I did. They were solid. Only knew one song, the one they just released a video for. Surreal to see all three bands on such a small stage, with like 50 people. >iowa
I'm just going to post full on three day review, mostly for myself because my memory is so bad I feel like this will just all be a blur later.
6/4 Tame Impala-Cleveland 6/5 Unknown Mortal Orchestra-Pontiac 6/6 Unknown Mortal Orchestra-Chicago The original gameplan involved the same friend going with me to all of the shows in one go. He did make it to all of the shows, but he ended up having to work the the day of Tame Impala in Cleveland which is 2 hours away. While this was my sixth time seeing Tame Impala and I'd had my ticket for months, my friend had just seen them for the first time two weeks prior and wanted to see them again giving him little time to get approved for vaca. I wasn't going to wait for him to get off work to drive 2 hours and get there after doors. I showed up at 1 with doors at 7 and saw nobody in line yet, I wasn't going to start the trend. Wander around and end up at a bar, eventually going back to my car to charge up for awhile before giving the line another go. At 3:30 I got in line, probably the best time because I was a few people back but in between some really great people that really helped pass time. I bought cheap earbuds specifically for waiting in line by myself and didn't even use them. I felt like a badass because almost everyone was seeing them for the first time while this was my sixth go. Eventually me and the people behind me consisting of a girl also by herself and a couple decided to make an effort to stick together to the barrier. After getting in and getting our spots, I only talked to the dude who happened to be named Zion. It was shortly before the opening band, Kuroma, that he told me "Oh yeah, full disclosure, I'm on LSD right now." Asked him when he dropped and he told me right when they got in line. Kuroma were solid openers although they didn't quite make the impression Mini Mansions did a couple weeks prior opening for Tame Impala. I told my new friend Zion about the process of the Tame setup that I've now gotten down pat. It's long and consists of one guy testing every instrument himself...twice, then walking off stage. Everybody is excited and cheers when he leaves only for him to walk back out and do another go 'round. He's done this almost every time, I've gotten the process down. As for Tame Impala themselves, I was stationed on the right in front of Jay on keys. I spent a lot of time focusing on the minor details of how the show works. I saw a lot more gestures to the side of the stage for adjustments than I ever remember seeing. From everybody too, not just Kevin. They mixed around a lot of the jams that I associated and originally assumed were just for the songs I've heard them with before. Like they played the Desire Be, Desire Go jam during Elephant and then after that played a reggae jam that I've heard about but never seen which was fucking awesome. I think it might have been the positioning but some things didn't seems quite as smooth as the previous show I'd seen. Like the transition from Oscilly where Kevin plays with the reactive screen with his guitar feeding straight into 'Cause I'm a Man just didn't go off quite as smoothly. All in all it was the fantastic show I've grown accustomed to seeing from Tame Impala.
After Tame Impala we spent the night near Cleveland because my friend is a bitch and his supposedly out headlight made him not want to drive home. The next day we made a stop back home to prepare for the next part of the trip. I believed that UMO wouldn't have nearly the line that Tame Impala would have and for the most part I was right. The show was at a venue in Pontiac that I'd been to before, but before I got that I had believed it was at a bigger part of the venue referred to as the ballroom. It's pretty big, two stories high and has a balcony. Not quite, even better though because as it turns out it was in the building next door which is an upstairs venue. Super small, super intimate, the stage is only a foot high and to get on stage the band has to walk through the crowd. While waiting in line, the show sold out about a half hour before doors. In five buildings next to each other, all had events that night and all shared one massive parking lot. One of which was hosting a birthday party. The door divided the rapidly growing line in two and it was hilarious seeing the people dressed up for a birthday party looking around lost before one of us in line would ask if they were looking forth the birthday party. We were also entertained by a homeless man who I believe was on PCP because he mentioned a lot of PCP and had some really fucking out there stories. Finally it was time to head upstairs. Before the first band, J Fernandez came on, I started talking to the girl next to me. She seemed to be struggling and when I asked her what the problem was she goes "just please don't judge me." Turns out she was just drunk as a motherfucker. She downed a ton of vodka and greatly overestimated her own tolerance....and she drove herself. Promised I would help make sure she didn't fall even though she clearly didn't understand that I standing next to her could not prevent her from falling back. J Fernandez was an interesting group, kind of slow but something I could dig. Seemed like the vocalist was kind of the driving factor in the group and I started wondering if he were in fact, the J Fernandez. Finally a moment I had been waiting a good two years for, an UMO headlining set. I saw Ruben walk through the crowd with a tub containing a bottle of vodka and a bottle of orange juice...my body was ready. A few chords and slowly the band came in together before stopping and jumping into Like Acid Rain. New to the set up since the first and only time I'd seen them was a man named Quincy playing keyboards, a position not previously in the live band. Quickly I realized how the tone completely changed with that addition. Before the band was actually pretty heavy and rocked out. They still did, but the keyboard