In case you were too drunk to remember, Butch Walker kicked some major rock 'n roll ass Saturday night at Raleigh Downtown Live in Moore Square.After a day full of mediocre and at times flat-out lousy rock music (sorry guys, it was) Butch Walker took the stage with his band, the Let's Go Out Tonites, and just took over. Now if only 96 Rock, the radio station sponsoring the show, would actually play his music...
Walker, who released a new album, The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let's Go Out Tonites, July 18, played a healthy dose of songs off that album, but also threw in songs off his 2004 release Letters, two songs from his old band, Marvelous 3, ("Indie Queen" and "Cigarette Lighter Love Song," if you're keeping score at home) and even a cover of Gnarls Barkley's current hit, "Crazy."
Always one for stage banter and crowd interaction, Walker hopped off the stage during one number and commanded the crowd to crouch down on the floor with him before all dancing like madmen.
"If you think you're too cool for this I want you to get the shit out of here," he told the crowd.Quite a site from the sidelines, I assure you.
Walker, who usually plays his local shows at the temporarily-closed Lincoln Theatre, promised fans he'll be back soon.
So tell me — were you at the show? Did Butch & Co. make a fan or foe out of you? Comments, people!
As a sidebar, Lincoln Theatre will reopen in August after renovations and the addition of a balcony that will take capacity at the club up to about 750. The first scheduled show? New York-based indie rock band The Walkmen. A change in tune for the largely alt.- and hardish-rock club? Probably not. Also scheduled are Barefoot Manner, Squeezetoy's "farewell show," Jay Clifford (of Jump, Little Children fame) and Hank III.
4 comments:
Yo -- good review of Butch. I'd never heard of him before, and I thought I had a pretty good grasp of what's going on in music. Quite a showman, and good rocking, too.
I have to take issue with yr describing the bands before as "mediocre" though -- Dillon Fence could kick it back in the day, and they showed they could really rock it this time, and get a crowd grooving. Big props to Greg Humphreys, the lead singer and guitarist -- he's got an amazing soul voice.
So Angie Aparo didn't put on a good show this go-round? I've been to two of his shows and have found him pretty extraordinary!
I hate to have missed Butch Walker, I'm glad you posted the review. Not that I don't dig his new stuff, but I'd pay big bucks to see a M3 reunion show.
I've been a fan of Butch for 2 years now and that was my favorite concert by far. You mentioned when he crouched down. Well, I was next to him and honestly, I could see how you would look at us as madmen.
He really did fire up the crowd in seconds when he got out there after the elevator-music-worthy bands before him. Ofcourse, I might have just thought that because I was strictly there for the main attraction - him. All in all, it was a great night. Thanks for covering it.
Love Butch! That show was absolutely fantastic! Wish I could find the setlist, though. Thanks for covering the show!
Post a Comment