To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid to go to this show. After their engagement at the Parish earlier in the year, I was more than certain that anything of theirs after that couldn't live up to such a great show. Everything was pretty much set up for something lesser than what I saw in February - it was the departure tour for one of the members, playing tracks off their new, mystery album meant we, as an audience, wouldn't be able to sing and dance along quite as well and the sound at Emo's has been scientifically proven to be horrible. As always, I need a good smack in the head. I should know better. The simple fact is, you put a good band on a stage, and they'll know how to put on a show. Los Campesinos!, my friends, is a good band.

Despite readying the release of a new album, Los Campesinos! was playing to an audience expecting their classics - the songs we knew, the songs we can absolutely go crazy to - and they knew this. The setlist for that night was carefully picked to flatter us, to make sure everyone rightfully loses their shit at some point in the show. The breakdown was as follows - by the start of the first track, 80% had lost their shit, and every minute of song from that point on increased it by another 7% with a margin of error of about plus/minus 2%. It didn't take much to start the frenzy that invariably ensues at every Los Campesinos! show.

As always, Los Campesinos! come highly recommended if not for the fact that, of the few bands cocky enough to use an exclamation point in their name, Los Campesinos! are the only ones understating it. Ideally, they should be Los Campesinos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If these guys come within 100 miles of you, I suggest you hightail it to the venue they happen to be destroying that night.




Various Songs From Los Campesinos! (all songs are right click - save as):
Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks
The International Tweexcore Underground
Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #1

Check out whether or not their tour comes near you at their site.
Be their friend!

Labels: Emo's, Retrospective