just added so much to the set that made it more smooth and mellow sounding. Ruben broke out some moves for From the Sun while shredding his guitar. The crowd was into it, the band was into it...everything felt perfect. While So Good At Being In Trouble is probably Ruben's most popular song under the UMO name, it was never one of my favorites. But hearing the crowd sing a long with it was just beautiful. The song lead to a jam that slowly and slowly wound down to Ruben sitting on the floor playing. All of the new songs were great live and had everybody dancing. During Ffunny Ffriends, the song broke away from its normal self into Quincy wailing out the ever so catchy and soul melting riff by himself on the keys. He was improving a ton and every last bit was great. The band broke for their encore and to my surprise actually walked off stage which proved to be an effort with the dense crowd. Eventually they came back and played Necessary Evil. After that, Jake said something to Ruben who then said "This song goes out to Aisha." Immediately we hear Aisha lose her shit. At first the crowd wants Aisha to make it up front, but when that happens, the crowd realizes it made a mistake. Aisha was drunk, Aisha couldn't shut the fuck up. Aisha tried telling Ruben her life story while he's sitting with a guitar in his hand trying to play the last song. "I....I..we need to pick this up a bit...We're trying to play one last song Aisha" Then Can't Keep Checking My Phone kicks in and I hear the cowbells from the sound check earlier in all their glory. After the set, we stick around because I'm not gonna not fucking meet Ruben Nielson if I'm given the chance. Found out they also had a tour poster. Sadly drunk Aisha thought Ruben was only there to talk to her, he was clearly distressed and I didn't know how to in any way assist but I didn't want to stand there like a tool waiting for her to stop. I briefly interjected, said a few words, shook his hand and asked him to sign my poster..all while Aisha was still talking.
On to Chicago... Yeah man I've been drinking and I went into more detail than I imagined. That and it's not like anybody is reading these. Probs finish later.
Got to venue. Friend was working gate and she had to pat me down lol. Walked in half way through Hell Yeah. They suck. King went on. snuck into seated area. Set was classics, King sounded awesome and the band was tight was as usual. Figured the stage show was gonna be more extravagant, but it was still cool. King ended. Talked to my pals then headed out. Some drunk guy said I looked like Phil Lynott
Got to venue. Friend was working gate and she had to pat me down lol. Walked in half way through Hell Yeah. They suck. King went on. snuck into seated area. Set was classics, King sounded awesome and the band was tight was as usual. Figured the stage show was gonna be more extravagant, but it was still cool. King ended. Talked to my pals then headed out. Some drunk guy said I looked like Phil Lynott
Comments
ive never seen val air so empty.
>iowa
6/4 Tame Impala-Cleveland 6/5 Unknown Mortal Orchestra-Pontiac 6/6 Unknown Mortal Orchestra-Chicago
The original gameplan involved the same friend going with me to all of the shows in one go. He did make it to all of the shows, but he ended up having to work the the day of Tame Impala in Cleveland which is 2 hours away. While this was my sixth time seeing Tame Impala and I'd had my ticket for months, my friend had just seen them for the first time two weeks prior and wanted to see them again giving him little time to get approved for vaca. I wasn't going to wait for him to get off work to drive 2 hours and get there after doors. I showed up at 1 with doors at 7 and saw nobody in line yet, I wasn't going to start the trend. Wander around and end up at a bar, eventually going back to my car to charge up for awhile before giving the line another go. At 3:30 I got in line, probably the best time because I was a few people back but in between some really great people that really helped pass time. I bought cheap earbuds specifically for waiting in line by myself and didn't even use them. I felt like a badass because almost everyone was seeing them for the first time while this was my sixth go. Eventually me and the people behind me consisting of a girl also by herself and a couple decided to make an effort to stick together to the barrier. After getting in and getting our spots, I only talked to the dude who happened to be named Zion. It was shortly before the opening band, Kuroma, that he told me "Oh yeah, full disclosure, I'm on LSD right now." Asked him when he dropped and he told me right when they got in line. Kuroma were solid openers although they didn't quite make the impression Mini Mansions did a couple weeks prior opening for Tame Impala. I told my new friend Zion about the process of the Tame setup that I've now gotten down pat. It's long and consists of one guy testing every instrument himself...twice, then walking off stage. Everybody is excited and cheers when he leaves only for him to walk back out and do another go 'round. He's done this almost every time, I've gotten the process down. As for Tame Impala themselves, I was stationed on the right in front of Jay on keys. I spent a lot of time focusing on the minor details of how the show works. I saw a lot more gestures to the side of the stage for adjustments than I ever remember seeing. From everybody too, not just Kevin. They mixed around a lot of the jams that I associated and originally assumed were just for the songs I've heard them with before. Like they played the Desire Be, Desire Go jam during Elephant and then after that played a reggae jam that I've heard about but never seen which was fucking awesome. I think it might have been the positioning but some things didn't seems quite as smooth as the previous show I'd seen. Like the transition from Oscilly where Kevin plays with the reactive screen with his guitar feeding straight into 'Cause I'm a Man just didn't go off quite as smoothly. All in all it was the fantastic show I've grown accustomed to seeing from Tame Impala.
