TODAY'S REVIEW:



I think it's hard to hear lyrics in huge theatres like the Paramount, when all of your songs are wordy... As is the case with Flight of the Conchords. They were going for more of an actual concert approach than stand-up at times, which was cool and bad at the same time. Cool because you really heard more of the music, bad because... well, like I said, the lyrics are a huge part of it, these guys being more of a comedy duo, and missing them really takes from the experience.

I mean, I got most of the lyrics anyway-- but that's because I know the songs. Sometimes it's hard for me to enjoy a concert or musical if the people I'm with aren't constantly enjoying it like I am, as well. I seemed to spend more time making sure they were enjoying themselves and getting the jokes than I was watching the band. Which is dumb, I know. I should've stared at them the whole time, dad and soon-to-be-stepmother be damned.

The set list was, well. Interesting. They tried to pass it off as if they weren't really sure what they were going to do next, but of course-- having the power of the internet-- I know otherwise. There must've been at least a vague guideline; most of their stuff came from the second season, songs like Too Many Dicks on the Dancefloor (which they opened up with, having Arj Barker on this part of the tour), Hurt Feelings, Demon Woman, Epileptic Dogs, I Told You I Was Freaky...

I never realized just how weird these song titles are out of context.

.. ANYWAY. They did play two songs from their HBO special -- Jenny and Business Time? Which was at least good for the old folks, because you could really hear the lyrics. Then there was the Bus Driver's Song, which I'd heard of (it being an older track) but hadn't actually heard. I imagine it's pretty good lyrically, but I didn't catch most of it... though they did manage to base an entire season 2 episode on it, so I think I got the gist. I was mostly lost on their new song, Stana. Kind of an Old West-themed deal, The Devil Went Down To Georgia-esque. For the record, it ends on a very awkward, incestuous note.

And at some point the guys broke out into Free Bird, which apparently has a funny story behind it. "I've always wondered - is there one person in every town whose job it is to yell 'Free Bird'?" "Or is it the same guy, following us around?"

I always feel rather... 'amorous' after concerts, too. I'm not sure if this is just an eventfetish-related thing or an 'all of the people you watch are very, very attractive to you' thing. Could be both. It doesn't help that they went from In Love With The Same Girl at the end and somehow segued into an acoustic version of Sugalumps. Let me repeat that emphasized for you, though, in case you didn't catch it the first time: An acoustic version of Sugalumps, or this song. Yeah, that was fun. And embarrassing. And I think one of the fangirls in the front row was just crazy enough to cop a feel. (Of course, given all the hip-thrusting it wasn't exactly hard to. No pun intended.)

Y'know what was really nice, though? The banter. It seems like they'd be a ton of fun to hang out with, or maybe see performing in a cafe. I'm betting they really do make at least that part up on the spot, too. ♥


TL;DR: New Zealand's 'fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acappella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo' isn't exactly godly when live, but it was definitely worth a three hour trip through overpriced, resold tickets in the mezzanine section to Seattle for. Then again, I wasn't the one paying.