Placebo - DC Gig - March 1999
Perhaps surprisingly, Placebo's huge tour bus was parked next to the front entrance of the club. As we had been filing in to the entrance of the 9:30, Brian could be seen pacing around inside the front of the tour bus, smoking, while Stefan and Steve stood next to him. Two girls had been let in to the bus by a burly man in nose rings and lip rings; the girls had talked for a few minutes with the band, and had then emerged back on to the sidewalk.
While watching this scene, I had briefly wondered if it was better to be an official or semi-official "friend of the band" - nice concert review resulting in guest list placement that evening - or to be "eye candy" who gets to board the bus. Tough call! Should've swapped the notebook for a miniskirt, I guess. Too late! I'd received the free ticket to the concert, not to the back of the bus.
Well, never mind. So many bands, so little time. For writing, that is.
Got the best scene, anyway. Ideal: live Placebo bookended by canned Asian Dub Foundation and Led Zeppelin (post-Placebo and pre-Stabbing Westward that evening). It was fun to watch the music register on other fans there such as a tall, stylish dressed girl with reddish hair who bounced happily in time with the music. And it was a good intro for ADF, who is supposed to be in town next month, I believe.
Not ideal: having to witness a slightly Goth-looking band, Flick, whose songs all sounded about the same. At least I could admire the good looks of the lead singer. He punctuated some songs by fluffing up his long dark hair with his hands as he stared with glazed eyes at his microphone. Might not've been water he was drinking from that clear plastic bottle, I suppose.
After Flick's set was over, about twenty minutes of Asian Dub Foundation was blasted at us from the huge speakers at the front of the stage as people stood around scanning the crowd.
The music then stopped, and even the loud murmurs from the crowd ceased. The place was already packed, but everyone pushed forward even more towards the front of the stage. Every few minutes, a round of noise between shouting and screaming erupted from various spots in the audience, and each time everyone leaned forward expectantly, trying to catch a first glimpse of Placebo.
Screams once again! The three men walked onto the stage in semi-darkness and blasted quickly into "Scared of Girls" as fans began to bob up and down in time to the music.
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DFA Records: Holiday Mix 2005
Placebo - Melbourne 1999