After Tame Impala we spent the night near Cleveland because my friend is a bitch and his supposedly out headlight made him not want to drive home. The next day we made a stop back home to prepare for the next part of the trip. I believed that UMO wouldn't have nearly the line that Tame Impala would have and for the most part I was right. The show was at a venue in Pontiac that I'd been to before, but before I got that I had believed it was at a bigger part of the venue referred to as the ballroom. It's pretty big, two stories high and has a balcony. Not quite, even better though because as it turns out it was in the building next door which is an upstairs venue. Super small, super intimate, the stage is only a foot high and to get on stage the band has to walk through the crowd. While waiting in line, the show sold out about a half hour before doors. In five buildings next to each other, all had events that night and all shared one massive parking lot. One of which was hosting a birthday party. The door divided the rapidly growing line in two and it was hilarious seeing the people dressed up for a birthday party looking around lost before one of us in line would ask if they were looking forth the birthday party. We were also entertained by a homeless man who I believe was on PCP because he mentioned a lot of PCP and had some really fucking out there stories. Finally it was time to head upstairs. Before the first band, J Fernandez came on, I started talking to the girl next to me. She seemed to be struggling and when I asked her what the problem was she goes "just please don't judge me." Turns out she was just drunk as a motherfucker. She downed a ton of vodka and greatly overestimated her own tolerance....and she drove herself. Promised I would help make sure she didn't fall even though she clearly didn't understand that I standing next to her could not prevent her from falling back. J Fernandez was an interesting group, kind of slow but something I could dig. Seemed like the vocalist was kind of the driving factor in the group and I started wondering if he were in fact, the J Fernandez. Finally a moment I had been waiting a good two years for, an UMO headlining set. I saw Ruben walk through the crowd with a tub containing a bottle of vodka and a bottle of orange juice...my body was ready. A few chords and slowly the band came in together before stopping and jumping into Like Acid Rain. New to the set up since the first and only time I'd seen them was a man named Quincy playing keyboards, a position not previously in the live band. Quickly I realized how the tone completely changed with that addition. Before the band was actually pretty heavy and rocked out. They still did, but the keyboard just added so much to the set that made it more smooth and mellow sounding. Ruben broke out some moves for From the Sun while shredding his guitar. The crowd was into it, the band was into it...everything felt perfect. While So Good At Being In Trouble is probably Ruben's most popular song under the UMO name, it was never one of my favorites. But hearing the crowd sing a long with it was just beautiful. The song lead to a jam that slowly and slowly wound down to Ruben sitting on the floor playing. All of the new songs were great live and had everybody dancing. During Ffunny Ffriends, the song broke away from its normal self into Quincy wailing out the ever so catchy and soul melting riff by himself on the keys. He was improving a ton and every last bit was great. The band broke for their encore and to my surprise actually walked off stage which proved to be an effort with the dense crowd. Eventually they came back and played Necessary Evil. After that, Jake said something to Ruben who then said "This song goes out to Aisha." Immediately we hear Aisha lose her shit. At first the crowd wants Aisha to make it up front, but when that happens, the crowd realizes it made a mistake. Aisha was drunk, Aisha couldn't shut the fuck up. Aisha tried telling Ruben her life story while he's sitting with a guitar in his hand trying to play the last song. "I....I..we need to pick this up a bit...We're trying to play one last song Aisha" Then Can't Keep Checking My Phone kicks in and I hear the cowbells from the sound check earlier in all their glory. After the set, we stick around because I'm not gonna not fucking meet Ruben Nielson if I'm given the chance. Found out they also had a tour poster. Sadly drunk Aisha thought Ruben was only there to talk to her, he was clearly distressed and I didn't know how to in any way assist but I didn't want to stand there like a tool waiting for her to stop. I briefly interjected, said a few words, shook his hand and asked him to sign my poster..all while Aisha was still talking.
On to Chicago...
Yeah man I've been drinking and I went into more detail than I imagined. That and it's not like anybody is reading these. Probs finish later.