Does Your Phone Fully Capture The Pietasters at The Senator Theater? Droid Does

Saturday night the Pietasters headlined the Baltimore Ska Review show at the Senator Theater in Baltimore. Now I've been going by the historic Senator for almost 3 years, but I'm usually very drunk when I walk by it. None the less, it still looks really cool, and I appreciate the history of it. Needless to say, I was quite happy to see one of my favorite bands would be playing a show there.

The place itself was like nothing I've ever experience before for a show. The lobby had dozens of movie posters for sale, but I didn't take much time to look through them. Right through there is the concession stand, which lies below none other than the Millennium Falcon. I didn't look closely, but I saw they had popcorn, soda, and a wide variety of beers and shots to be purchased.

Around the place was more movie memorabilia. Outside the men's room were the marquee letters for the outside board. In the men's room was General Han Solo, frozen in carbonite. It's hard to see, but it is autographed by Harrison Ford at the bottom corner. There was also an R2-D2 garbage can right outside of the bathroom.

The way the show was set up was also very unique. There was a stage set up in front of the screen, and all the seats were open to everyone. Plenty of people stood in the isles, but mostly when the Pietasters were on. Behind the bands the screen had different things playing without sound. First up were these weird, early 90's computer animated short films. During the Pietasters was the first act of "Fantasia" and then all of "Yellow Submarine", which was trippy even without knowing what was actually going on in it. The seats were probably the most comfortable I've ever dealt with in a movie theater. I missed The Modarators and the Players band as I arrived about 2 hours after the show started. I got there in the middle of The Scotch Bonnets (pictured right) set, and they were very good. They were followed by Unity Reggae band, who was also very good and did some good covers (notably "No Woman, No Cry" and "54-46").


Around 11:45 the Pietasters took the stage. Despite technical difficulties, they had a great set and played until about 1:30. This was the first time seeing them knowing more than just one album, so this was the first time I could really enjoy them on a larger scale. Despite that, this was probably they best they had been when I've seen them, especially when you consider that their drummer was new as of about 3 hours before taking the stage. This was also the first time in 3 years I saw them with a trumpet player, so that was a nice touch as well.

Their set (in no order besides the way it came up on my iTunes) included:

• Don't Wanna Know
• Chain Reaction
• Can't Stand It
• Wasted
• Something Better
• Freak Show
• Tell You Why (Opener)
• Maggie Mae
• Girl Take It Easy
• Biblical Sense
• Movin on Up
• Drunken Master
• Out All Night
• Higher
• Without You
• 2-3 songs I didn't recognize
  

As the title of the post suggests, it was aided by new semi-new Droid phone. Well, here are some additional images of the Pietasters I took with it last night to go along. If I figure how to get the video of "Drunken Master" on here I'll add that too.

Jim Gaffigan: What Room You Staying In?

Friday night I saw Jim Gaffigan with Romo and Vida and he was great. The concert was at the Baltimore Lyric Opera House, which was a really beautiful opera house. We felt very classy inside. The show was the second of the night and didn't sell out, so we moved up to the front of back balcony, which made a big difference from the last row.

His set was great. I loved all his new material and his older stuff was still great. The last 1/3 of the set was pretty much older jokes from his previous specials on Comedy Central, but within he'd have a couple different punch lines or some more jokes in there that I hadn't heard before, which made the jokes not seem like ones I've heard 10 times before.

Of jokes he repeated, he did Bacon, Fast Food, Waffle House, Christmas/Easter/Halloween, Ketchup, and I cannot remember any other ones. He then came back on stage and did Hot Pockets, also with a good amount of new material making that still great.

If you can find them online, here are general descriptions of what I remember him talking about in his newer material: Subway, Socks, Shoes, Domino's Pasta Bread Bowls, Hotels, Extenze and others.

Random Night

I usually don't like going out on Thursdays, but last week with Al's coming out party restored my faith. However, it's hard to reevaluate things after last night.

I felt like going out, so I went with everyone down to Fed Hill to Stalking Horse. However, while walking down the street we passed the 8x10 club, venue that bands I like play at. Well I heard the sound of familiar reggae, and checked it out. Saw that the Georgia band Passafire was playing, and I like them. So I borrowed 2$ from Chaci and paid my 12$ to get in. Without too much details, there was a chance I was going to get kicked out for being in there (involving starting a tab), but I didn't. The band was once again very good despite me only catching like 6 songs. Check them out here: Myspace.com/Passafire

So afterwards, I took out cash and hit up Stalking Horse with everyone. It pretty much sucked. Dancing at the club was nice and cool compared to how hot it was upstairs at the bar. I had a good time with everyone, but it was just too packed. I left with some friends of mine in a car that would feature 9 people, 3 in front and 6 in the back. I was in the back.

I guess it wasn't too random, just happening to see a band I really like seemed random to me. Oh well.

JIM GAFFIGAN TONIGHT!!!