punk music. This could not be further from the truth in the case of The Offspring. I am used to allowing for a degree of noise work in punk, which made the clarity and deliberateness in the guitar work all the more remarkable.
All told it was a wonderful show, and I would happily see them again.
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